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Consumer Information
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.
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: M.C.W.A. at P.O. Box 41999, Rochester, NY 14604 (enclose a payment stub). 2) At the following bank: Eastman Savings & Loan (must have an ESL account). 3) In Person at the Water Authority Offices: 475 Norris Dr., Rochester. 4) Electronically through an on-line service. 5) MCWA's Automatic Bill Payment Service 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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