PENNSYLVANIA: PHILADELPHIA LOCAL SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM Background The Schuylkill and Delaware rivers are sources of drinking water for over 1.6 million people in the City of Philadelphia. These river systems have a combined watershed area of nearly 9.5 million acres, and the Delaware River alone provides drinking water for ten percent of the entire population of the United States. Philadelphia's drinking water is provided by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), which is one of the oldest municipal water departments in the United States. PWD operates three surface water intakes and treatment plants with a combined treatment capacity of 300 million gallons per day, utilizing disinfection and filtration technology. For thirty years, pollution control efforts on the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers have focused on controlling industrial and municipal facility discharges to streams and rivers, and applying treatment to address contamination associated with these sources. Currently, the most significant threats to the watershed are stormwater runoff from municipal and agricultural lands and other forms of non-point source pollution. Philadelphia recognizes that source water protection is the most viable and cost- effective means of handling present and emerging sources of pollution. Philadelphia has a deep history of protecting its raw water supply. In the mid-1800's, Philadelphia purchased much of the land touching the Schuylkill watershed within City limits. This land today is known as Fairmount Park, one of the nation's largest urban parks. Philadelphia's most recent large-scale source water protection effort began in 1998 with the formation of PWD's Office of Watersheds. This office has undertaken a comprehensive approach to source water protection by integrating "wet weather" programs, including combined sewer overflows and stormwater management, with its drinking water source protection program. This integrated approach has helped PWD reduce duplication and improve coordination both internally and among its regulators. This large water system is working within City limits and regionally within its watersheds to address the most pressing water quality threats and to protect the drinking water supply for all of Philadelphia's residents. Priority Contamination Threats The priority contamination threats come from agricultural practices, stormwater runoff, sewage overflows, and abandoned mine drainage Local Involvement and Developing the Protection Plan As required by the Safe Drinking Water Act amendments, PWD began an assessment of the vulnerabilities of its drinking water intakes in the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers in 1999. In the Schuylkill study, PWD considered nearly the entire watershed its source water, rather than artificially demarcate its drainage area. As a result, PWD identified Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- major threats all along the river. Major contributors include agricultural practices, stormwater runoff, sewage overflows, and abandoned mine drainage. Provided that Philadelphia makes up only a small fraction of the Schuylkill watershed, any effort to implement protection and restoration efforts in response to the assessments would require a strong network of regional partners. In March 2003, PWD and U.S. EPA Region III teamed up to develop a watershed-based coalition to identify specific action steps for source water protection. This coalition is known today as the Schuylkill Action Network, or SAN. With 260 members and more than 80 agency and business partners, SAN membership facilitates grassroots action. SAN workgroups craft solutions for each of the primary threats to the Schuylkill. Approximately 15-20 participants serve on each workgroup, each offering his or her unique expertise and perspective. Management Measures In 2004, the SAN was awarded $1.1 million dollars from the USEPA Targeted Watershed Initiative grant program to implement dozens of projects leveraging over $3 million in restoration efforts over the next three years. These projects will reduce acid mine drainage, complete several miles of streambank fencing to keep hundreds of cattle out of streams, and reduce stormwater runoff entering the Schuylkill River. Below are several projects currently being implemented with grant funding. The Schuylkill Headwaters Association is installing limestone drains to remove heavy metals from two abandoned mine discharges in Schuylkill County. It is also conducting a study to determine the best way to handle discharge from a third abandoned mine system that contributes 30% of the metals found in the Upper Schuylkill River. The Riverbend Environmental Education Center is creating a pervious paved parking area that will serve as a demonstration of porous-pavement parking lot design and as an educational tool for the Center. The Berks County Conservancy is working with farmers to install fencing, stream crossings, and riparian buffer plantings on priority farms identified by the SAN Agriculture Workgroup to protect streams from pollution by livestock. