Current Health-Based Noncompliance NY 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

Rochester City

EPA ID: NY2704518 · 210,000 people served · 21 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Rochester City (NY2704518): 1 unresolved EPA violation on record. Not yet resolved: 1 EPA violation at Rochester City, affecting about 210,000 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B · 80
Avg Safety Score
210,000
People Served
21
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0068 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$165K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Rochester City Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$61,933
Median Household Income
388,671
Service Area Population
36%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
86%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Rochester City serves a community with a median household income of $61,933 and an estimated 388,671 residents across its service area. Approximately 86% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 36% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Rochester City's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
30th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

83 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
2 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Accelerating Decay
Decay Status
Installed 98% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Rochester City compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in New York

Yonkers City
211,569 people
A 0 violations
B 3 violations
Syracuse City
192,000 people
C 12 violations
Veolia Water New York
270,000 people
B 0 violations
A 2 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $743
Water Filtration $300
Total Estimated Cost $2,243

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,500
10 years
$5,000
20 years
$10,000

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,243 (one-time) vs. $5,000 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Rochester City (EPA ID: NY2704518) is a community water system in New York that serves approximately 210,000 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 21 ZIP codes across 1 community.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (80/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 12 of 21 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

1 current health-based noncompliance record in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 0 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 1 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
January 1, 2025 Stage 1 DBP Rule Health-based Unaddressed (current)

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 1 Yes

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.0068 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by NY or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Rochester City (NY2704518) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rochester City water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current health-based noncompliance record for Rochester City. Review the utility's current notices and EPA record. This system-level compliance history cannot determine conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does Rochester City serve?

Rochester City serves approximately 210,000 people across 21 ZIP codes in New York.

Where does Rochester City get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
232

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Rochester City safe to drink?
Rochester City earns a B safety grade with 1 violation in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
What contaminants are in Rochester City's water?
Detected contaminants include Stage 1 DBP Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Rochester City serve?
Rochester City serves approximately 210,000 people with drinking water across 21 ZIP codes.
What is Rochester City's water source?
Rochester City draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Rochester City's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0068 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Rochester City's service area?
The Rochester City service area has a median household income of $61,933. EPA EJScreen data classifies 36% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Rochester City get its water?
Rochester City's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on the exported violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is classified as elevated.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Rochester City (NY): 1 Health Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ny2704518/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ny2704518,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Rochester City (NY): 1 Health Violation}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ny2704518/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Rochester City (EPA ID: NY2704518) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

Home Water Systems New York Rochester City

Get safety alerts for Rochester City, New York

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Violations found - check filter options Free tool - no phone call required.