On Tuesday, March 19, 2024 city officials discovered a deceased person in the Highland Park Reservoir located in western New York, which is a source of drinking water for the Rochester, New York area.
During routine morning inspections on Tuesday, personnel from the city’s Water Bureau discovered the body of Abdullahi Muya, aged 29, within the Highland Park Reservoir. This prompted the reservoir’s immediate drainage and the issuance of a boil water directive that necessitated the temporary closure of city schools.
Muya, who had been reported missing since February 18, was found after nearly a month in the water. “Mr. Muya accessed the enclosed reservoir area early on February 24. Shortly after, around 6:30 a.m., he descended the side of the reservoir into the water and met a tragic end,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans reported, referencing surveillance footage reviewed during the investigation.
Despite perimeter security, including high fences with spikes, Muya eluded detection by the heat and motion sensors and was not noticed by personnel on duty, leading Evans to question how Muya remained undetected for such an extended period in the reservoir that undergoes daily inspections and constant water quality monitoring.
The mayor speculated that the reservoir’s considerable size and depth, which holds about 26 million gallons of water, concealed Muya, whose body was discovered deep underwater near the inlet structure, a spot obscured by shadows and refracted light.
Despite the body’s extended exposure to the elements, Rochester’s water quality remained uncompromised, and the city lifted the boil water advisory on Thursday. Evans affirmed that the water tests, consistent over the past months, showed no signs of contamination. Draining and cleansing the reservoir is expected to take as long as eight weeks.
The investigation into his death indicated no foul play, and the Mayor expressed condolences to Muya’s family, recognizing the pain of their loss. The city is determined to enhance its security measures and ensure the safety of its water supply. An inquiry as to why Muya entered the premises is ongoing.
Muya had recently settled into a new residence within the city and unexpectedly ceased communication with his family, prompting swift concern over the possibility that he might have been deprived of vital medication needed for an unspecified medical condition. His family had previously shared with a media outlet that his state ID was found in a local market parking lot on February 14, expressing their concern that he might have lost access to his essential medication. “He is reliant on his medication daily. It aids his sleep and mental clarity. Missing it for a few days makes him extremely paranoid,” his brother, Mahamud Muya, added.