u/Alekusandoria

Hey everyone.

I asked this community what you wanted to know about Rochester’s water. You delivered. I got questions about lead pipes, PCBs, the body in the reservoir, microplastics, PFAS, the difference between city and MCWA water, fish advisories, algal blooms, infrastructure age, watershed protection, and a lot more.

I tried to answer all of it. I’ve worked on the finger lakes all my life, so I’m doing this to share helpful information about our lakes and water supplies.

The episode runs longer than I planned, but the story required it. Every fact has a citation, but since it was 43 citations long they’re not in the caption of the video. If you need something specific, please leave a comment and I’ll share!

Here’s what’s covered:

Where Rochester’s water actually comes from and the 150-year history of Hemlock and Canadice Lakes. The PCB contamination scandal in the Canadice watershed, traced to a private landowner draining transformer fluid near a tributary feeding the reservoir and the fish test results the state still hasn’t publicly released two years after collection. The University of Rochester microplastics study that found concentrations jumping from 10 particles per milliliter at the source to over 1,500 inside the distribution system. 15,000 lead service lines still in the ground, the free replacement program, and how to get your water tested at no cost. The full story of Abdullahi Muya (the man found in Highland Park Reservoir in 2024), with the science of why the water was safe and the federal compliance failure that made it possible. The internal phosphorus loading documented in Hemlock and Canadice specifically, legacy septic phosphorus still potentially moving through groundwater from cottages demolished 80 years ago, and the seiche dynamics that can trigger algal blooms inside a protected lake with no external input required. The Skaneateles comparison, the fracking fight, city vs. suburb water, PFAS, disinfection byproducts, and what you can actually do

If your question made it in, thank you. If I missed something or got something wrong, tell me in the comments. I’d rather be corrected if needed!

If you have follow up questions please do let me know. Thanks again for helping me cover this science with your guidance. I hope it helps ease some concerns, and puts attention in some of the places that it is needed.

https://youtu.be/Ua4JQhloWds?si=BcGXL1MpAVSMKAy5

I’m an environmental scientist working on a project about what people actually deserve to know about their water (lead pipes, algae blooms, toxins, lake health, tap vs. bottled), all of it.

I’ve seen gaps over the years between what scientists and the public know, and we all deserve to be informed. We all rely on the water just the same.

Rochester’s water comes primarily from Hemlock and Canadice Lakes (with some Ontario in the mix), and like much of the Finger Lakes region, there are real issues worth talking about publicly.

I’m in the process of interviewing local officials and lake managers to find out where the problem areas are and how residents can stay informed and safe.

I did this same deep dive for Syracuse and Skaneateles Lake (https://youtu.be/FkmQdQ0TwOY?si=KWjNKwGOJEtgVRCU). It led to an NPR interview and direct conversations with lake managers there, and I want to do it right for Rochester too.

What are your biggest questions or concerns about your water? Genuinely asking. I want this to be useful to people here, not just general.

Drop them below and I’ll do my best to address them.

If you want context on the format, I cover all of this through a podcast called AquaDiary — but right now I’m more interested in what you want to know so I can serve the public to the best of my ability. Thanks so much for your help in advance.