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Make Your Block Pop: Get Watershed Markers for Your Sidewalks!

May 5, 2016
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Free markers and installation kits will be available for pickup next Tuesday at the Water Works
Free markers and installation kits will be available for pickup next Tuesday at the Water Works—just request a kit here!

Last year, Philadelphia Water crews cleaned over 100,000 storm drains in neighborhoods all over the city. While that number is impressive, we still need your help—and not just in the never-ending effort to keep storm drains clear of trash, leaves, snow and other debris.

We need help educating neighbors about how these easily overlooked pieces of infrastructure act as direct links to local watersheds. Not enough people know that what gets dumped on your street—be it litter, dog waste or used motor oil—also gets washed into your local waterways, and that can be bad news for water quality and the wildlife we're working hard to protect and restore.

To drive this neighborhood-to-nature connection home, we created new storm drain markers for each of Philly’s seven watersheds featuring seven different aquatic creatures native to local waterways. Read more about the markers here.

Interested in giving us a hand while adding a little color to your block, discovering your watershed’s aquatic creature and helping your community understand its role in the urban water cycle? Visit our storm drain marking page to locate your watershed and sign up for a free marking it.

In addition to being a cool thing to do for your neighborhood, storm drain marking can be a great educational volunteer activity for schools and community groups, and even works as a team-building project for your workplace!

To make getting your free kit easy, we will be offering a special pickup day at the Fairmount Water Works (600 Water Works Drive) on Tuesday, May 10 from 3-6 p.m.

We had nine groups mark drains for Philly Spring Cleanup in April, but with over 75,000 storm drains, we still have a long way to go! Order your kit here to get started!

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Coast Day: Free Boat Rides, LEGO Boats and New Storm Drain Mascots!

Sep 8, 2015
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Kayakers enjoy a free trip on the Delaware during the 2014 Pa. Coast Day Celebration. Credit: Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.
Kayakers enjoy a free trip on the Delaware during the 2014 Pa. Coast Day Celebration. Credit: Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

It's once again time for Pennsylvania Coast Day, and that means over 550 people will enjoy a free boat ride on Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Penn’s Landing.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) will give away over 350 tickets for the RiverLink Ferry and 150 tickets for the Patriot during the event, which Philadelphia Water helps to sponsor. Both tours will be narrated, and guests can also enjoy free kayaking and pedal boating in Penn’s Landing Marina.

“Many people don’t realize the Delaware River is something they can experience and enjoy,” said Lisa Wool, program director at PDE. “This festival changes that by getting people on the water with their families, many for the first time.”

Philadelphia Water will also use Coast Day to roll out our new storm drain markers, which are now  customized to represent aquatic creatures from each of our city's seven watersheds. Here are two we made for storm drains that feed into the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers:
New storm drain markers for the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers.We'll be spreading the word about the new markers and giving out kits community groups can use to mark drains in their neighborhoods. To learn more and order a marking kit for your area, visit this page. 

Other attractions include free face painting, free arts and crafts, free prizes, exhibits and more. A shuttle will also take you to our Fairmount Water Works museum site, where programs showcasing the city’s other coast, the tidal Schuylkill River, are always free.

Visitors can also venture inside the Independence Seaport Museum, where admission ranges from $10 to $15. This will get them up close with TEACH FLEET, the world’s largest collection of LEGO model ships. Its centerpiece is the new RV Hugh Sharp, modeled after a research vessel owned by the University of Delaware.
The Philadelphia Ship Model Society will also race motorized models in Penn’s Landing Marina. And the oil-spill boat DELBAY will be open for tours.

Other sponsors for Pennsylvania Coast Day include the Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, Fairmount Water Works, and Independence Seaport Museum.
More information is available at DelawareEstuary.org/Coast-Day. and by calling (800) 445-4935, extension 112.

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