Stephanie Wein
Water and Conservation Advocate, PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center
STATEMENT on Sunday, March 26th bottled water advisory in Philadelphia
Media Contacts
Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has issued a bottled water advisory beginning at 2 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 26, following Friday night’s spill of more than 8,000 gallons of a latex-finishing solution into Otter Creek in Bristol Borough, Bucks County. The spill occurred upstream of the PWD’s Baxter Treatment Plant, which sits along the Delaware River downstream of Otter Creek, and provides drinking water for an estimated 975,000 Philadelphians.
Stephanie Wein, PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s Clean Water Advocate, released the following statement:
“Friday night’s spill of latex chemicals upstream of the intake that supplies drinking water for hundreds of thousands of Philadelphians reminds us that we cannot take safe drinking water for granted..We’re calling for an investigation into the cause of the spill and measures to prevent such pollution in the future.
“The chemical release included butyl acrylate, one of the chemicals spilled during the recent
East Palestine train derailment and a common ingredient used in plastic and resin manufacturing. This incident upstream of Philadelphia’s major drinking water intake is the latest reminder of why we must reduce the use of toxic substances and shift to safer alternatives wherever possible.
“From the Delaware River to the Ohio-Pennsylvania border near East Palestine, all Pennsylvanians should be able to trust the water coming out of their tap. The Delaware River and its watershed provide the drinking water for 15 million people throughout the region – we have to take every possible precaution to keep this critical water source safe.
“The Philadelphia Water Department should be applauded for their swift, precautionary response to help protect public health.”
# # #
PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We investigate problems, craft solutions, educate the public and decision-makers, and help the public make their voices heard in local, state and national debates over the quality of our environment and our lives. For more information, visit www.PennEnvironmentcenter.org.