Philadelphia’s water is safe to drink. This post is no longer being updated.

Please visit the Philadelphia Water Department’s webpage for any additional information.

Latest updates

March 28, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

This is the final update that will be added to this post in response to this event. For any further information or updates, please visit the Philadelphia Water Department’s webpage.

Current guidance for residents

  • The Philadelphia Department of Water has declared Philadelphia’s drinking water is safe to drink and use.
  • PWD has determined that Philadelphia’s drinking water will not be impacted by the spill in Bucks County.
  • With this data showing no threat to public health, the City is ending the ongoing advisories about monitoring at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant. 
  • Philadelphia’s drinking water remains safe to drink and use.
  • No contaminants have been found in PWD’s water system at any point since the spill.
  • The City provided an update (video) to the public at 6:30 p.m.

Additional information

Out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with PA DEP, PWD will continue enhanced monitoring of the Delaware River and the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant for spill-related material. Information related to this incident, including water quality sampling results, will be made available on PWD’s website.

PWD will conduct robust after-action evaluations and give direct attention to the infrastructure priorities and other long-term measures that are needed to strengthen the resiliency of Philadelphia’s drinking water system. These priorities are articulated in PWD’s Water Revitalization Plan.

Background on this event

  • A synthetic latex product spilled from the Trinseo facility along a tributary of the Delaware River near Bristol Township, Bucks County, 13 miles north of the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant intake, shortly before midnight on Friday, March 24, 2023.
  • The product spilled is used in making products such as headlight covers. The primary substances that were tested for were butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate.
  • PWD was notified by the Delaware Valley Early Warning System at 12:37 a.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
  • In response, PWD shut intakes to the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment plant as a precaution and worked diligently with partners to institute a rigorous monitoring plan to determine whether any contaminated water entered the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant.
  • The Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant is one of three main water treatment facilities that provide water to the City’s residents.

March 28, 2023 at 7:30 a.m.

Current guidance for residents

Based on updated water sampling results received overnight and updated hydraulic modeling:

  • The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) remains confident tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant remains safe to drink and use at least through 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
  • Contaminants related to the Bristol Township discharge have never been found in PWD’s water system at any point.
  • Customers can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk.
  • PWD expects that there will continue to be no detectable levels of the spill at Philadelphia’s Delaware River intake by Wednesday or Thursday this week.
  • PWD continues to test the water to assure that no contaminated water will be brought into our water treatment system.
  • PWD will provide further updates based on the latest sampling data as it becomes available.
  • PWD anticipates that this event will be resolved by next week.
  • PWD will continue to monitor the water quality closely. If at any point the water quality sampling indicates a potential impact on the raw water basin at the Baxter Water Treatment Plant, we will notify the public.
  • The water that is currently available to customers has been treated and tested to confirm that it is safe to drink and use for bathing, cooking, and washing.
  • The City is working with partners to develop a water distribution plan in the unlikely event that such a plan is needed. Residents can find out if they live in a potentially impacted area at phillyh2o.info/spill-map.
  • Residents can sign up for free alerts from the City by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting the ReadyPhiladelphia signup page.
  • Residents can continue to follow @PhillyH2O, @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaOEM on Twitter for updates.

Additional information

This update is informed by water sampling and updated hydraulic modeling that estimates the  time it will take river water that entered the Baxter intakes to move through treatment and water mains before reaching customers. PWD has analyzed a variety of samples from the river and through the treatment process. Of the city’s three plants, Baxter is the only plant that treats water from the Delaware River.

