Last summer, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) – in partnership with ImpactED at the University of Pennsylvania – conducted the 10th annual PWD customer survey.

Two smiling PWD employees in dark blue PWD t-shirts stand behind the Philly Water Bar table, talking to a patron with shoulder length curly brown hair and a light blue blouse facing away from the camera. A frosty pitcher of Philly tap water and a "wheel of water" sit on top of the table.

The survey explored Philadelphia residents’ attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors around our core services. This survey is one piece of a decade of research that has helped PWD inform how it communicates, serves, and builds trust with the public.

In 2025, we found that, while there is consistency with past years on key indicators, there are also some emerging trends that can inform future research and practice aligned with PWD’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. We wanted to share: (1) what’s the same, (2) what’s new, and (3) what’s next.

What’s the same?

Most customers are satisfied with their PWD experience and trust that PWD is delivering safe drinking water to their homes.

bar chart showing percentage of customers satisfied or very satisfied with PWD - 2016: 76% (n=1,958), 2017: 68% (n=1,902), 2018: 60% (n=3,256), 2019: 64% (n=3,608), 2020: 66% (n=4,179), 2021: 75% (n=7,020), 2022: 65% (n=8,485), 2023: 77% (n=8,998), 2024: 79% (n=8,019), 2025: 76% (n=5,709)
line graph showing the percentage of PWD customers that trust PWD, and that trust the pipes in their homes, both generally trending upward, except for a dip in 2020 and a dip in trusting PWD in 2022, with consistently more trust in PWD than home plumbing. In 2025, 73% of customers trust PWD and 62% trust the pipes in their home.

Most customers think the water quality is good or excellent.

bar chart showing percentage of PWD customers that think their water quality is good or excellent from 2017 to 2026, varying between 62% and 2024's high of 69%, with 2025 showing 68%.
line graph covering 2016-2025 showing percentages of PWD customers who drink unfiltered tap water, filtered tap water, and bottled water from 2016-2025. Bottled water fluctuates between 36-43%, unfiltered tap water is generally declining from 34% in 2016 to 19% in 2025, while filtered tap water is has generally increased from 29% in 2016 to 40% in 2023, but has declined again to 34% in 2025.

What’s new?

For the first time, the survey included questions specifically related to lead service lines. More than two-thirds of customers said they were concerned about lead in their home pipes. They were even more concerned about lead in other Philadelphia homes or in their child’s school or childcare center.

bar chart showing percentage of PWD customers concerned with lead pipes in each location - Your child's school or childcare center: 77%, Other Philadelphia homes: 73%, Your home: 69%, Your office or place of work: 64%

More than half of customers know that the property owner is responsible for the entire water service line. They also feel knowledgeable about the different parts of home plumbing that provide water to their home. However, only about a quarter know how to determine the material of their water service line at the meter.

bar chart showing percentage of PWD customers who... Know that property owner is responsible for the entire length of the water service line: 64%, Feel somewhat or very knowledgeable about the different parts of their home plumbing: 53%, Know how to determine the material of water service line: 27%

The two responsibilities customers most want PWD to address in addition to its core services (providing safe drinking water, treating wastewater, and managing stormwater) are replacing lead service lines and upgrading aging infrastructure and technology.

bar chart showing percentage of customers who believe each responsibility should be a priority for PWD - Replacing lead service lines in Philadelphia homes: 47%, Upgrading aging infrastructure and technology: 46%, Addressing forever chemicals/PFAS: 43%, Helping to make bills more affordable for all who are in need of assistance: 41%, Cleaning creeks and rivers: 31%, Adapting to the effects of climate change: 25%, Other: 4%

What’s next?

Informed by customer survey results, here are some specific ways that PWD is continuing to build a water system that works with residents:

Spreading the word about work that is already happening around key priorities

a worker in neon yellow safety gear stands waist-deep in a hole in the sidewalk, guiding copper piping into position from a coil held by another worker outside the hole.

PWD already has dedicated projects and programs that address issues customers say they want us to tackle. For example, PWD will test water for lead at schools and childcare facilities in Philadelphia for free.

The department is also launching a Service Line Replacement Pilot Program later this year. Customers can use the Service Line Material Map to check the status of their home plumbing. The City also has a multi-decade Water Revitalization Plan to upgrade essential drinking water infrastructure.

Continuing to publish and publicize the Drinking Water Quality Report

When customers know about this report – and  know about PWD water quality testing practices – we consistently find those customers have more positive attitudes about PWD and Philadelphia tap water. It is easy to see why those positive outlooks come along with knowing about the annual report: it is where we share things like the latest findings on PFAS in our source water, which customers named as a top concern last year.

Developing additional communications and resources that boost knowledge and awareness of home plumbing

The survey found that not all homeowners are aware that the service line is their responsibility. Even those who are aware aren’t always sure how to test the material or address common issues. In addition to sharing existing resources more broadly, PWD can focus on these areas through ongoing lead service line awareness outreach and resource development. Stay up to day by signing up for lead plumbing and water quality emails at water.phila.gov/lead.

Prioritizing in-person outreach and tailoring events to community needs

a PWD customer service representative wearing a bright blue hijab gestures while talking with several people in front of a boxy red-brown building with a large garage door open

Survey results show a strong correlation between trust and interacting with PWD in person. PWD will use 2025 survey findings to plan events where customer trust could be improved. This allows the department to reach more people and to make sure they have the information they need.

Connecting customer priorities to strategic planning priorities

Information about how customers see PWD’s work and what responsibilities they think PWD should prioritize will inform a strategic planning process that has been underway for several years. This will shape how PWD develops its new strategic plan.