This blog post was written by John Ryan, Paul Fugazzotto, Brian Rademaekers, and Saterria Kersey

For some City departments, like the Streets Department and Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP), Philly311 intakes all service requests. 

Our relationship with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is a little different. 

To help residents, PWD operates a separate call center with a 24-hour water emergency line, (215) 685-6300. Philly311 proudly partners with PWD on a few service requests, but most water-related issues—especially emergencies— need to be directly reported to PWD by you, the resident. 

Here’s a breakdown on when to contact 311 or PWD about water-related issues: 

When to contact Philly311

A water inlet filled with dirt and trash

You can currently contact 311 to report the following issues:

  • Inlet or storm drain that is blocked by or contains trash or debris. In this case, the inlet drain is not flooding but could be in the future.
  • Knocked down fire hydrant

These are the only two water-related issues the 311 system can generate a case number for. You can report these issues by calling 311 (or 215-686-8686 if outside Philadelphia) or by using our mobile app or web portal. 

When to contact PWD – Water Emergencies

A city street intersection that is flooded with a few inches of water.

These emergencies need to be reported directly to PWD:

  • Water main breaks
  • Taste and odor complaints about drinking water
  • Open or leaking fire hydrants
  • Immediate flooding at or around a storm drain or inlet
  • Water in basement
  • Low water pressure
  • Lost item in inlet/storm drain
  • Missing, loose, or flipped manhole covers
  • Broken inlet/storm drain cover

A cover for a storm drain is damaged and not aligned correctly, creating a hazard

To report water emergencies, call (215) 685-6300, 24/7. You can also report emergencies on Twitter or Facebook, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Remember, any time there is a risk of injury or death, you should call 911 immediately.

Flooding can be a very dangerous emergency or an ongoing neighborhood headache. A number of city, state, and federal agencies address various issues related to flooding. See resources from the City’s Flood Management Program to stay prepared. 

When to contact PWD – Water Non-Emergencies

These issues, while non-emergencies, still need to be reported directly to PWD:

  • Hydrant cap missing
  • Requesting hydrant locks

A fire hydrant with a missing cap on the front

Tips for reporting water-related issues

To make a successful report, have as much information as possible before contacting 311 or the Water Department. An exact address and a full description of the issue are very important for us to process your request. If reporting a clogged inlet at an intersection, please provide information about which corner or corners are clogged. Example: “The inlet at the northwest corner of 11th and Market is clogged.”

Learn more about water emergencies