March 27, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Current guidance for residents

  • The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is confident that tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink and use at least through 3:30 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, March 28, 2023). This assurance is due to the treatment and continuous testing of water that is currently available to residents.
  • PWD expects that there will be no contamination of residual water in the Delaware River by Wednesday or Thursday this week. PWD will continue testing the water to assure that no contaminated water was brought into our water treatment system.
  • A conservative estimate allows PWD to expect that this event will be completely resolved by next week.
  • The City provided an update (video) to the public at 5 p.m. today, Monday, March 27, 2023.
  • PWD continues to test and monitor the water in the Delaware River. If at any point the water quality sampling indicates a potential impact on the raw water basin at the Baxter Water Treatment Plant, we will notify the public immediately.
  • The water that is currently available to customers has been treated and tested to confirm that it is safe to drink and use for bathing, cooking, and washing.
  • This spill could potentially affect the water treated at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant does not service all of Philadelphia. The City’s other two treatment plants draw water from the Schuylkill River which was not impacted by the spill. Residents can find out if they live in a potentially impacted area at phillyh2o.info/spill-map.
  • Residents who want to make sure they have water available can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk at this time.
  • Residents can sign up for free alerts from the City by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting the ReadyPhiladelphia signup page.
  • Residents can continue to follow @PhillyH2O, @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaOEM on Twitter for updates.

Additional information

As part of the City’s emergency response protocol, the City is working with partners to develop a water distribution plan in the event that it is needed. Informational materials in multiple languages will be shared with impacted communities accordingly.

The product spilled is used in making products such as headlight covers. The primary substances that water utilities are testing for as a precaution to protect public health are butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate.

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available from sampling of the river and through the end of the water treatment process.

March 27, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

Current guidance for residents

  • The Philadelphia Water Department is confident that tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink and use at least through 11:59 p.m. today (Monday, March 27, 2023). This assurance is due to the treatment and continuous testing of water that is currently available to residents.
  • The City will provide an update to the public at 5 p.m. today, Monday, March 27, 2023. The public can watch this update on the City of Philadelphia’s Facebook page.
  • PWD will continue to track the spill closely. If at any point the water quality sampling indicates a potential impact to the river water entering the Baxter Water Treatment Plant, we will notify the public immediately.
  • This spill could potentially affect the water treated at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant does not service all of Philadelphia. The City’s other two treatment plants draw water from the Schuylkill River which was not impacted by the spill. Residents can find out if they live in a potentially impacted area at phillyh2o.info/spill-map.
  • The water that is currently available to customers has been treated and tested to confirm that it is safe to drink and use for bathing, cooking, and washing.
  • Residents who want to make sure they have water available can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk at this time.
  • Residents can sign up for free alerts from the City by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting the ReadyPhiladelphia signup page.
  • Residents can continue to follow @PhillyH2O, @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaOEM on Twitter for updates.

Additional information

As part of the City’s emergency response protocol, the City is working with partners to develop a water distribution plan in the event that it is needed. Informational materials in multiple languages will be shared accordingly.

PWD is maintaining minimum levels of water in the system to avoid any damage to our equipment to continue supplying water including fire safety and other needs. PWD has analyzed a variety of samples from the river and raw water basin using infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography. Contaminants related to the Bristol Township discharge have not been found in PWD’s water system at this time.

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available from sampling of the river and through the end of the water treatment process.

March 27, 2023 at 11 a.m.

Current guidance for residents

  • The Philadelphia Water Department is confident tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink and use at least through 11:59 p.m. today (Monday, March 27, 2023.)
  • This spill could potentially affect the water treated at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant does not service all of Philadelphia. The City’s other two treatment plants draw water from the Schuylkill River which was not impacted by the spill. Residents can find out if they live in a potentially impacted area at phillyh2o.info/spill-map.
  • The water that is currently available to customers has been treated and tested to confirm that it is safe to drink and use for bathing, cooking, and washing.
  • Residents who want to make sure they have water available can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk at this time.
  • Residents can sign up for free alerts from the City by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting the ReadyPhiladelphia signup page.
  • Residents can continue to follow @PhillyH2O, @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaOEM on Twitter for updates.

Additional information

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available from sampling of the river and through the end of the water treatment process.

The Philadelphia Water Department continues tracking the spill so Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant staff can have confidence when the Delaware River intake is no longer impacted.

March 26, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.

