The Water Authority is located at 475 Norris Drive, Rochester, New York 14610. Click on the "view larger map" link for directions.

• Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) is an Authority created by New York State statute to supply clean water to residential, commercial and industrial customers outside of the City of Rochester.
• Rochester Water Works (RWW), a Bureau of the City's Department of Environmental Services, supplies clean water within the City limits.
• Pure Waters is a Division of Monroe County's Department of Environmental Services. They treat the waste water collected in sanitary and storm sewers.

• Competitive: Covers most positions at the Authority. Employees are selected from an eligible list based on a competitive test given by the Monroe County Civil Service Commission. Contact the County of Monroe Human Resources Department, County Office Building, 39 W. Main St., Rochester, New York 14614 for notices of upcoming exams and eligibility requirements
• Labor and Non-Competitive: Covers a small number of positions. No examination is required, and applications can be obtained at our General Offices, 475 Norris Drive, Rochester, New York 14610

The Monroe County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer

• Disconnect all hoses from outside faucets
• Shut off and drain all outside faucets and lawn sprinkler systems OR
• If you don't have a separate shut-off valve for outside faucets, protect them with insulated covers. You'll find covers at hardware and building supply stores.

Eliminate drafts:

• Close all windows and doors near water lines
• Caulk around pipes where they enter the house.
• Close foundation vents not needed for residential use.
• Seal cracks in basement, crawl space, and other outside walls

Insulate pipes:

• Wrap pipes in unheated areas with weatherproof insulation or heat tape products

Protect the water meter:

• If your water meter is in an unheated area or near drafts from outdoors, insulate it to keep it from freezing.
  NOTE: Customers are responsible for the replacement cost of a meter damaged due to freezing.

What to do if your pipes freeze:

• Locate your main shut-off valve. If a water line has broken or split, you don't want to waste time looking for the shut-off when the water begins flowing again!
• Test the shut-off to make sure it's working. (If you can't locate the main shut-off or it won't operate, call our Customer Service Department at 442-7200.)
• Find where the pipe is frozen. Look in unheated areas where pipe insulation is loose or missing.
• Open a faucet downstream of the frozen area to provide an outlet for the water after thawing.
• Thaw the pipe using a hair dryer on the low-heat setting. Move the dryer back and forth across the frozen section. Be patient! This is a slow process.
• NEVER USE AN OPEN FLAME TO THAW A FROZEN LINE!!
• If none of your faucets work and you can't find where the lines are frozen, it's possible your service line is frozen. Call Customer Service to arrange for a serviceman to visit the property.
• If the service line is frozen between the water main and the outside shut-off valve (curb stop), our MCWA serviceman will thaw the line. There is no charge for this service, unless it happens more than one time in the same season.
• If the service line is frozen within your property, thawing the line is your responsibility.

Take a few minutes to prepare your home for winter and avoid these problems!

• Shut-off Valve: Make sure the valve is open all the way.
• Supply Line: If other houses in your area are experiencing the same problem, call Customer Service (585) 442-7200.
• Pressure Regulator: A plumber can test and replace the valve.

• Put a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. If after an hour food coloring appears in the toilet bowl, you have a leak. Replace the stopper in the tank to fix the problem.
• Remove the lid from the tank and flush the toilet. Once the tank is filled listen or look for water still running. Put a little powder in the tank to check if water level is rising above the overflow pipe. If the powder disappears, water is leaking. Adjust or replace the float to fix the problem.

• Mail: MCWA, PO Box 41999, Rochester, NY 14604
• Automatically: [link: Automatic Bill Payment Service in My Bill section].
• In Person: MCWA Offices, 475 Norris Dr., Rochester.
• Electronically: Through your own bank's website
• Bank: ESL Federal Credit Union (must have an ESL account).

Note: The Water Authority is not affiliated with any online payment services. Any payments made through these services are at the consumer's sole risk and responsibility. Please be aware that the Authority will impose standard late fees for any payments not received in a timely manner.

• Record the numbers exactly as they appear on the meter, including zeroes.
• Call (585) 442-3034 and enter your account number (located on the meter read card). Press the # key on the phone.
• Enter the first four numbers of the meter read, including all zeroes. Press the # key on the phone. It is not necessary to enter the last three digits.

Note: Customers with cubic foot meters should follow the instructions included with the meter read card.

• closing date
• name of new owner
• your new billing address
• name of the attorney(s) handling the closing
• meter read on the date of closing (if the meter is not accessible, notify Customer Service (585) 442-7200

1. Call Customer Service at (585) 442-7200, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, to schedule an appointment to shut your water off and remove your water meter. A total charge of $50.00 covers the shut off, meter removal, and restoration of service.
2. A vacation billing plan is available for residential customers who will be away for a minimum of three months. A bill is sent for the Base Charge Only (determined by meter size. If you wish to participate, call Customer Service at 442-7200 or fill out the form and submit by e-mail, mail or fax (585) 442-0220.

If you will be gone for more than six months, we request a meter read once every six months to detect leaks or internal plumbing problems at the property.