Whether providing safe water for residents to drink, supplying water for industries to manufacture goods, or protecting the region's water resources, serving our customers with quality has been our commitment throughout our nearly 200-year history.
The Water Department, which began water system service in 1801, supplies water to the City of Philadelphia and a portion of Bucks County. It provides wastewater service to the City and to 10 municipalities and authorities located in Montgomery, Delaware and Bucks counties. The water system serves approximately 1.7 million people and the wastewater system serves approximately 2.2 million people.
The primary mission of the Philadelphia Water Department is to plan for, operate, and maintain both the infrastructure and the organization necessary to purvey high quality drinking water, to provide an adequate and reliable water supply for all household, commercial, and community needs, and to sustain and enhance the region’s watersheds and quality of life by managing wastewater and stormwater effectively. In fulfilling its mission, the utility seeks to be customer-focused, delivering services in a fair, equitable, and cost-effective manner, with a commitment to public involvement. Having already served the City and region for nearly two centuries, the utility’s vision for the future includes an active role in the economic development of Greater Philadelphia and a legacy of environmental stewardship.
