We read 19 results from Rochester City’s 2022 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 4 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 214,000 people · Water system ID NY2704518 · Read the district’s 2022 report (opens in a new tab)
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Results from the 2022 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead90th percentile of 107 homes tested, 4 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (Q3/Q4 2024, 107 samples) · 2022 report | 9 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal45x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 2.4 · sampled 2024 · Ontario supply (MCWA) · 2022 report | 2.4 ppt | 1 ppt | 10 ppt (New York) now; 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal2.4x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)single sample · sampled 2019 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 1.11 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · sampled 2024 · Distribution system · 2022 report | 1.2 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Aluminumaverage · printed as 15 ug/L · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 0.02 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Bariumaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 0.02 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chlorideaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 37 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range 0.13 to 1.9 · sampled 2024 · Distribution system · 2022 report | 0.94 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Copper90th percentile of 103 homes tested, 0 over the action level · printed as 290 ug/L · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (Q1/Q2 2024, 103 samples) · 2022 report | 0.29 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 6 to 42 · sampled 2024 · Distribution system · 2022 report | 34 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 16 to 79 · sampled 2024 · Distribution system · 2022 report | 50 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.4 to 0.8 · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 0.69 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range ND to 0.2 · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 0.09 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| pHaverage · range 7.5 to 8.1 · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 7.8 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 11 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 150 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · range ND to 0.17 · sampled 2024 · Entry points · 2022 report | 0.17 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Hardnessaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 5.32 gpg (91 ppm) | — | — | Moderately hard |
| Sodiumaverage · sampled 2024 · Hemlock plant · 2022 report | 20 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Lead
Found: Lead
What removes it: Certified carbon block or RO.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOS (a PFAS)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Radium and uranium
Found: Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
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