Philadelphia officials say water supply is safe after chemical spill

Philadelphia officials say the city’s water supply is safe after a chemical spill in a tributary of the Delaware River over the weekend. 

The Philadelphia Water Department announced Sunday that it’s “now confident” tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink at least through 11:59 p.m. Monday.

“This updated time is based on the time it will take river water that entered the Baxter intakes early Sunday morning to move through treatment and water mains before reaching customers,” the department said. 

More than 8,000 gallons of chemicals used in latex finishing spilled into the tributary Saturday night, prompting officials to warn residents and suggest they use bottled water instead of tap. 

Officials said the earlier warning was issued “out of an abundance of caution” and that testing has “not shown the presence of water impacted by the spill in the Baxter system at this time.”

Pennsylvanians can safely fill up bottles or pitchers with tap water at this time, officials said. 

The spill in Bristol Township of Bucks County was believed due to a burst pipe at the Trinseo PLC plant in Bristol is reportedly behind the Bucks County spill.