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Consumer Information
Got a question about your water service? Want to know how the MCWA
system works? If you don’t find the answers below, call our
Customer Service line at (585) 442-7200.
Report vandalism at booster pump stations, e.g. broken windows and doors, running water, unauthorized people on the site, or any unusual situation.
Q. Where is the Water Authority located?  The
Water Authority is located at 475 Norris Drive, Rochester, New York
14610. Norris Drive runs east and west between Culver Road and
Winton Road South, just south of the Rt. 490 exits for both Culver
and Winton. We are located in the black glass building on the
hill opposite the Cobbs Hill Park playing fields.Q. What is the MCWA’s service area?
The Authority provides water to most of Monroe County
outside the City of Rochester, either on a retail or a wholesale basis.
Outside of Monroe County MCWA provides water on a retail basis
to towns in Genesee County, and on a wholesale basis to portions of
Orleans, Ontario and Wayne counties. (Service
Area Map)
Q. What is the difference between the Monroe County Water Authority, the Rochester Water Works, and Pure Waters?
The Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) and the Rochester Water Works (RWW) both supply clean water for drinking and other household, commercial and industrial purposes. MCWA provides service outside the City of Rochester, while the RWW supplies water within the City. The Pure Waters Districts clean up (treat) the waste water collected in sanitary and storm sewers.
There are legal differences, too. MCWA is an Authority created by New York State statute; RWW is a Bureau of the City’s Department of Environmental Services; while Pure Waters is a Division of Monroe County’s Department of Environmental Services.
Q. Where does my water come from?
Most of MCWA’s water comes from Lake Ontario and is treated at the Shoremont Water Treatment Plant. We also operate the Corfu Plant, a small well supply in the Village of Corfu. Parts of our service area are supplied with water purchased from other utilities: the City of Rochester, the Erie County Water Authority (ECWA), the Town of Ontario, and the City of Batavia. Each of these suppliers meets the same high standards maintained by the Authority. (Service Map by Supply)
Q. How much storage capacity does the Authority
have?
MCWA has a storage capacity in excess of 130 million
gallons. With our average daily system usage of approximately 55 million
gallons there is enough water stored in our system to meet up to three
days usage.
Q. How does a water tower work?
A water tower stores water for use at a later time.
Of course, that time may be tomorrow! Towers are normally filled at
night when demand is lowest. Then water is available when demand is
greatest - usually in the morning when people are getting ready for
work, school, etc. Towers are high so they can supply the necessary
water pressure to the houses, schools and businesses in the area of
the tower. (for a diagram visit "How
Stuff Works")
Click here to see how a water storage tank is constructed. Q. Why are antennas on top of some water towers?
The Water Authority leases space on water towers to
cellular carriers.
Q. Who is responsible for the water lines to my house? The MCWA maintains the water service line from the
water main to the outside shutoff valve (curb box) located at or near
the property line, and the water meter. The homeowner maintains the
service from the curb box to the house, including the shutoff valve
inside the house. Do not place plants, trees, shrubs or permanent fixtures
next to the curb box.
The length of time you will be without water depends
on the work being performed. 50% of all breaks are fixed in 4 hours
or less, 90% are fixed within 8 hours. Call (585) 442-7200 to get an
approximate time.
Q. Why wasn’t I notified in advance of the
water being shut off?
When an emergency exists (roads washed out, houses/basements
flooded) or there is a threat to public safety, there may not be time
to notify customers before the water must be turned off. You should
be notified when pre-scheduled repair work requires your water service
to be interrupted.
Q. Why are colored stakes, flags, or paint marks
on my lawn or sidewalk?
They show the location of utilities in that area. We
are required by law to mark our water lines any time a contractor will
be excavating within 15’ of our mains. When these markers appear,
it means excavation work has been scheduled (or has just been completed).
Different colors are used to indicate the location of different utilities:  blue
= water  red
= electric  yellow
= gas  orange
= TV and cable  green
= sewer Q. I'm installing an in-ground swimming pool, a fence or a sprinkler system in my yard. Do I need to notify MCWA?
Q. When is grading and seeding done to repair damages? Grading and seeding repairs are weather dependent.
If the damage has occurred after the "planting season" is over, repairs
will be made as soon as the weather permits in the spring. When the
soil is dry enough to spread, quality topsoil, seed, and fertilizer
are applied. Our goal is to repair all damage from the previous season
by June 1.
If damage takes place during the "planting season," Authority practice is to wait 2 to 3 weeks for the ground to settle before making permanent repairs. When the repair is complete a door hanger is left at the property to notify occupants that they, not the Authority, are responsible for keeping the seed watered. Q. When are pavement patches made?
MCWA will usually install a temporary patch then let
the ground settle for 2 to 3 weeks before a permanent patch is made.
This process is weather dependent. Large jobs also depend upon getting
patching material from an asphalt batch plant. Batch plants close for
the winter (usually in November) and re-open in early spring (usually
in April). For this reason, permanent patches on large areas may be
delayed until spring.
Q. Do I need to do anything to prepare for winter?
Unhook hoses from outside faucets before the first
freeze and drain all outside faucets to prevent them from freezing
and breaking. Learn more.
Q. Is it OK for anyone to open a fire hydrant?
Hydrants are provided, primarily, for fire protection
purposes. Special permits are issued to others who have a legitimate
reason to use the hydrant. Unauthorized or improper hydrant use can
result in damage to the system, possibly creating a problem if it were
needed in an emergency. If you have concerns about who is using a hydrant,
or how it is being used, call (585) 442-7200.
Try running the cold water only* for 10 to 15 minutes, just at one faucet. When the cold water no longer looks dirty, turn on the hot water and run it until the water is clear.
