Transcript:
In Philadelphia, the Wingohocking Creek once flowed through the neighborhood of Germantown. Today, few residents have ever heard of it.
In the 1800s, the Wingohocking and other streams in the city were paved over and turned into sewers that carry stormwater and wastewater.
Jarvis: “On dry days, all of the wastewater goes straight to our treatment facility, no problem. However, when you introduce rain, then that causes a whole big mess.”
Maura Jarvis of the U.S. Water Alliance says that when it rains, the system is sometimes overwhelmed.
Jarvis: “The sewers fill up and it inundates the streets. It comes into our basements.”
And the problem is growing as climate change causes more extreme storms.
Jarvis serves as a community lead on the Waterway Arts Initiative, a project led by the Philadelphia Water Department that helps teach people about the issue.
Last fall, the initiative opened a community space called The Water Shed.
It includes exhibits about why the neighborhood floods, an art installation featuring residents’ experiences, and resources about how to stay safe.
It helps residents better understand the problem, so as the city works on solutions, residents are more informed and engaged.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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