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is working with priority municipalities identified by the SAN Stormwater Workgroup to improve local stormwater management by developing Environmental Advisory Councils. The SAN is also convening meetings to organize and coordinate funding agencies and working to establish a Schuylkill River Restoration Grant fund that can be linked with restoration project needs. More information about the SAN can be found at www.schuylkillactionnetwork.org . Demonstration Projects in Philadelphia In addition to its regional efforts, PWD has developed a series of projects within city limits designed to control stormwater runoff and sewer overflows, educate residents about the impacts of their actions on local streams and rivers, and ultimately help improve Philadelphia's water supply. Below are several examples of these projects: Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- Porous Basketball Courts at Mill Creek Playground The Mill Creek Playground is heavily used by the community for sports, activities, and meetings. The basketball courts at the playground were cracked and deteriorating, with low spots that became puddles after storms. To improve the quality of the courts and reduce the volume of stormwater that flows into the area's combined sewer, the basketball courts were retrofitted with porous asphalt over an infiltration bed. Street Tree Plantings Trees act to reduce stormwater runoff. Unfortunately, a densely developed urban environment like Philadelphia has lost much of its tree cover. Tree cover varies widely across the city, with some sections estimated to have tree cover as low as 2.3 percent. This project will target street tree planting in sewersheds—particularly combined sewer areas- with low tree coverage. Low Impact Development at PWD Facilities Facilities managed by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) account for more than 400 acres of impervious surfaces within the City of Philadelphia. Implementation of low- impact development techniques, including vegetated roofs, on PWD properties will provide invaluable demonstrations of many stormwater best management practices and offer opportunities for monitoring to determine effectiveness of these techniques. Courtesy Stables Runoff Treatment Project Courtesy Stables is one of several urban horse stables in the City of Philadelphia. This project is aimed at correcting a suite of problems contributing to nutrient-laden stormwater that flows from the barnyard into a tributary of the Wssahickon Creek, whose confluence with the Schuylkill River is just upstream of Philadelphia's drinking water intake. The intent of this project is to route stormwater from the barnyard and surrounding area into a grassed waterway/filter strip where nutrients and sediment will be removed and a portion of the water will infiltrate before reaching the stream. Say/or Grove Stormwater Wetland A one-acre stormwater wetland has been constructed on a parcel of Fairmount Park known as Saylor Grove. The wetland is designed to treat an estimated 70 million gallons of urban stormwater per year before it is discharged into the Monoshone Creek. The Monoshone Creek is a tributary of the Wssahickon Creek- a source of drinking water for the City of Philadelphia. This site is located within the highest priority zone (Zone "A") for source water protection for both PWD's Queen Lane and Belmont intakes. Schuylkill River Riparian Meadow near Belmont Intake PWD's Belmont Water Intake is located on the Schuylkill River downstream from several parking lots in Fairmount Park. This stretch of riverside parkland has been severely eroded by the presence of approximately 500 non-migratory geese, which contribute about 40 tons/year of fecal material to the river directly upstream of our intake. This Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- project included revegetation of the eroded streambank areas to limit geese access to the parking lot and cause them to move to less sensitive areas of the park. Sulzberger Outdoor Classroom Once an overgrown abandoned lot, this site has been converted into an innovative stormwater demonstration site. The site reduces stormwater runoff in a cost effective and sustainable manner that could be replicated throughout the City. From front to back, the site represents a transformation from a natural watershed to an urban watershed. The site contains three stormwater best management practices - a dry streambed (or vegetative swale), a trench drain in the outdoor classroom area, and reuse of roof drainage to water the plants and trees. An outdoor classroom for Sulzberger students has also been incorporated into the site, along with a watershed mural designed by the students. Earth Day 2000 This project involved stenciling of more than 10,000 storm drains across the City. More than 2,000 residents took part in the project, which also included distributing tip cards explaining the stencil and describing actions residents can take to reduce pollution. Watershed Information Center PWD's Watershed Information Center is a web-based central repository of watershed- related information for use by the Philadelphia region's stakeholders. This valuable tool references ways to protect our rivers and highlight the connection between human activity and water quality. See www.phillyriverinfo.org for more information. Research Projects PWD is also involved in several research projects as part of its source water protection efforts. Sources of bacteria in Philadelphia's waterways are being examined using antibiotic resistance profiling and DMA fingerprinting to determine if human or other sources dominate bacteria levels identified in the streams. Once sources are prioritized, mitigation strategies and social marketing programs will be developed to change behaviors. In addition, aerial infrared imaging was completed on all hydrology