The City of Brotherly Love is also the City of Terrible Water, according to a U.S. EPA analysis of the nation’s watersheds. Four of Philadelphia’s watersheds earned a six, the worst score doled out by the EPA, a distinction shared with just 28 other watersheds nationwide out of more than 2,200. The ratings reflect the quality of the water in rivers, not that of the treated water residents drink. Still, the locals suffer: Dirtier water costs more to treat, and, once treated, contains more chlorine, which can be unhealthy in large concentrations. In addition, people who fish, swim, or boat in the contaminated watersheds could be exposed to health risks. And, of course, wildlife suffers as well.
