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Source Water Assessment Program
 A source water assessment is a study and report, unique
to each water system, that provides basic information about the water
used to provide drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Amendments of 1996 requires states to develop and implement Source
Water Assessment Programs (SWAP) for each of the drinking water sources
in the state.
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) recently
completed Source Water Assessments for the raw water sources used by
MCWA. The purpose of this program is to compile, organize, and evaluate
information regarding possible and actual threats to the quality of
public water supply (PWS) sources. It is important to note that source
water assessment reports estimate the potential for untreated drinking
water sources to be impacted by contamination. These reports do not
address the safety or quality of treated finished potable tap water.
More information on the SWAP process can be found at the EPA’s
SWAP website. The assessment summaries for the supplies used by
MCWA are provided below.
Treatment Plant
|
Sources
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Assessment Summary
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Shoremont WTP (MCWA)
|
Lake Ontario |
The Great Lakes’ watershed is exceptionally large, and
it is beyond the scope of the SWAP to inventory and describe
susceptibility to all the potential sources of potential contamination.
Overall, the quality of drinking water collected from the Great
Lakes is considered to be excellent. Some of the general concerns
for Great Lake public drinking supplies include: storm generated
turbidity, wastewater, toxic sediments, shipping related spills,
and problems associated with exotic species (e.g. zebra mussels-
intake clogging and taste and odor problems). It is important
to note that raw drinking water quality is most often determined
by the overall lake’s quality, with near shore impacts
being widely diluted in the Great Lakes.
It has been determined that this intake is not directly
impacted by activities on the nearby shoreline. Therefore,
drinking water concerns are determined by overall quality
of Lake Ontario.
For more information contact the Monroe County Department
of Public Health at 585-753-5057.
|
Hemlock WTP
(City of Rochester)
|
Hemlock and Canadice Lakes |
Though the assessment of the Hemlock/Canadice Lake watershed
identified several potential sources of contamination, none
were particularly noteworthy. The City’s ownership and
control of a large amount of property surrounding the lakes,
coupled
with its routine surveillance and testing programs, helps assure
on-going protection of this resource. Testing performed to
date confirms that contamination from human activity is negligible.
For more information contact theMonroe County Department of
Public Health at 585-753-5057.
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Corfu WTP
(MCWA)
|
well water |
Although all ground water are susceptible to contamination
from agricultural and industrial surface sources, this source
is afforded protection by the confined nature of the aquifer
and the absence of noteworthy contamination sources in the immediate
area.
For more information contact the Genesee County Health Department
at 585-344-2580.
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Erie County Water Authority
(ECWA)
|
Lake Erie and Niagara River |
Water quality and source assessment information for this supply
can be found at http://www.ecwa.org or
contact the Erie County Health Department at 716-858-6966. |
Additional information on the environment and what
you can do to protect the source of your drinking water can be found
at:
The
Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) is a partnership that
provides one place online for people to find information relating
to the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region of North America.
GLIN offers a wealth of data and information about the region's
environment, economy, tourism, education and more. Thanks to its
strong network of state, provincial, federal and regional partner
agencies and organizations, GLIN has become a necessary component
of informed decision making, and a trusted and reliable source
of information for those who live, work or have an interest in
the Great Lakes region.
The
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation exists
to: "conserve, improve, and protect the New York State's natural
resources and environment, and control water, land and air pollution,
in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people
of the state and their overall economic and social well being."
The Monroe County Environmental Management Council The Monroe County
Environmental Management Council (EMC) is advisory to the County Executive
and the County Legislature on environmental issues. It is a division of the
Department of Environmental Services. Membership is comprised of volunteers
from every town in the county as well as the City of Rochester and the Village
of Honeoye Falls. Ten at-large members and representatives of county agencies
are also members of the EMC. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of
each month (except June, July, and August) at 4 PM; locations vary per month.
All meetings are free and open to the public.
The
Water Education Collaborative (WEC) is a coalition of organizations
that work together to increase water quality education in the community.
The mission of the WEC is to focus the combined resources of member
organizations to provide water quality education services to the
public within the Genesee Region Watershed. This is accomplished
by: 1) educating and involving citizens in protecting water quality,
2) serving as a resource/clearinghouse for water quality education
programs, and 3) seeking the resources to support water education
programs.
Center
for Environmental Information: a private, nonprofit, education
organization, founded in Rochester, New York, in 1974. CEI provides
information and communication services, publications, and educational
programs in order to advance public understanding of environmental
issues, act as a communication link among scientists, educators,
decision makers and the public and advocate informed action based
on the free exchange of information and ideas.
BACK
Lake Ontario, the source
of MCWA water is the 14th largest lake in the world
with 393 cubic miles of water. It is also the second deepest
of the great lakes, at an average of 282 feet .
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
Copyright © 1999 -
Monroe County Water Authority
All rights reserved
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