Pentair City Whole-Home Protection System

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1. Noticing How Plumbing Age and Materials Affect Your Water

When you turn on your tap, the water you see has passed through your home’s plumbing. The pipes’ material and how long they have been in place can influence water quality independently from the city’s source supply. For example, older pipes or certain metals may release trace elements into your water after it leaves the city system. This means that some water characteristics you notice—such as slight discoloration or taste differences—may arise inside your home rather than from the city’s treatment process.

2. Interpreting Your Water System’s Reported Median and Range Values

The Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) publicly reports water data reflecting the overall system serving over half a million people through nearly 180,000 connections. Their latest data shows, for example, a lead 90th percentile value of 0.004 mg/L, measured from in-home samples at distribution points. This percentile means that 90% of sampled taps had lead concentrations at or below this figure. Remember, this sampling reflects water after it passes through plumbing, not the source water itself. Such statistics help you understand typical concentrations in the system but do not define your individual home’s water quality.

3. Understanding What a Certified Lab Test of Your Tap Water Reveals

If you want to know your home's specific water chemistry, arrange for a certified laboratory test of your own tap water. This test will measure the actual concentrations of interest, including elements that the city reports on a system-wide basis. The lab provides results with units and reference ranges, helping you interpret if your water's characteristics differ significantly from the regional data. Because local plumbing materials and household usage patterns vary, your home's results may be higher, lower, or about the same as system medians.

4. Scheduling Maintenance for a Water Treatment System

To help manage common city water concerns, the Pentair City Whole-Home Protection System is designed to treat household water with a grain capacity of 32,000. This system ships ready to configure and requires periodic maintenance, generally on an annual rhythm or as indicated by your water usage and quality. Regular upkeep ensures consistent performance, protecting fixtures and appliances without ongoing effort beyond replenishing treatment media as needed.

5. Clarifying Terms: 'Detected', 'Median', and 'Range' in Water Data

Municipal water quality data uses terms like 'detected', 'median', and 'range' to describe findings. 'Detected' means the constituent was measured by instruments, not that it exceeds any limit or poses risk. The 'median' is the middle value from multiple samples, indicating typical levels, while the 'range' shows the spread of values measured. These terms do not imply safety or violation but provide a snapshot of water quality variations throughout the system.

In summary, the MCWA data covers a large public water system supplying Monroe and Orleans counties. It provides extensive evidence about the system-wide water quality, but your home's water may differ due to plumbing and local factors. For precise knowledge of your water, professional testing is recommended. To address common municipal water issues and maintain water quality at home, the Pentair City Whole-Home Protection System offers a durable, user-friendly solution. For more detailed official data, visit the EPA SDWIS public water system records for MCWA.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2025-12-31. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA SDWIS record for MCWA (NY2701047), surface water supply, serving 525262 people: 1 health-based violations of 1 total; lead 90th percentile 0.004 mg/L