Monroe County, New York: drinking water report. Monroe County encompasses Rochester and about 744,000 residents in western New York.
Monroe County encompasses Rochester and about 744,000 residents in western New York. The Monroe County Water Authority draws from Lake Ontario and Hemlock Lake, treating water at two plants before distributing it across the county. The Great Lakes provide a generally reliable surface water source, but Lake Ontario receives discharge from the entire Great Lakes chain, including industrial and agricultural inputs accumulated along the way.
Rochester's industrial history includes Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb – all of which left contamination footprints. According to the NYSDEC's 2024 environmental site database, Monroe County has over 40 active remediation sites involving chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, and petroleum compounds. The Kodak Park site alone covers 1,200 acres and has documented groundwater contamination with methylene chloride and other compounds.
The EPA's UCMR5 data showed low-level PFAS detections in the Monroe County Water Authority's treated water. A 2024 NYS Health Department assessment found that Lake Ontario source water contains a complex mix of trace organic compounds, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, at concentrations that conventional treatment only partially removes.
Monroe County's surface water supply from Lake Ontario is well-treated but carries the accumulated inputs of the entire Great Lakes basin. Legacy industrial contamination is primarily a groundwater issue that affects specific neighborhoods near former manufacturing sites rather than the municipal supply.
We recommend checking your water for current monitoring data. For the trace organics and low-level PFAS found in Great Lakes water, a quality carbon filter handles most concerns at the tap. Our water filter guide compares systems by certified removal rates. Pull your detailed report for multi-year trends, and visit our New York page for statewide context.