Philadelphia Water Department regulations define the terms of services provided by the department.
These include customer rights and responsibilities, guidelines for making connections to PWD infrastructure, and policies that guide the delivery of continued, high-quality service.
Revised April 29, 2024
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Customer Rights and Obligations
Customer rights and responsibilities are defined and the following are detailed: the process for acquiring service, the circumstances in which service can be shut off, and the process for making appeals.
Chapter 2: Assistance Programs
These regulations outline the policies and procedures that govern PWD customer assistance programs.
Chapter 3: [reserved]
See the Rates page for current rates and charges.
Chapter 4: Water
This chapter includes specifications for water service connections, metering requirements, the use of fire hydrants and information on sprinkler systems and backflow prevention.
Chapter 5: Sewer and Wastewater Control
Sewer and wastewater controls ensure sound and safe operation of the City wastewater treatment plants and sewer system and enable the City to comply with all applicable state and federal laws.
On August 4, 2017, the Philadelphia Water Department filed a proposed new regulation, Section 504.0, detailing requirements for sewer connections with the Department of Records. This section has now been approved and incorporated into Chapter 5.
Chapter 6: Stormwater
Stormwater regulations ensure that Philadelphia has a progressive and effective stormwater program that meets the state and federal requirements while coordinating with the changing regulations in upstream municipalities.