City seeks public input for Highland Reservoir Improvements Project

The City of Rochester is entering the planning phase for improvements to the Highland Reservoir. Residents can learn more about the project and provide their input to City officials at 6 p.m., Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at the Olmsted Lodge in Highland Park, 171 Reservoir Ave.

Highland Reservoir, located within Highland Park—a historic arboretum designed by Frederick Law Olmstead—is one of Rochester’s three drinking water reservoirs. The goal of the project will be to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2), which mandates that open, finished water storage facilities be either covered or have treatment methods installed. Currently, the water in the Highland Reservoir comes from the City’s Rush Reservoir, which is covered.

Since 2012, the City has operated under a Bilateral Compliance Agreement with the Monroe County Department of Public Health and the New York State Department of Health to address LT2 compliance. The City is studying several options to meet these requirements.