What was found in Rochester's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | 842 µg/L 21% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1696.5 µg/L — PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2018 | 8/9 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 186.5 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 365.85 µg/L — ROCHESTER CONSECUTIVE WTR SYS · 171 people · 2018 | 9/9 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 110 µg/L 138% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 98.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 71.55 µg/L 119% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 51 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: INN AT SECRETARIAT ESTATES · 54 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 51 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: INN AT SECRETARIAT ESTATES · 54 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 41 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 10.305 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 32.9 µg/L — PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2018 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 32 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 0.6000 pCi/L 4% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 18.975 pCi/L — PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 11 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 12 µg/L — ROCHESTER CONSECUTIVE WTR SYS · 171 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 10.3434 µg/L 69% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 10.825 µg/L — HEATH BROOK ESTATES · 36 people · 2018 | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 10.4 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: INN AT SECRETARIAT ESTATES · 54 people · 2018 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 8 µg/L 80% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 6.9888 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 5.91 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 0.6000 pCi/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 5.85 pCi/L — PROFILE APARTMENTS · 90 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.58 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.975 µg/L — ROCHESTER CONSECUTIVE WTR SYS · 171 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.8 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: GRANDVIEW ESTATES · 30 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.5000 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.1110 µg/L 5.6% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: GRANDVIEW ESTATES · 30 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: ROCHESTER WATER DEPT · 25,000 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0510 mg/L — ACORN TERRACE · 215 people · 2011 | 3/9 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Rochester
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| ROCHESTER WATER DEPT | 25,000 |
| ACORN TERRACE | 215 |
| ROCHESTER CONSECUTIVE WTR SYS | 171 |
| PROFILE APARTMENTS | 90 |
| INN AT SECRETARIAT ESTATES | 54 |
| MEADOWBROOK VILLAGE | 40 |
| HEATH BROOK ESTATES | 36 |
| COUNTRY RIDGE MOBILE HOME PARK | 35 |
| GRANDVIEW ESTATES | 30 |
Frequently asked questions about Rochester tap water
Is Rochester tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Rochester. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Rochester?
9 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Rochester, New Hampshire to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Rochester's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Rochester include Fluoride, Copper, TTHM, Chloroform, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.