The mayor of Rochester, N.Y., Malik Evans, announced in a press conference on Thursday that a deceased man’s body was discovered and identified in a water reservoir in the city this week.
The body of Abdullahi Muya was initially found on Tuesday in the Highland Park Reservoir after it had been submerged in the water supply for 25 days. Following the discovery of the 29-year-old’s body, the city issued a temporary boil water advisory.
Evans stated that diligent and continuous testing has been conducted since then, revealing no immediate concerns, leading to the lifting of the advisory. Nevertheless, the Water Bureau has commenced the process of emptying the reservoir and cleaning it, which is expected to last several weeks. Evans explained that while the city typically cleans the reservoir in May, they have expedited the process to March, which is anticipated to take at least eight weeks.
[adinserter name="One"] [adinserter name="Two"]According to the Rochester Police Department, Muya had been missing since February and was last seen on Feb. 18. During the Water Bureau’s investigation, it was discovered that he entered the gated and spiked area of the reservoir on Feb. 24. Evans stated, “At approximately 6:30 a.m., he slid down the side of the reservoir into the water and tragically died.”
The police, as reported by CBS News, stated, “After entering the gated area, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Mr. Muya appears to have slid down the side of the reservoir, into the water, where he tragically died.” They added that no one else was present at the time of Muya’s death, and there doesn’t seem to be any criminal involvement in the incident.
During the press conference, Evans mentioned that Muya remained submerged “well below the surface” of the 15-foot-deep reservoir for just under a month. He emphasized that Muya was positioned against the inlet structure on the shadowy north side of the reservoir, suggesting that he may not have been visible throughout his time there.
[adinserter name="Three"] [adinserter name="Four"]Evans clarified that Muya was alone and that there doesn’t appear to be any criminal aspect to the investigation.
However, Evans raised concerns about how Muya’s presence in the reservoir went undetected for so long. He mentioned that in addition to spiked barriers, the reservoir’s perimeter is equipped with heat and motion sensors, security cameras, and is regularly patrolled by Water Bureau staff and city security.
[adinserter name="Five"] [adinserter name="Six"]Evans stated, “I will tell you that we are working now to determine how we can address any gaps in security to ensure no physical breaches of the perimeter happen in the future.” He expressed worry about the breach in the water system’s security and said that discussions regarding the federal requirement to cover water supplies will need to be revisited soon.
He concluded the press conference by affirming the city’s extensive investment in water infrastructure and stated that recent years have demonstrated no issues with the water quality. Evans emphasized that his primary concerns revolve around the security of the water supply rather than the quality of the source.
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