At a water reservoir in Rochester, New York, a horrifying discovery was made when a 29-year-old man was found dead in the supply. Mind you, this man had been missing since February, so he had spent well over a month floating in the water that residents there drink. As a result, the city has advised certain neighborhoods in the area to boil their water.
Honestly, what good is it to just start boiling your water now? People have been unknowingly consuming this bacteria-infested water for weeks, which is horrifying on so many levels.
From Rochester First:
Abdullahi Muya, 29, climbed over the reservoir fence and slid down into the water at 6:30 a.m. on February 24, according to Rochester Mayor Malik Evans. City water bureau staff saw Muya below the surface against the inlet structure of the reservoir around 8:00 a.m. on March 19.
The city enacted a boil water advisory for certain neighborhoods in the immediate aftermath of the discovery. Evans said water quality tests carried out since then were confirmed safe by the Monroe County Department of Environmental Health. He said the tests were done out of an abundance of caution, and none of the data collected over the past few months indicated any issues.
Evans is asking one question: How was Muya not detected in the reservoir for nearly four weeks? He says the area is so sensitive, it can even alert when a wind storm is coming.
“The reservoir is fenced as you know, it has spikes, but it does not deter someone who is determined to get in,” said Mayor Evans. “There are cameras around the perimeter, some with heat and motion sensors, the bureau is patrolled regularly by city security and water bureau personnel.”
Officials said initial tests showed no issues with the water quality, but the boil water advisory was initially enacted for some parts of the City of Rochester “out of an abundance of caution.”
“We can’t say ‘yes it’s absolutely clean.’ We think so with all the initial tests, but we have to make sure that the public is safe,” said Starr O’Neil with the Monroe County Department of Health. “Hence the abundance of caution with this boil water notice.”
