Aging Infrastructure. Philadelphia has the nation’s oldest water utility, which formed in 1799.

•    Leaks. The city is making great efforts to reduce wasted water. In 2007, it cut leakage by 27.6 million gallons a day, for a savings of more than $879,000.
-    Main break rate is 227.5 breaks per 1,000 miles; better than national average of 270 breaks per 1,000 miles
-    Surveys more than 1,000 miles a year for leakage
-    Repaired nearly 850 main breaks; cleaned 78,500 storm drains in 2007

•    Infrastructure Projects. $952 million for fiscal 2008 to 2013
-    Includes flood and combined sewer overflow mitigation projects

Rate Increases. Over the last several years, the city has only experienced moderate rate in-creases, but more drastic ones are on the way, as the city must address new environmental regulations, flood mitigation and a decreasing customer base, among other issues.

•    33 percent increase in water and sewer rates from 1997 to 2007
-    This is less than the consumer price index rose - 35 percent – over that period
-    But rates are expected to increase because of growing service costs 

•    30 percent water and sewer rate increase is planned between 2009 to 2012

•    Typical monthly bills are $18.00 for sewer, $12.62 for stormwater, $22.56 for water

•    Philadelphia city water is cheaper than private water. Its typical monthly water bill is less than half that charged by the two largest U.S. water corporations:
-    $47.65: Pennsylvania American Water (American Water is the largest private utility)
-    $46.51: Aqua Pennsylvania (Aqua America is the second largest private utility)

•    Uncollected bills are a major problem for the city.
-    15 percent of bills are uncollected 
-    $161 million in delinquent bills are uncollected

Water Quality. Although the city has 100 percent compliance with federal and state water quality regulations,  unregulated pharmaceuticals have been detected.

•   The AP report showed that Philly had the largest number of pharmaceuticals, but that’s because the city tests for most types of contaminates and for very small amounts
-    75 drugs can be tested for and Philly looked for all of them
-    32 substance are in the water supply
-    17 of those made it into the tap water, including caffeine and painkillers

Possible Privatization.  Mayor Nutter is pushing a proposal to privatize the city’s biosolids recycling center.

•    History. The proposal was killed during the former mayor’s tenure after public protest, but the current mayor is giving the idea another go.

•    Details. 23-year contract with Synagro technologies, a subsidiary of the Carlyle Group

•    Opposition. 60 water department workers would be affected, the union (AFSCME) op-poses the privatization.

•    Stalled Because of Detroit Corruption Scandal. Mayor Nutter said the city wouldn’t turn over operation of the sludge plant to Synagro without a full review of allegations that the company bribed Detroit officials into accepting a similar deal.