Officials concerned over salt levels in the Delaware River as drought worsens in Philadelphia area
As drought conditions in the Philadelphia region continue to worsen, authorities are considering taking action to further protect the city's drinking water.
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will hold a 1:30 p.m. virtual meeting Tuesday to hear from the public before it considers its next steps to address drought conditions in the Delaware River.
Of particular concern for the DRBC is the river's "salt front," the area of the river where freshwater and salty water mix.
The "salt front" is currently around Philadelphia International Airport, but if it continues to creep upriver, salty water could enter into the Torresdale intake where Philadelphia gets a lot of its drinking water.
That could affect the taste and odor of the water and could cause health consequences for people who are salt sensitive.
The DRBC's Amy Shallcross said right now, the commission is releasing reservoir water from farther north into the river to push the "salt front" away from Philadelphia.
While it's working, Shallcross said there's only so much reservoir water available.
"It's pretty stressful. We worry about the drinking water. There's Philadelphia and across the river, there's a drinking water utility for New Jersey. We worry about whether we have enough water," Shallcross said. "I mean, I get up really early and check the flows every day to make sure that there's water flowing downstream."
While Philadelphia's drinking water is safe right now, Shallcross is urging people to conserve water as drought conditions continue to worsen on the Delaware River.
