City of Rochester

What City of Rochester does

The City of Rochester is a municipal government serving approximately 209,352 residents across Rochester, Monroe County, New York, led by Mayor Malik D. Evans (the 71st Mayor, inaugurated January 1, 2022). It provides the full suite of municipal services including drinking water, wastewater coordination, refuse and recycling collection, public safety through the Rochester Police Department (850+ sworn and civilian employees) and Rochester Fire Department, emergency 911 communications, permitting and licensing, recreation, parks, animal services, and a public market. Its commercial distribution channels include the 311 Live customer service platform, an online payment portal, in-person service at City Hall and four Neighborhood Service Centers, and the Rochester Public Market. Revenue is derived from a mix of property and other taxes, user fees (e.g., a $4.30 per 1,000-gallon water consumption charge in 2025, plus meter base charges), permits and licensing fees, parking meter and traffic-violation revenue, intergovernmental grants, and bond issuances; no consolidated revenue figure is publicly disclosed in the source data.

Its most differentiated operational asset is the Rochester Water Bureau, which draws from Hemlock and Canadice Lakes (28 miles south of the city), treats water at the Hemlock Water Filtration Plant (35.6 MGD average daily production), and distributes it through 75 miles of upland transmission conduits, 600 miles of distribution mains, 7,600 hydrants, 57,800 meters (over 85% radio-read), and three finished-water reservoirs with 230 million gallons of combined capacity. The Bureau operates the Holly Pump Station — the last municipal, pumped, fire-protection system in North America, in continuous service since 1874 — and a Lead Service Line Replacement Program that has removed over 11,200 lead services since 2018 (2,076 in 2025 alone) toward a 2030 lead-free goal. Wholesale water is supplied to the Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA), Livingston County Water & Sewer Authority (LCW&SA), and the Town and Village of Lima. The Department's IT infrastructure (six bureaus under a Chief Technology Officer) runs Workday for HR/payroll, Microsoft 365 with single sign-on, ServiceNow for IT service desk, Power BI for analytics, and the DataROC open-data portal, with 128-bit SSL encryption and dedicated security/network services. Recent strategic activity includes a $13M Ontario Beach Park plan with Monroe County (2026), a $2M Daniel's Law health-led crisis-response pilot (2026), the Loretta C. Scott Center ATTAIN Lab with SUNY (2025), brownfield remediation along the Genesee Riverbank (2025), and the Service to Shield military-to-police recruiting pathway (2026).

Name

City of Rochester

Legal name

City of Rochester

Website

https://cityofrochester.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1834

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The City of Rochester is a municipal government in Monroe County, New York, serving approximately 209,352 residents with water, public safety, refuse and recycling, permitting, recreation, and 311 customer-service delivery, supplemented by wholesale water supply to regional authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Utilities (22), Waste Collection (56211), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Refuse Systems (4953), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) (EUANADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL), Public Works Departments (Streets, Bridges, Stormwater, Fleet, Maintenance) (BPAIALAD), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Municipal water services
• Public safety services
• Refuse and recycling
• Recreation and parks
• Permits and licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water service charges: Residential water bills consist of a meter base charge (flat fee correlating to meter size) and a consumption charge based on metered consumption. Base consumption charge for water was $4.30 per 1,000 gallons; 210,000 people served and 58,900 metered accounts. Bills issued quarterly (residential) or monthly (3" or larger meters).
2. Water wholesale supply: Water sold wholesale to Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA), Town and Village of Lima, Livingston County Water & Sewer Authority (LCW&SA). Approximately 14.4 MGD of 35.6 MGD average daily production sold to wholesale customers.
3. Commercial refuse and recycling collection fees: Scheduled pick-up of refuse and recycling provided to commercial, retail, food service, industrial parks, various Monroe County facilities, and residences with 4 or more units; customized collection scheduling.
4. Permits, licenses, and fees: Revenue from permits & licenses, Right of Way Permits, Venue Registrations, Passports, Marriage and Partnership Licenses, Dog Licenses, Special Event permits, Handicap parking permits, Vendor contracts, and traffic violation resolution.
5. Parking fees and fines: Parking meter revenue via Flowbird app (pay-by-app and pay-by-text), parking meter bagging fees for Special Events, and traffic violation agency fees.
6. Tax revenue and federal/state grants: Property taxes (delinquent water charges added to property tax bills with penalty and administrative charge), state and federal grants (e.g., $6 million Daniel's Law, $13 million Ontario Beach Park), ARPA funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The City of Rochester delivers municipal government services to its 209,352 residents and the surrounding region. Its core offerings span water supply and treatment (Hemlock Water Filtration Plant serving 210,000 people and 58,900+ metered accounts), refuse and recycling collection, public safety through the Rochester Police Department (850+ sworn and civilian) and Rochester Fire Department, permits and licensing, recreation programs across 88 parks and R-Centers, and public engagement through City Council, Boards, and Commissions. The City also operates the Rochester Public Market, the 311 Live unified customer service platform, and the DataROC open data portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Supply and Treatment Service Retail and wholesale drinking water service using the Hemlock Water Filtration Plant (coagulation, filtration, disinfection, corrosion control with CO2 to pH 7.7-8.0). Serves 210,000 residents via 58,900+ metered accounts and wholesale customers including Monroe County Water Authority, Town/Village of Lima, and Livingston County Water & Sewer Authority. Includes the Lead Service Line Replacement Program.
• Holly Pump Station High-Pressure Fire Protection Service The last municipal, pumped, fire protection system still operating in North America, dating back to 1874. Consists of over 21 miles of distribution water mains, mainline valves, and 354 hydrants serving 208 commercial customers in Rochester's Central Business District.
• Commercial Refuse and Recycling Collection Service Scheduled pick-up of refuse and recycling for commercial, retail, food service, industrial parks, Monroe County facilities, and residences with 4 or more units. Customized daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or on-call scheduling. Recycling containers provided and serviced for free; potential to cut refuse bill by 60% by recycling.
• Permits and Licensing Services Processing of permits and licenses including Right of Way Permits, Venue Registrations, Passports, Marriage and Partnership Licenses, Dog Licenses, Special Event permits, Handicap parking permits, vendor contracts, and traffic violation resolution.
• Parking Services Parking meter services via Flowbird pay-by-app and pay-by-text, plus parking meter bagging fees for Special Events and traffic violation agency fees.
• 311 Live Customer Service Platform Single point of access to City government and all services. Provides immediate access for refuse collection, leaf pickup, sidewalk snow plowing, water services, animal services, and other city service requests. Available by phone at 585-428-5990 and via the online Verint-powered portal.
• Public Safety Services (Police and Fire) Law enforcement through the Rochester Police Department (850+ sworn and civilian employees) and fire suppression/rescue through the Rochester Fire Department, plus the joint Rochester/Monroe County 911 Emergency Communications Department. Includes the Service to Shield military-to-law-enforcement program, lateral transfer hiring, and programs such as the Deaf Driver Communication Visor Card.
• Rochester Public Market Long-standing public market operated by the City providing vending opportunities for local vendors and fresh food access for residents and visitors.
• Parks, Recreation, and R-Center Programs Operation of 88 parks and R-Centers (recreation centers) for residents and visitors, including facility reservations, athletic and cultural programming, and signature city events.
• Animal Services and Pet Adoption Rochester Animal Services provides animal control, sheltering, and pet adoption services. Uses the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup tool to identify owners from microchip IDs found on lost animals.
• Loretta C. Scott Center ATTAIN Lab Career development facility in partnership with SUNY, equipped with two dozen computers, free Wi-Fi-enabled technology, online training curriculums, virtual study resources, and a full-time digital navigation coordinator to help bridge the digital divide for city residents.
• Daniel's Law Health-Led Crisis Response Pilot Three-year health-led community crisis response pilot funded by a $2 million Daniel's Law grant from the NY State Office of Mental Health. Teams of trained behavioral health professionals and peer support staff respond instead of police in qualifying crisis situations.
• Lead Service Line Replacement Program Multi-year capital program to replace all lead-containing water service lines, with 2,076 replaced in 2025 (11,200+ since 2018) and a goal of removing all lead services by 2030.
• Genesee Riverbank Brownfield Remediation Program Brownfield remediation initiative along the Genesee Riverbank to clean up contamination from the former Vacuum Oil Company refinery site (operated 1866-1935). Current phase involves excavating contaminated topsoil and replacing it with clean soil as part of the 30-40 acre Vacuum Oil Brownfield Opportunity Area revitalization, coordinated with NYSDEC.
• Rochester Police Department Police Academy Training Six-month local police academy training conducted at the Monroe County Public Safety Training Facility (1190 Scottsville Road). Recruits attend Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Salaries progress from $68,000 starting to $76,000 after 8 months and $108,000 after 44 months; includes education incentives and a 20-year pension plan.
• RPD Service to Shield Military-to-Law-Enforcement Program Career pathway program for active-duty service members, veterans, and reservists transitioning into law enforcement using the U.S. DoD SkillBridge program. Includes tuition reimbursement, GI Bill housing allowance during the academy, age cut-off waivers, extra civil service test points, and buy-back of up to three years of military time for police retirement credit.
• DataROC Open Data Portal Public open data portal at data.cityofrochester.gov making City data publicly accessible, with Power BI integration for interactive visualizations including the Map of Farmers' Markets in Monroe County.
• Homebuyer Assistance Program City program supporting affordable homeownership in Rochester neighborhoods.
• Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) City financial resources and counseling services for residents, covering financial empowerment programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best tasting water in New York State (2013)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Monroe CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of a more than $13 million plan to permanently upgrade security infrastructure at Ontario Beach Park. The plan includes permanent perimeter fence, cameras, lighting, public address system, boardwalk reconstruction, bathroom renovations, and ADA-accessibility upgrades. Construction intended to begin summer 2026 if state funding is secured.
• SUNY (State University of New York)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate the Loretta C. Scott Center ATTAIN Lab on St. Paul Street. The career development facility is equipped with two dozen computers to help bridge the digital divide, providing free Wi-Fi-enabled technology, online training curriculums, virtual study resources, and a full-time coordinator. Mayor Malik Evans highlighted the partnership as connecting residents with both physical technology and expertise.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination on brownfield remediation work along the Genesee Riverbank to clean up contamination from the former Vacuum Oil Company refinery site (operated 1866-1935). Current phase involves excavating contaminated topsoil and replacing it with clean soil as part of a broader initiative to revitalize the 30-40 acre 'Vacuum Oil Brownfield Opportunity Area' for community use.
• Livingston County Water & Sewer Authority (LCW&SA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale water supply partner. The City of Rochester provides water treated at the Hemlock Filtration Plant to LCW&SA service areas. Water flows to the city by gravity through three large pipelines; along the way, water is sold wholesale to water districts including LCW&SA.
• Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMutual water supply partnership. The City purchases water from MCWA's Shoremont Treatment Plant (sourced from Lake Ontario), pumped into the City distribution system at the Mt. Read Boulevard pump station. The City also sells water wholesale to MCWA from Hemlock Lake.
• Village and Town of LimaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale water supply partner. Water treated at the Hemlock Filtration Plant is sold wholesale to water districts in the Town and Village of Lima via gravity-fed pipelines before reaching Rochester.
• TransdevcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperates Rochester Public Transit under contract with the City. As of Feb 11, 2026, 40% of Transdev's union drivers called in sick, disrupting 12 routes and causing 27 missed trips amid contract negotiations with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005. The City is working with Transdev to prioritize high-ridership routes.
• Monroe County Public Safety Training FacilitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosts the Rochester Police Department (RPD) Police Academy at 1190 Scottsville Road. Recruits attend Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for six months of basic police training.
• Regional Center for Independent Living (RCIL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Deaf Driver Communication Visor Card Program alongside RPD's Deaf and Police Interactive Committee. The card is modeled after successful programs in Maryland and Virginia, assisting communication during traffic stops between police officers and deaf or hard-of-hearing drivers.
• AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Local 1635coreOthersCollective bargaining agreement covering full-time and part-time City employees, July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2027. AFSCME is one of seven bargaining units with CBAs with the City.
• CSEA (Civil Service Employee Association) Rochester Public Library Part-time Employees UnitOthers
• IAFF (International Association of Firefighters) Local 1071Others
• IUOE (International Union of Operating Engineers) Local 1585Others
• Police Locust Club (PLC)Others
• U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge ProgramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides service members with civilian work experience during their last 180 days of military service. Rochester Police Department's 'Service to Shield' career pathway uses SkillBridge to match training and work opportunities. Participants remain on active duty, continue receiving military pay and benefits, and must have unit commander approval.
• Microsoft (My Apps / Office 365)coreTechnology or IntegrationCity employees use Microsoft My Apps single sign-on portal (myapplications.microsoft.com); referenced as a key technology platform on The Bridge employee information network.
• WorkdaycoreTechnology or IntegrationUsed by the City for HR and payroll management; City provides Workday Inbox Reference Guide and Workday Navigation Reference Guide to new employees as part of onboarding.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Buffalo: Direct peer as another mid-size New York municipal government with combined water utility, police, fire, and refuse services for ~278K residents; comparable in fiscal structure, CBA environment, and reliance on state aid.
• City of Syracuse: Direct peer as a New York municipal government serving ~148K residents with combined water/sewer utility and similar exposure to upstate New York fiscal pressures and labor cost dynamics.
• City of Pittsburgh: Direct peer as a post-industrial mid-size city (~305K residents) with combined municipal water authority and comparable legacy infrastructure, brownfield, and lead service line replacement challenges.
• City of Cleveland: Direct peer as a Rust Belt city (~373K residents) operating a combined water utility (Cleveland Water) with similar source-water protection, lead line replacement, and affordability challenges.
• City of Milwaukee: Direct peer as a mid-size Great Lakes city (~577K residents) with Milwaukee Water Works operating a similarly aged water system; comparable regulatory exposure under EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.
• City of Albany: Direct peer as New York's capital city (~99K residents) with full-service municipal structure and direct dependency on state government funding, mirroring Rochester's intergovernmental revenue mix.
• City of Detroit: Direct peer as a post-industrial city (~620K residents) with extensive water/sewer utility operations, significant legacy infrastructure obligations, and ongoing neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
• Monroe County Water Authority: Direct operational peer and counterparty as a regional water authority that both buys water from and sells water to Rochester; operates the Shoremont Treatment Plant on Lake Ontario and competes/coordinates on wholesale supply to surrounding communities.

Broad incumbents

• City of Philadelphia: Broader incumbent as a large Pennsylvania city operating Philadelphia Water Department with similar combined municipal services; relevant for benchmarking on utility scale, regulatory compliance, and large-city fiscal management.

Regional players

• Monroe County (NY): Regional peer as the county government that co-funds infrastructure projects with the City (e.g., $13M Ontario Beach Park plan, joint 911 communications center) and serves as both customer and intergovernmental partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CityRochesterNY
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityofRochesterNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-rochester

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Rochester