A rolling collection of stories, tips, and news powered by the people of the Philadelphia Water Department.

@Philly H2O Blog

RECENT POSTS:

Thursday: Point Breeze Residents to Build New Features for Lot Project

June 27, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

Following a successful June 10 community cleanup with Point Breeze neighbors that targeted a vacant lot at Point Breeze Avenue and Mifflin Street, we’re heading back to the space this Thursday for a special event with Philly’s Public Workshop. Residents are invited to join this collaborative “community build”…

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Latest Philadelphia Water Quality Data Out Now

June 26, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

Philadelphia residents have 24/7 access to top-quality water, a fact that they check themselves thanks to annual reports the Philadelphia Water Department releases detailing a year’s worth of data. This transparency is a defining quality for public water providers like PWD, and we take pride in the tremendous effort that goes into the constant monitoring done at our labs…

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With help from Residents, Point Breeze Vacant Lot Is Becoming a River-Protecting Green Space

June 22, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

Members of the Philadelphia Water Department’s Public Engagement team joined the local non-profit Diversified Community Services and area block captains on June 10 to clean the publicly-owned lot at Point Breeze Avenue and Mifflin Street—the future home of a rain garden that will soak up stormwater and bring regular maintenance to the site through Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters program.

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Submersible Science: Philly Students Launch Underwater Drone with PWD

June 15, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

While most Philadelphia students were heading home early due a heat wave this past Tuesday, four 11th grade students from Mariana Bracetti Academy were busy suiting up in full-body chest waders, a necessary piece of gear for the mission at hand: launching a submersible, camera-equipped drone in Frankford Creek.

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Start a Conversation About Protecting Water: Add Wildlife Markers to Your Block

June 1, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

Adding our storm drain markers—each with a unique type of aquatic wildlife depending on your watershed—to your block can start a conversation with neighbors about how communities can protect local waterways. Many people don’t realize that what goes down storm drains can harm local animals like otters, turtles, herons, endangered fish and more…

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Can You Decode Street Paint?

May 18, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

Beneath your feet, there’s an invisible universe of infrastructure. This world is hidden from view, but painted lines on the surface reveal exactly what’s there—if you know what to look for…

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Just One Water Main Replacement Project = 4X the Comcast Center and Some!

May 16, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

If you follow local news at all, you’ve probably seen some of the dramatic footage showing major water main breaks that have left the stores of Bakers Centre in East Falls flooded three times in just three years. Breaks like those at Bakers Centre are unusual for a few reasons, not least of which is amount of water that spilled…

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Infrastructure Week 2017: Our Time to Build

May 15, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

May 15-19 is Infrastructure Week 2017, and the Philadelphia Water Department is joining fellow utilities, cities, organizations and businesses around the country to highlight the importance of investing in infrastructure. Infrastructure is what makes our communities work. It’s the investments we make together to make life better…

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Love Your Park: Celebrate the Green Spaces Protecting Your Water

May 12, 2017  |  Brian Rademaekers

From the very beginning, the Fairmount Park system has been an important tool for protecting Philadelphia’s rivers and streams, and to read the history of our park system is to read a story of city planners striving to create natural buffers to protect rivers and streams from industry and development..

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