Q. Why is my water "milky" colored? This is probably caused by air in the water. You can
check by filling a glass with water. If the bubbles rise to the top,
it is air. To remove air from the line, try running a faucet at the
highest location in the house, usually a second floor bathroom, for
about 15 minutes. If the problem persists, call Customer Service at
(585) 442-7200.
Q. What are the white particles clogging my faucets?
This may be the result of the filler tubes in some
hot water heaters breaking down. It's most likely to happen with water
heaters manufactured between 1993 and 1996. The plastic in the filler
tubes sometimes breaks down into granules that look like powdered soap.
According to filler tube manufacturers, the problem has been solved.
A replacement tube is available for about $5 and can easily be installed
by a plumber or handy homeowner.
Q. My water seems to be running slowly, what is the cause?
Try to determine if the problem is only with one faucet. If so, it may be a plugged faucet filter screen. You can unscrew the screen and clean it.
If more than one faucet has low pressure the cause may be one of the following:
Q. How do I check for toilet leaks?
Toilets can be checked for leaks in the following
ways:
Q. Where is my shutoff valve located?
The valve is normally just ahead of the meter on the wall facing the street at the point where the water service pipe enters the building, about 3 feet from the floor.
Q. How do I treat my water in an emergency?
Boiling is the surest way to make water safe to drink.
Vigorous boiling for one minute will kill any disease-causing microorganisms
in water. The flat taste of boiled water can be improved by pouring
it back and forth from one container to another to aerate it, by allowing
it to stand in the refrigerator for a few hours, or by adding a pinch
of salt for each quart of water boiled.
For additional information visit The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water Q. I don’t have any water, has it been shut
off for non-payment?
If you have received a delinquency notice and have
not made arrangements by the shut-off date, your service probably has
been shut off. Call Customer Service at (585) 442-7200 during normal
business hours (8:30 to 4:30). Sorry, service can be turned back on
only during regular business hours. If your account is current, your
water may be off for emergency repair work.
Q. How do I get water service, or hook up my house to public (county) water? Call Engineering, (585) 442-2001 ext. 226, between
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to arrange for service.
Q. What are the Water Authority’s billing
procedures? How often am I billed?
Q. Where and how can I pay my bill?
There are several ways to pay your water bill.
1) By
mail to: MCWA, 2) MCWA’s Automatic Bill Payment Service. 3) In
Person at the Water Authority Offices: 4) Electronically through an on-line service. 5) At the following bank: Eastman Savings & Loan (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 its standard late fees for any payments not received in a timely manner. Q: What if I am not at home to let the meter reader
in?
If a meter reader is unable to get a read, a meter
read card will be left. It asks the customer to call or mail in a read.
If repeated requests to obtain a read are unsuccessful, the
service may be shutoff.
Q: How often does the meter have to be read by the Authority?
A MCWA employee must read all meters every three to five years.
Q. What is a mailer card, and how do I get one?
Meter reads can be called in to our automated Meter Read Call In System at (585) 442-3034 (see next question for instructions); mailed to the Authority; or called in to Customer Service, (585) 442-7200. The Monroe County Water Authority is also now offering a new service enabling customers to submit their water meter readings online. All that's required is an e-mail account with Internet access.
Q. How do I use the Meter Read Call in System?
Call (585) 442-3034
Q. Can I see my bill on-line?
Yes, if you have signed up for our Meter Read Input
System on-line. If you would like to sign up now click
here.
Q. How can I get my account balance?
Call Customer Service, (585) 442-7200, between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or you can check your
balance online here.
Q. How do I find out when my last payment was received?
Call Customer Service, (585) 442-7200, between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or you can check online here.
Q. How can I arrange to have a bill sent to another
address?
Call Customer Service, (585) 442-7200, between 8:30
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday to make billing arrangements.
Q. I’m moving. What do I need to do?
Contact Customer Service at (585) 442-7200 prior to
your closing date. The following information is needed:
Q. What should I do if I will be away for an extended period of time?
Q. What should I do before I leave the property?
Q. What should I do for a seasonal residence that is not heated during the winter?
Water hardness is a measure of the mineral content
of water. "Hard" water takes more soap to create lather than "soft" water.
Q. How hard is MCWA water?
MCWA water is considered moderately hard and contains
between 5.6 and 7.6 grains per gallon of Total Hardness. By way of
comparison, before they switched to MCWA, many of the local communities
used ground water supplies that had Total Hardness values of more than
20 grains per gallon.
Q. Do I need a water softener?
Q. Is my water fluoridated?
Yes. Water provided by the MCWA contains about 1 ppm
(part per million) fluoride, the level recommended by the EPA.
Q. Is there lead in my water?
Lead is not in the public water supply when it leaves
our treatment plants. Lead may enter the water if it sits for long
periods of time in private plumbing lines that have either lead solder
or fixtures containing lead. Running the water for 15 to 30 seconds
will clear out any lead that may be present in the water.
Q. How can I get a copy of the MCWA Water Quality
Report?
Request a copy by contacting the MCWA Customer Service
office at 442-7200 or print a copy of the online Water
Quality Report.
The Monroe County Civil Service Commission governs
employment with the MCWA, and all employees are hired in accordance
with Monroe County and New York State Civil Service regulations. Most
positions at the Authority are classified "competitive", which means
employees are selected from an eligible list resulting from 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.
The Authority on occasion has some "labor" and "non-competitive" class
positions, for which no examination is required. Individuals can apply
for these positions by obtaining an application at our General Offices,
475 Norris Drive, Rochester, New York 14610.
The Monroe County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Bringing
you our most precious resource!
Monroe County
Water Authority
475 Norris Drive Rochester, New York 14610- 0999 (585) 442-2000 FAX: (585) 442-0220 E-mail: information@mcwa.com
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