Is there PFAS in Rochester City water?
No PFAS were detected in any of the 8 samples EPA's program collected.
Rochester City is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Rochester, New York, serving about 210,000 people, including Hemlock, Rochester. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 8 times across 2 sampling points between Feb 2023 and Nov 2023.
Every PFAS detected
None of the 29 PFAS were found at or above EPA's minimum reporting levels (2 to 20 ppt depending on the compound).
Not detected: PFHxS, NEtFOSAA, PFNA, PFOS, PFHpA, ADONA, PFPeA, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFOA, PFHxA, 6:2 FTS, NMeFOSAA, PFUnA, PFDoA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, PFHpS, 8:2 FTS, PFBS, PFDA, NFDHA, PFMPA, PFPeS, PFTA, PFTrDA, PFBA, PFEESA, 4:2 FTS, PFMBA, HFPO-DA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
No PFAS action is needed on these results. If your water tastes or smells of chlorine, a whole-house city water filter is the usual fix.
Other systems in New York
- Yonkers City none detected
- New York American Water - Lynbrook 3 PFAS detected
- Syracuse City none detected
- Veolia Water above an EPA limit
- Suez Water Westchester, INC. Rd-1 none detected
- Buffalo Water Authority none detected
All 334 tested systems in New York
ZIP codes served
14466 14605 14606 14607 14608 14609 14610 14611 14612 14613 14614 14615 14616 14617 14618 14619 14620 14621 14622 14623 14624
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in Rochester City water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID NY2704518. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/new-york/rochester-city/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID NY2704518). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.