The City of Rochester is conducting a study to explore water treatment and cover alternatives to bring the Highland Park Reservoir into compliance with a federal regulation known as Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2). This project has the potential to significantly impact one of Rochester’s preeminent parks, designed by noted landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.

If you use Highland Park or live nearby in the Highland Park neighborhood or Brighton and haven’t been following along with this project, we encourage you to visit the project website for more information and to share your comments. At this point, working with a consultant team, the City has identified 3 potential alternatives for addressing the LT2 regulation:

1A – Install a floating cover and liner over the Reservoir so that no water is visible.

1B – Install a floating cover and water feature with fountain so that some portion of water would remain visible.

2 – Bury the reservoir’s water in two concrete tanks and backfill the existing reservoir footprint, covering with grass.

3 – Use UV disinfection to come into compliance with LT2. This would require the construction of an approximately 70×40′ building in the park and would leave the reservoir water open.

Click here to view the presentation of these alternatives that was given at the June 6, 2019 public meeting.

What are the next steps? This summer, the City will begin the required environmental review processes through the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and through the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). During the winter, they will evaluate these alternatives. They anticipate completing this process by spring 2020.

Again, we encourage you to view the materials and submit your comments on the Project website.