ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester police are expected to release more information on Thursday about the person who was found dead in the Highland Park Reservoir and how long the body was in the water.

Mayor Malik Evans has also called a news conference for 8 a.m. to offer an update.

What You Need To Know

  •  Mayor of Rochester to hold news conference at 8 a.m. Thursday to provide more information about a body found in the Highland Park Reservoir this week

  •  The boil water advisory for portions of the city of Rochester has been lifted

  • The New York State Department of Health regulates public drinking water systems throughout the state, and states that it is in communication with the Monroe County health department

How safe is our drinking water?

It’s a question frequently raised and most recently in the city of Rochester, where there is concern from folks who are forced to boil their water in portions of the city.

On Tuesday, police say a body was discovered in one of the main water supplies for the city, Highland Park Reservoir.

The city says its water bureau immediately bypassed water flow and has been testing the drinking water. Officials say there are no safety issues associated with the water from the reservoir and that the boil water advisory, which has now been lifted, was done in an abundance of caution. 

The New York State Department of Health regulates public drinking water systems throughout the state through local health departments.

The DOH states: “We are in active communication with the Monroe County Health Department, and we will work closely with them to determine appropriate next steps and evaluate if the City of Rochester is in violation of any sanitary code requirements.”

This comes as folks who live in the affected area worry about the safety of their water.

“I feel slightly uneasy about it,” said Katie Besaw of Rochester. “It’s a little worrisome to know that we’ve been drinking the water. Using the water for every day, everything, for cooking, cleaning [and] drinking. All of it. So, I don’t know. I’m just feeling a little sick to my stomach about it.” 

“I used to walk here all the time and I can’t imagine how a body, first of all, got in there,” said Georgianna Brennan of Rochester. “My daughter called me, and she said, ‘mom, you can’t use the water,’ and she said they found a body. I thought it was like a horror movie. I’m like, are you kidding me? It’s sad.”

The Department of Health says New York State laws and regulations require public water systems that serve populations greater than 3,300 people have a vulnerability assessment and emergency response plan, which includes an evaluation of vulnerability to terrorist attack. It says the City of Rochester is in compliance with these requirements.

Also, the DOH says the City of Rochester is under a bilateral compliance agreement with the New York State Department of Health and the Monroe County health department to comply with the regulatory requirements that address uncovered treated water storage facilities.

As part of this agreement, the City of Rochester conducts enhanced monitoring for pathogens and the DOH says there is no indication of contamination.  

The Highland Park Reservoir is not covered, which has been a topic of some debate in recent years.