in the Wissahickon and other PWD watersheds. A total of 161 stream miles were photographed. The purpose was to find thermal anomalies indicative of liquid contamination of the surface water resulting from leaking sewer lines, ground water seeps, or unidentified surface or subsurface outfalls in the form of pipes, storm sewers or other inputs. Contingency Planning PWD has taken steps to ensure that there is an adequate backup or alternative supply of drinking water for the City in the event of contamination or other interruption to the water supply. This includes maintaining large reservoirs and off-river holding basins that can hold more than a week's supply of water. Patrols by security personnel also ensure the Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- safety of these areas. In response to the events of September 11, 2001, Philadelphia has also received a grant from EPA to develop new security measures. In 2004, PWD deployed the Delaware Valley Early Warning System (EWS), an integrated monitoring, communication, and notification system used to provide water suppliers and industrial intake operators with advanced warning of water quality events in the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers. The EWS includes a partnership of water suppliers, industrial intake operators, and emergency responders from various agencies, utilities, and industries throughout the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers. Through the telephone and internet-based notification systems, EWS users receive valuable information about upstream oil and chemical spills, sewage discharges, dam breeches, and other water quality events. When a notification is entered into the system, a time of travel model is generated to indicate the time at which an event will reach downstream intakes. Together with the real-time monitoring network these tools provide valuable information for water suppliers and industrial intake operators to determine the extent and severity of an event in order to respond promptly and appropriately. Since system deployment, the EWS has become one of the most successful, technologically sophisticated, and sustainable systems in the world. The EWS has also become a central emergency response and management system for the Delaware and Schuylkill watersheds. The system will continue to expand to include new users, add water quality monitoring stations, and enhance telephony and website functionality. In 2006 the initial website will be completely redesigned, new functionality will be incorporated, and advanced monitoring technologies will be deployed and demonstrated. The Philly River Cast system was deployed in July of 2005, as a public spin-off of the EWS utilizing data from the real-time monitoring network to predict the suitability of the Schuylkill River for recreational contact between Fairmount Dam and Flatrock Dam. The River Cast website (www.phillyrivercast.org) provides recreational users with a red, yellow, or green light for recreational contact based on established state and federal fecal coliform standards for recreational contact. Real-time turbidity, stream flow, and precipitation data is used to automatically determine fecal coliform concentrations for the river based on historical relationships observed between these parameters. Since deployment, the website has been visited by approximately 50,000 users and has been utilized as a decision support tool for major recreation events such as triathalons and regattas. Measuring Program Effectiveness In May of 2002, PWD received the U.S. EPA Region 3 Source Water Protection Award for its leadership and commitment to protecting drinking water sources. U.S. EPA Region 3 recognized several source water protection projects, including the goose diversion project, public education campaigns, and stormwater runoff treatment wetland at Saylor Grove. In June of 2003, PWD was also awarded the American Water Works Association's Exemplary Source Water Protection Award deeming it a national model for water suppliers. The SAN was cited as a model for coalition-based watershed protection in the 2005 Trust for Public Lands report "Ten Strategies for Successful Sourcewater Protection: Path to Protection.". Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- Restoration efforts by the City have been particularly successful in reducing the goose population and restoring natural vegetation to the area. Through public education efforts, PWD has succeeded in eliminating feeding of geese within the area. Overall, as a result of source water protection efforts and improved pollution treatment facilities, 42 species of fish have returned to the once lifeless Delaware River. In the Schuylkill, the number of American shad and river herring has increased considerable in recent years, indicating a return of these native species. PWD has worked cooperatively with rural, suburban, and urban communities to mitigate land use and human impact on the Delaware and Schuylkill watersheds. Through innovative and varied projects within Philadelphia, PWD hopes its program can serve as an example of a successful source water protection program for communities across the State. For further information, contact: Christophers. Crockett, Ph.D., P.E. Manager - Watershed Protection Philadelphia Water Dept. Office of Watersheds 1101 Market St, 4th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone 215-685-6234 Fax 215-685-6043 Chris.Crockett@phila.gov Office of Water (4606M) 816F10043 January 2010 ------- |