Chemical spill highlights vulnerability of Philly’s drinking water system

Amid the chaos that unfolded in Philadelphia this past week — with thousands of gallons of chemicals spilled into a tributary of the Delaware River, supermarket shelves cleared of bottled water, and round-the-clock water sampling — Philadelphia Water Department officials knew one thing: They’d be unable to switch to a clean water source to serve much of the city if a key water treatment plant became contaminated.

Friday’s chemical spill in Bristol, Pennsylvania, is the latest in a series of disasters — including the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio — that underscore the need for infrastructure investments, said Kelly Good, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Villanova University.