Listen to KYW Newsradio for a special edition of "Audacy Conversations: The State of the Environment."
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia was built on nearly 300 streams, creeks and rivers, but as the city developed, about three quarters of the waterways dwindled. Over decades the city used the natural waterway system as a way to map out their water piping system, much of the sewage dumped into the Delaware and Schuylkill River.
Maya van Rossum with the Delaware Riverkeepers said that it got so bad in the 1940s and 50s that the river became "oxygen dead."
"The river was so contaminated that people who went down to work the docks could get ill and actually get so sick that they might die," she said. "The river was so contaminated, you could smell it from a plane."
Over time, and in part because of the Clean Water Act of 1972, the rivers became healthier, less polluted, and some life started to thrive.
David Masur, executive director of Penn Environment, said the reduction of industry and manufacturing along the riverfront also led to less pollution.
"We used to have a lot of industry and manufacturing," he said, "and over time, there are less and less of those."
But both van Rossum and Masur agree: there's still a long way to go.
Masur said the Philadelphia water department's sewer system on average releases approximately 15 billion gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater every year into the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers and the streams that feed it.
"We created this disgusting cocktail of the things that go down our sink through our showers and tubs and our toilets, with rainwater and all the junk that is being washed down the drain with the rainwater," he said. And we're just putting it directly without treating it into our rivers and streams."
As pollution and contamination build up, oxygen in the water depletes which has a direct negative impact on aquatic life. One species facing the most trouble is a specific type of Atlantic Stugeron that only exists in the Delaware River.
"A Sturgeon is an ancient fish that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs. They can get up to eight feet long and hundreds of pounds heavy," said van Rossum. "But there's a question about whether or not they can survive the age of people."
She went on to say that there are less than 250 spawning adults of Atlantic Sturgeon that are genetically unique to the Delaware River.
Both environmentalists say if something is not done soon, the entire species could be wiped out.
"If there's not enough oxygen in the water for the fish, then they not only cannot themselves survive, but they can't make babies that can grow up and live healthy lives," said van Rossum
Horseshoe crabs and other aquatic life are also in danger because of unhealthy contaminant levels, and both environmentalists say there are steps the city has yet to take to protect them.
Masur said a major step could come from fixing pipes. There are around 165 areas where pipes discharge sewage into waterways in the region. Together they release around 15 billion gallons of raw sewage a year. He estimates that fixing 10 of the worst areas would result in a reduction of 7 billion gallons a year.
"You fix them so that they weren't releasing raw sewage, that would tackle half the problem," Masur said.
According to the CDC, around 7.2 million Americans get sick every year from diseases spread through water.
"And a lot of that's because there's bacteria, parasites and viruses in the polluted waters that can affect our health," said Masur. "We put a man on the moon 60 years ago, I'm sure we can figure out a way to make our great rivers that we all love, safer swimming and boating."
Van Rossum added that city officials need to make changes now, but said the Philadelphia Water Department appeared "vehemently opposed to having to put in place the better technologies that will protect the oxygen levels, protect the sturgeon, reduce pollution, which also helps protect the people."
KYW reached out to the Philadelphia Water Department for comment on this story, but has yet to hear back.
