@Philly H2O Blog

All posts tagged: Drinking Water

Throwback Thursday: The Amazing ‘Torresdale Conduit’

July 30, 2015  |  Brian Rademaekers

While a bit eerie—14 people died during the multiyear construction of the project pictured—this photo does give you a real sense of appreciation for the scale of water infrastructure beneath our feet and the herculean effort and sacrifice made by the generations before us to make sure their kids (and all of us) could have a future with clean, safe drinking water

Read More →


Spoiler Alert: Our Drinking Water Quality Is Really, Really Good

July 24, 2015  |  Brian Rademaekers

Apologies to anyone looking forward to reading our annual Drinking Water Quality Report down the shore this summer, but we just have to get this out there: All the data we collected for the 2015 report confirms our rigorous treatment and testing are resulting in top-quality tap water that meets or beats all quality standards set by the federal government

Read More →



Green Tools: Six Ways They Can Make a Climate Changed-Future a Little Less Scary

June 12, 2015  |  Brian Rademaekers

The EPA graphic focuses on urban areas and paints a grim picture of the future awaiting cities as the effects of climate change intensify in the coming decades. Considering the already staggering cost of flooding events stemming from super-storms like Hurricane Sandy, the projection of a 30 percent increase in annual flood costs is especially troubling.

Read More →


Happening Today: A Brand New Chapter for Philadelphia Water

May 4, 2015  |  Abby Sullivan

Way back in the summer of 1987, the Philadelphia Water Department selected its first logo through a design contest for art and design schools in Philadelphia. The winning submission came from Eric E. Doyle, and was designed to convey a department eager to serve the needs of its customers. That sentiment hasn’t changed.

Read More →


Philadelphia Water’s Early Warning System Getting Praise from High Places

April 23, 2015  |  Public Affairs

Our Source Water Protection Program at Philadelphia Water does all kinds of important work to ensure the water we drink is safe and protected, from far-off springs in the Catskill and Pocono mountains all the way down to the intakes at our drinking water treatment plants. However, one of the most critical jobs is overseeing the Delaware Valley Early Warning System–a complex network that stretches

Read More →


PWD Director of Laboratory Services to EPA: Update Drinking Water Standards!

January 23, 2015  |  Public Affairs

One of those is Gary Burlingame, our Director of the Bureau of Laboratory Services. Gary oversees a staff of 120 people and an annual budget exceeding $10 million focused on drinking water, source water, wastewater, sediment, sludge, and more. He is a thought leader in the industry, widely published on the topic of the sensory aspects of drinking water—what you see, taste and smell in your water—h

Read More →




Spring Blooming in the Schuylkill

May 9, 2013  |  Maggie Wood

Some customers in Roxborough and East Falls have been noticing an earthy odor in their drinking water. This is not uncommon in spring and summer when warmer water temperatures and abundant nutrients encourage blue-green algae to grow.

Read More →