Environmental Services (DES)

Protecting the Environment

Protecting the county’s land and water from pollution represents the most basic aspect of environmental protection. To control the sheer magnitude of industrial and residential solid waste and wastewater generated by our society demands a coordinated, comprehensive and forward-looking approach. The Monroe County Department of Environmental Services (DES) combines advanced wastewater and solid waste management into one sophisticated and proactive organization.

The staff members of these divisions work together, both in the office and out in the field, to minimize the adverse impacts that our county’s population has on its surrounding land and waterways.
 

The Divisions of DES

• Pure Waters
• Solid Waste
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Engineering and Facilities Management
• Fleet Maintenance

Contact Information

 Department of Environmental Services

• Pure Waters: 585 753-7600 (Click HERE for Scale of Charges)
• Billing Inquiries: 585 753-7600 (option #2)
• Fleet Maintenance: 585 753-7626
• Sewer Maintenance: 585 753-7600 (option #1)
• Industrial Waste (spills, emergencies, violations and permits): 585 753-7600 (option #4)
• Household Hazardous Waste Disposal

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

• Frank E. VanLare: 585 753-7600
• VanLare Odor Hotline: 585 753-7635
• Northwest Quadrant: 585 753-7300
• Northwest Odor Hotline: 585 753-7635

Solid Waste Inquiries

• General Information: 585 753-7600
• Tours and Presentations (email): mcdes@monroecounty.gov
• Recycling Center (Waste Management, Inc.): 585 254-0012
• Resource Recovery Facility (Cascades Recovery): 585 527-8110 
• Transfer Station: 585 753-7509
• Mill Seat Landfill: 585 494-3000

Recent DES Accomplishments

• 2014:
  Monroe County Recycling Center transitions from dual-stream recycling to single-stream (paper materials no longer separated from containers and other recyclables).
• 2014:
  Monroe County Fleet Center opens Green Fueling Stations at the City of Rochester's Operations Center (Mt. Read Blvd.) and at the Frank E. VanLare Wastewater Treatment Facility (Lakeshore Blvd.). 
• 2011:
  Monroe County's Fleet Maintenance Division ranked the 2^nd best Government “Green Fleet” in North America by Government Fleet magazine.
• 2011:
  Monroe County ecopark opens as a one-stop-drop-off to properly dispose of or recycle certain items.
• 2009:
  Monroe County Pharmaceutical Waste Collection Program receives recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
• 2008:
  Monroe County Fleet Center opens Green Fueling Station on Scottsville Road.

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Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Program (CSOAP)

Older cities use sewer systems that combine household/commercial/industrial sewage and stormwater runoff into one pipe system for conveyance to wastewater treatment plants. During major rain events, these combined sewers are designed to overflow into waterbodies to reduce damage to homes and facilities. To substantially lessen these overflows in Rochester, a massive underground wastewater tunnel system became fully operational in 1993, completing over 20 years of design and construction. This Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Program (CSOAP) has drastically improved the quality of Rochester area waters by virtually eliminating the 60-70 annual sewer overflows that had occurred prior to its existence. The county took advantage of federal and state programs, which paid for nearly 88 percent of the tunnel system’s $550 million design and construction costs. This tunnel system, along with Pure Waters' expanding sewer collection system, has allowed for the connection of county towns and villages and the elimination of 37 of 40 small, less efficient treatment plants discharging to local waters. The Pure Waters system has become a model to other communities nationwide.

Sewage Pollution Right to Know

While the CSOAP system has minimized combined sewer overflows, they still occur--as designed--when the system exceeds capacity. New York's Sewage Pollution Right to Know Law (2013) requires that any discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage from publicly owned treatment works and sewer systems to local waterbodies be reported to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) within two hours of discovery and to the public and adjoining municipalities within four hours of discovery. The notification can help the public avoid contact with waterbodies that may contain bacteria that can cause illness while boating, swimming or fishing. The below linked NYSDEC webpage contains helpful information, lists discharges and allows the public to sign up for text or email alerts (via NY-Alert).

NYSDEC Sewage Pollution Right to Know

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Environmental Facilities Tours

Tours of Monroe County wastewater treatment and other facilities can be scheduled for community, scouting and school groups subject to the operational, seasonal, and maintenance schedules of each facility.

To inquire about DES facility tours (wastewater treament facilities, ecopark, etc.), email: mcdes@monroecounty.gov (note: tours of the Monroe County Recycling Center are no longer being scheduled). To inquire about touring the Mill Seat Landfill, call 585 494-3000. When calling, please be prepared with the following information:

• Name of your organization
• Number of people in your group
• Audience interests and age range
• Phone number of a contact person