Section 3. Managing Watershed Stresses

INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS
The Schuylkill watershed has more than 3,000 potential “point sources” of chemical pollutants that could be accidentally or intentionally released into the watershed’s surface or groundwaters in amounts violating state or federal regulations. Fortunately, most of those sources are small and not expected to discharge into the Schuylkill River. Under the federal Clean Water Act, all facilities discharging to navigable waters must possess a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

As part of its Source Water Assessment Partnership program, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) maintains a database of industrial and other point sources in the watershed. Those data were compiled from several federal and state data sources. Initiated in 2000, the Partnership’s goals are to evaluate point sources that could have a potential impact on water suppliers, and to identify appropriate protective measures that should be undertaken beyond those already in place.

The accompanying map (Fig. 35) of sub-watersheds indicates highest concentrations of potential industrial point sources in the Perkiomen, Unami, Skippack and Wissahickon, as well as along the entire corridor of the Schuylkill River. However, comparisons and interpretations are difficult to make in that the total count data contain diverse types of point sources that include both active and abandoned hazardous waste sites, and sites that manufacture, store or use different kinds and quantities of toxic chemicals.

Figure 35.
Number of Point Sources,
by Sub-Watershed
Source: Office of Watersheds,
Philadelphia Water Department, 2001

 

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Site Design: Tevlin & Clarke

 

Figure 36.
CERCLA Sites in the Schuylkill Watershed, 2001
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III

The distribution of hazardous waste sites such as landfills and ‘brownfields” is shown on the map of CERCLA sites, comprising approximately 400 of 3,000 potential point sources in the watershed. Data on such sites came from the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) information system. Approximately 22 of the CERCLA sites in the watershed are on the National Priority Inventory list for clean-up as “Superfund” sites.