The Philadelphia Water Department is working tirelessly to secure federal funding so we can make critical infrastructure investments, reduce pollution in local waterways, and keep all the services we provide affordable for our customers.

Since 2020, the Department has submitted applications for federal assistance totaling $936 million, with $398 million awarded as low-cost loans.

The funding we are working to obtain from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) can help us address the need for $3.975 billion in planned capital improvement projects, such as treatment plant reconstruction and transmission main replacement, over the next six years.

That funding, however, won’t eliminate the need for revenue from water bills. Revenue from water bills is what allows us to consistently provide reliable, high-quality, and affordable services to the city’s 1.6 million residents.

Just as costs have been rising for people and utilities across the country, costs for the Water Department continue to increase—from labor to raw materials and energy—even as regulations require us to spend more when it comes to cleaning your water and protecting the rivers we share with surrounding communities.

“Since 2020 the Department has submitted applications for federal assistance totaling $936 million, with $398 million awarded as low-cost loans.”

As focused as we are on finding ways to secure our share of Pennsylvania’s $240 million in water infrastructure financing from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for this year, we’re also investing in infrastructure in big ways—right now.

For example, the Department’s budget for capital improvement projects over the next six years is $3.975 billion and is focused on system reinvestment.

In addition, the Department’s Water Revitalization Plan outlines a comprehensive program to upgrade the City’s drinking water treatment and supply facilities over the next 25 years. An estimated $830 million is budgeted for Water Revitalization Plan investments over the next six years alone.

Finally, the City has achieved the 10-year performance standard required by a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) that created Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters program. The Department has spent $670 million on Green City, Clean Waters since 2011, and the program represents $826 million, or 20.8 percent, of our six-year capital improvement budget.

Billions in Planned Infrastructure Projects

Today, we have about 135 capital projects valued at $376 million that have completed designs, meaning they are shovel-ready or near-shovel-ready. Another roughly 35 projects valued at $95 million are nearing final design status.

Over the longer term, nearly 500 projects valued at $2 billion are under active design and will be ready to bid over the next five years. These projects, including new infrastructure and improvements to existing assets, span a broad range of the systems and facilities that protect and deliver our water:

  • Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants
  • Water Storage Facilities
  • Drinking Water and Wastewater Pump Stations
  • Water Main Replacement
  • Sewer Reconstruction
  • Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Many of these projects will replace aging infrastructure that is at or near the end of its expected service life—increasing reliability and decreasing the likelihood of failures while improving your services and meeting increasingly stringent regulatory requirements.

The Philadelphia Water Department has a strong record of planning for big investments that keep our high-quality water affordable and abundant.

Thanks to our team of dedicated staff and experts who do the hard work of determining what we will need to continue to provide clean water, Philadelphia is poised to take advantage of this historic opportunity to further invest in the health and sustainability of our city.