UPDATED: Jan. 28, 5:15 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — State officials say they're making a $100 million investment in the city's water treatment. Another neighboring city is also getting some much needed funding with their water treatment problems.
The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority is putting $178 million into 14 water infrastructure projects across the state. Three of the projects are in Southeastern Pennsylvania: two in the city of Philadelphia, and one in Chester, Delaware County.
Pennvest’s Brent Sailhamer said the local projects have a focus on the aftereffects of storm flooding and combined sewer overflow.
“We have the most combined sewer overflow in America. When we get heavy rain conditions with a lot of precipitation, the sewer and the stormwater use the same piping system. Usually results in a lot of untreated discharge into waterways and tributaries,” he explained.
This led them to provide nearly $10 million to Chester to help divert stormwater, another $6.7 million for storm water issues in the Lawncrest neighborhood of Philadelphia, and $100 million to the city of Philadelphia for a water treatment facility — sewer water and stormwater are mixing, he said, and heading into the Delaware River. The facility will divert the waste water.
Sailhamer said Philadelphia has one of the oldest water infrastructure in the country, and this facility — which is scheduled to break ground later this year — will help bring it up to date.
Marc Cammarata, deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department, said the major upgrades being implemented are part of their strategy to collect, convey and treat increasing wet weather flows, something that's part of their regulatory obligations.
"We are in compliance with the Clean Water Act due to permits we received from the state and consent orders that are negotiated with our regulatory agency. Because we are under agreement and we have a path forward through permits and orders, we are making progress based on our investment strategy and our plan moving forward. We are in compliance with permit conditions,” he said.
Cammarata said the preliminary treatment facility will be able to treat 650 million gallons of water a day.
He said their current capacity is 435 million gallons a day.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story included a quotation alleging Philadelphia is in violation of the Clean Water Act. The Philadelphia Water Department denies this is the case.