Philadelphia discharges 12.7 billion gallons of sewage into Delaware River annually

Philadelphia discharges 12.7 billion gallons of raw, diluted sewage into the Delaware River’s watershed each year. This ongoing issue persists five decades after the Clean Water Act mandated that waterways be made safe for swimming and fishing. During wet weather, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) lead to pollution as untreated sewage and runoff surge into nearby creeks and rivers. This situation poses a potential health risk to recreational users of these waterways.