NEW REPORT: Pennsylvania Rivers And Streams Regularly Test Positive For Harmful Bacteria

Philadelphia, PA - A new report released by the statewide nonprofit group PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center showed that rivers and streams across Pennsylvania regularly test positive for harmful levels of bacteria.

The study finds that 55% of the 653 monitoring sites located across Pennsylvania experienced at least one day when E. coli bacteria reached potentially unsafe levels for swimming during 2024 and 2025. 39% of these monitored locations had potentially unsafe levels of fecal contamination on at least one-quarter of the days on which testing took place in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvanians love our state’s rivers and streams as popular destinations to paddle, swim and fish, but sometimes the water isn’t as safe as it should be,” said David Masur, PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s Executive Director.  “We ought to have access to clean, healthy water when we visit our great waterways in any part of Pennsylvania.” 

Common sources of fecal indicator bacteria such as E. coli in waterways include sewage spills and overflows, stormwater runoff, and failing septic systems. Each year, Americans suffer an estimated 87 million cases of illness associated with swimming, paddling, boating or fishing in U.S. waterways.

Some Pennsylvania waterways with recurring bacteria contamination levels included:

• The Philadelphia section of the Delaware River, where E. coli levels exceeded the Beach Action Value for health risks at 43 out of 37 testing locations on at least one day, and with 12 locations above that level on 100% of days tested; 
• Pittsburgh’s Saw Mill Run, which tested positive for potentially unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in nearly 90% of samples taken; 
• Portions of the Allegheny River, where E. coli levels exceeded the Beach Action Value for health risks on 100% of the days sampled in 2025; 
• Parts of the Brandywine Creek, with potentially unsafe levels of fecal bacteria 100% of days tested.

To view test results for other popular or regional Pennsylvania waterways, visit the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center’s interactive map here. 

"Other communities swim in their waterways, but Philly's rivers are so polluted that most of us forget that this is something we should be able to do here," said Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), Chair of City Council's Committee on the Environment. "Swimming is good exercise. It's a way to see your community differently, to cool down in the summer, and for some, a path to scholarships and opportunity. I'll keep working with the Philadelphia Water Department to make our rivers safe for recreation, and advocate for the federal and state investments we need to accomplish this." 

Communities in Pennsylvania can dramatically reduce sewage overflows and other sources of fecal bacteria, but infrastructure projects often require substantial resources. 

“Pittsburgh's waterways should be places where folks can swim, fish, gather, and enjoy the outdoors without fear,” says Pittsburgh City Councilperson Erika Strassburger. “When we see repeated E. coli exceedances, it raises real questions about whether people can safely use these spaces. We must continue the work to make sure our rivers and streams are clean, safe, and places that people feel good about spending their time in.”

In Pennsylvania, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure improvements will require an estimated $638,250,000 a year over 20 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Unfortunately, Congress only provided $135 million to Pennsylvania through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) during the government’s fiscal year 2026. 

“When we invest in clean water infrastructure, we’re investing in every Pennsylvanian's right to clean and safe rivers, lakes and streams across the Keystone State,” said Masur. “The contamination shown in this report provides Pennsylvania leaders in Congress a powerful case for stepping up and closing this funding gap, so that every waterway can be safer for swimming.”