The goal of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) is to restore and reconnect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, to waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and partners. There are 21 different Designated Urban Waters Locations in this national environmental justice program. Each Urban Waters location collaborates with local community-led revitalization efforts to improve water systems and promote their economic, environmental, and social benefits.

You can learn more about  Urban Waters at the federal level here. You can view the federal Urban Waters Progress Report here.

The Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership Location encompasses four major cities and their surrounding urban areas draining to the Lower Delaware River:

• Camden, NJ
• Chester, PA
• Philadelphia, PA
• Wilmington, DE

Over 15 million people (roughly 5 percent of the nation’s population) rely on the waters of the Delaware River Basin for drinking, agricultural and industrial use, most of which are concentrated in urban areas.

View our flyer with info about UWFP and the Delaware River Location HERE.

The Delaware River Location strives to, alongside community members, revitalize and remedy aging infrastructure, a history of environmental pollution, and the brunt of increasing climate change impacts on already-vulnerable communities. Priorities for the Delaware River Location include:

• Clean Waters and Healthy Habitats
  1. Reduce flooding through stormwater management and climate resiliency
  2. Conserve natural areas and restore lost habitat
  3. Improve water quality in the tributaries and main stem of the Delaware River
  4. Transform Brownfields sites into community assets
• Healthy, Resilient, and Accessible Communities
  1. