Conesus Lake Association

The Conesus Lake Association began in 1932 to protect the interests of the residents living near the lake as well as promote an appreciation for Conesus Lake by developing unity amongst community members and enhancing tourism to the area. Today the Conesus Lake Association mission is to “promote health, safety, and welfare of the residents, both permanent and temporary, of the area community known as Conesus Lake, Livingston County, New York.”

The management of water quality is a huge part of the Conesus Lake Association’s efforts to meet this mission. Conesus Lake supplies water to the villages of Geneseo and Avon. That is an estimated 15,000 people, nearly 22% of Livingston County’s population. Other major sources of water for Livingston County residents are Hemlock and Canadice Lake watersheds. These water supplies are in high demand as they also supply water to the city of Rochester. 

According to the Conesus Lake Association, agriculture has the biggest impact on the quality of Conesus Lake's water. This is not only because farming often requires large amounts of water, but also because chemicals used to grow our food, such as pesticides, can run off into the lake and its watershed, affecting the water that comes out of faucets.

Second to agriculture in impact on Conesus Lake water is from basic household activities. We often take for granted how much water we use on a daily basis. For example, the average American uses a little over 17 gallons of water every time they shower! If we consider that nearly 15,000 residents of Livingston County use Conesus Lake water, that means that close to 250,000 gallons of water from Conesus Lake are used for showering daily! (this of course is assuming that everyone showers daily) And that's is just for showering alone! We use water for many other activities such as washing our dishes and clothes, flushing the toilet, brushing our teeth, washing our hands, and gardening.

So what can WE do to limit our daily impact on the lakes, rivers, streams and ponds that supply our water? The Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) suggests that little changes to our habits can make a huge difference. These changes can be as simple as shutting off running water faucets when you are not using them, or updating old appliances, like washers or toilets, with newer models that use less water. We can also be more vigilant in detecting and repairing water leaks around our houses so that water is not wasted needlessly.  Can you think of other ways YOU can conserve water in your daily routine?

The EPA has several suggestions for practicing water management on their website.