How PWD is preparing for more extreme weather: As extreme weather becomes more common, preparing for it becomes more important
September 18, 2026
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PWD Office of Watersheds
Like other cities around the world, Philadelphia is seeing changes in its weather and climate patterns. According to the Philadelphia Water Department’s Climate-Resilient Planning and Design Guidance engineers, a storm that once had a 1-in-100 chance of happening each year (a “100-year storm”) could have a 1-in-7 chance by the end of the century, assuming […]
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A summer of extremes: Understanding Philadelphia's summer storms and changing weather patterns
September 14, 2026
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PWD Office of Watersheds
This summer has given Philadelphians a glimpse of what scientists say the future may hold. In just a few weeks, Philadelphia faced severe storms, flooding, extreme heat, and smoke from Canadian wildfires. Each event was different, but together they show an important trend: extreme weather is becoming more common.
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2025-2026 Stormwater Grant Awardees Announced: Institutions across the City receive funding for green stormwater infrastructure
August 4, 2026
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Thomas Kihn
A green roof for middle schoolers and a golf course wet pond are among the projects recently named 2025-2026 Stormwater Grant awardees. This year, 9 non-residential properties will receive a total of $9.9 million in funding to build green infrastructure retrofits through the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)’s signature Stormwater Grants program. Stormwater Grants give non-residential […]
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Summer 2026 Construction Newsletters: Quarterly updates about construction in your district
July 23, 2026
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Amy Hopf
Every quarter, we share updates on upcoming or ongoing water, sewer, and stormwater projects in your local City Council District. There are 10 Council Districts in Philadelphia. Here’s how it works: You sign up for construction updates in your inbox and share your ZIP code*. We send this quarterly newsletter to subscribers by ZIP code, […]
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PWD Quarterly Construction Newsletter: Spring 2026: Spring 2026 Newsletters for Water Department Construction
April 20, 2026
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Amy Hopf
Every quarter, we share updates on upcoming or ongoing water, sewer, and green infrastructure projects in your local City Council District. There are 10 Council Districts in Philadelphia. Here’s how it works: You sign up for construction updates in your inbox and share your ZIP code*. We send this quarterly newsletter to subscribers by ZIP […]
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Revitalizing our water with the help of our community: You're a critical part of our Water Revitalization Plan
March 24, 2026
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Farwa Zaidi
How do we prepare for and complete a Water Revitalization Plan project? With your help! Community engagement is a part of every step of the process. We’re sharing a peek at the process, from start to finish, and how we’ll keep our communities informed every step of the way.
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PWD Unit Spotlight: Load Control
January 20, 2026
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Michelle Bailey
It’s a name that doesn’t exactly grab your attention – it isn’t flashy and it doesn’t imply a high-stakes endeavor. But if the Philadelphia Water Department’s drinking water system had a heart, it would be the Load Control unit, hands down.
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What do the Service Line Material Letters and Map mean for you?: The story of crafting and sharing lead plumbing communications in Philadelphia
January 5, 2026
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Grace Maiorano & Rick Orlosky
In December, you may have received a letter from us, sharing information about the material of your property’s water service line. Though our tap water remains safe to drink, it may feel confusing – and even alarming – to receive this notification in the mail. Here’s the story behind these federally required communications.
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Explore the Restoration Projects in Pennypack Park: Restoration projects are reshaping Pennypack Park to strengthen its natural environment.
December 31, 2025
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Jade Wright
Learn how stream restoration is helping Pennypack Park thrive — protecting our water systems, reducing erosion, and supporting wildlife. Residents may have seen construction crews working around Pennypack Park in the Northeast recently. The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has two new ecological restoration projects taking place in the park: Benton Brook Sewer Protection and Stream […]
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Getting feedback about meter upgrades: What we’ve learned from more than 9,500 customer surveys about the citywide meter upgrade project.
October 29, 2025
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Herbie Hickmott
More than 9,500 customers shared their experience receiving water meter upgrades. Here’s what we heard… When the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) started planning upgrades to customer water meters, we knew there was a lot to learn. I’ve been involved in the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)* project since mid-2019. I helped craft the customer-facing communications experience. […]
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