Because of the health and safety concerns that come with swimming and any recreation that involves immersion in water, the Philadelphia Water Department does not recommend swimming in any river or creek in Philadelphia.

In response to efforts to change the current recreation status of the Delaware River to allow for swimming within the city, we issued a statement outlining our reasons for maintaining the existing recreation uses and answered common questions surrounding this topic.

Please see our statement and more information about safety issues related to recreation in Philadelphia’s segment of the Delaware River: 

Recreation in Philadelphia’s Waterways: What to Know