Body found in western New York reservoir leads to boil-water advisory

ROCHESTER, NY– A human body was found Tuesday in a western New York reservoir that supplies drinking water to parts of Rochester, prompting city officials to advise residents to boil their water before consuming it.

Employees from the city’s Water Bureau discovered the body in the Highland Park Reservoir around 8 a.m. while making routine rounds, officials said. The reservoir was immediately disconnected from the public water supply and plans were underway to drain and clean it.

Police divers pulled the body of an adult man from the water, authorities said. The circumstances of the death were not immediately clear. Police were investigating and the medical examiner’s office was working to identify the person.

Tests showed the water was safe, the city said in a message to residents. The boil water advisory was issued to several neighborhoods as a precaution, officials said, and the reservoir will not return to service until it is drained and cleaned.

“This is a very, very sad situation,” Mayor Malik Evans said at a news conference. “But because this happened near our water supply, it is important that we exercise this great caution.”

Rochester City School District officials ordered all schools closed Wednesday due to the boil water advisory.

The city advised residents to bring tap water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using it. It said boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and preparing food until further notice.