Current guidance for residents

Based on updated hydraulic modeling and the latest sampling results and data, the Philadelphia Water Department is now confident tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink and use at least through 11:59 p.m. Monday, March 27, 2023.

This updated time is based on the time it will take river water that entered the Baxter intakes early Sunday morning to move through treatment and water mains before reaching customers.

  • There is no need to buy water at this time. Customers can fill bottles or pitchers with tap water with no risk at this time.
  • We provided an update (video) at approximately 5 p.m. today, Sunday, March 26, 2023.
  • The water that is currently available to customers was treated before the spill reached Philadelphia and remains safe to drink and use for bathing, cooking, and washing.
  • The earlier advisory that customers receiving water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant may choose to drink bottled water on March 26 was issued out of an abundance of caution.
  • Testing has not shown the presence of water impacted by the spill in the Baxter system at this time.

Additional information

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available through sampling and monitoring of river conditions.

The Philadelphia Water Department’s Tidal Spill Model Tool is being used to track contaminant plume movement and inform when the chemical spill will no longer impact the Philadelphia drinking water intakes.

Customers can use this map to view areas that could potentially be impacted by the spill: https://phillyh2o.info/spill-map.

March 26, 2023 at 11:30 a.m.

PWD continues to monitor a latex spill on the Delaware River that could impact Philadelphia drinking water.

The City of Philadelphia held a press conference to address the current information. You can view the conference on the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management Facebook feed.

A map of areas that could potentially be impacted by the spill can be viewed here: https://phillyh2o.info/spill-map

Search your address in the map to see if you would be in an impacted area should the city issue any advisory.

The following statement was issued by Michael Carrol, Deputy Managing Director for the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS):

“As has been reported, on Friday night, a chemical spill occurred in Bristol Township, Bucks County which released contaminants into the Delaware River. The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) became aware of this through the Delaware Valley Early Warning System (EWS) and has been evaluating the situation since that time to understand potential impacts to the public. Although early indications have not revealed contamination, we are still monitoring the situation and conducting testing.

“At approximately 12:15 a.m. this morning (Sunday), the intakes at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant were opened at high tide on the Delaware River and closed at approximately 5 a.m. This was done to maintain minimum levels of water in the system to avoid any damage to our equipment to continue supplying water for including fire safety and other needs. Contaminates have not been found in our system at this time. We expect there is no risk that will be present before 2 p.m. today.

“Nonetheless, because we cannot be 100 percent sure that there won’t be traces of these chemicals in the tap water throughout the afternoon, we want the public to be aware so that people can consider switching to bottled water to further minimize any risk. Therefore, we are notifying the public in the customer service area that they may wish not to drink or cook with tap water. We will update this information later this afternoon.

“I want to reiterate that the health risks are very low if present at all. No acute effects are associated with low-level exposure. Our best information is that people who ingest water will not suffer any near-term symptoms or acute medical conditions. We foresee no reason to seek medical attention related to this event.

“Additionally, there is no concern over skin exposure or fire hazard. Bathing and washing dishes do not present a concern. Likewise, we have no concern over inhaling fumes at the levels we are evaluating.

“Again, this advisory is being issued out of an abundance of caution to prevent any theoretical, long-term public health impacts. Restaurants and food businesses will be safe conducting their normal business through lunchtime up until 2 p.m.”

March 25 6:03 p.m.

The Philadelphia Water Department is monitoring a spill of a latex product that occurred along a Delaware River tributary in Bristol Township, Bucks County, late on Friday, March 24, 2023.

This spill has not impacted treated drinking water being delivered to customers served by Philadelphia’s Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant.

PWD has been tracking the incident since being alerted and is using computer models to monitor the flow of the spill.

PWD staff are also monitoring conditions at the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant on the Delaware River and have closed intakes at this time.

The Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection reported the incident to the Delaware Valley Early Warning System to alert water users in the Delaware River and is responding at the scene with local authorities.

View additional updates on the Philadelphia Water Department's website