Community Water System · PWS NY2701047
McWa
Rochester, New York 14612 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 496,753 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 496,753
- People served
- 4
- EPA violations
- 3
- Health-based
- No PFAS
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 4 drinking-water violations at McWa, 75% of them health-based - below the New York per-system average.
- 4
- Total EPA violations on record
- 75%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 496,753
- People served by this system
- 0
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: McWa
McWa is a public/private-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 496,753 residents in Rochester, New York (Orleans County) through 83,015 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 4 total violations for this system , of which 3 (75%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Lead and Copper Rule, recorded in 3 violations (TT, health-based). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.
Across New York, EPA tracks 8,098 public water systems serving 19,294,951 people, with 552,003 cumulative violations and 26,817 health-based violations on record. About 94% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 68.2 violations. Statewide, 129 of 332 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (38.9%).
McWa's 4 violations sit below the New York average.
All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Public/Private
- Connections
- 83,015
- County
- Orleans
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 0
- Monitoring Violations
- 0
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 3
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | TT | 3 | 2025 |
PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)
Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 522 samples detected PFAS.
| Contaminant | Date | Result | MRL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 8/13/2024 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 8/13/2024 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 8/13/2024 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFNA | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBS | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NMeFOSAA | 8/13/2024 | <6.00 ppt | 6.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 8/13/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOS | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| ADONA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 4:2 FTS | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 8/13/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| HFPO-DA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFUnA | 8/13/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTrDA | 8/13/2024 | <7.00 ppt | 7.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFTA | 8/13/2024 | <8.00 ppt | 8.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHpS | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeS | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NFDHA | 8/13/2024 | <20.00 ppt | 20.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFEESA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMBA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFPeA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFMPA | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 8:2 FTS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| NEtFOSAA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 6:2 FTS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFBA | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 9Cl-PF3ONS | 8/13/2024 | <2.00 ppt | 2.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 8/13/2024 | <5.00 ppt | 5.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDoA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFHxA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFDA | 8/13/2024 | <3.00 ppt | 3.00 ppt | Not Detected |
| PFOA | 8/13/2024 | <4.00 ppt | 4.00 ppt | Not Detected |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for McWa.
EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID NY2701047 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
New York Drinking Water Authority
New York State Department of Health, Public Water Systems is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects McWa under EPA-delegated authority.
Open NY regulator portalSource: New York State Department of Health, Public Water Systems
Violation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | TT | 3 | SDWIS / NY2701047 / 5000 |
How McWa Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | McWa | New York avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 4 | 68.2 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 3 | 3.3 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 38.9% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 496,753 | 2,383 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 8,098 regulated public water systems in New York.
Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026) |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McWa water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does McWa serve? ▼
What type of violations does McWa have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in McWa water? ▼
What water source does McWa use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.