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Traditional Infrastructure

The infrastructure used to collect, transport, temporarily store, and treat sewage and stormwater is often called “traditional infrastructure.”

Vision

The Water Department is committed to operating and maintaining its existing infrastructure, which includes the sanitary, storm, combined sewers and stormwater inlets within the city limits as well as storm and sanitary pumping stations, suburban township wastewater metering chambers, and related wastewater control devices. Maintaining the City's existing traditional infrastructure will extend its use and increase the efficiency of flow conveyance, storage, and treatment.

The City’s sewer, stormwater, and drinking water infrastructure require comprehensive optimization of resources and an adherence to regulatory requirements.

Collection and Conveyance of Stormwater

Improving the methods of conveying stormwater remains a key component in protecting the water quality of Philadelphia's rivers and streams. It is a necessary part of the City's sewer system and is essential to moving waste into areas where it can be treated in other ways.

Supply of Clean Drinking Water

We continue to evaluate and, where appropriate, design and implement traditional infrastructure projects in portions of the city where more traditional applications are the most efficient solutions, particularly when a more immediate impact to water quality or volume control can be achieved.

Tools

Pipes, sewer relining, tanks, inflatable dams, treatment plants, and satellite treatment are considered components of traditional infrastructure.

Programs

Through our traditional infrastructure based programs, we're continuously assessing when traditional infrastructure tools are more appropriate to implement than green infrastructure.

Projects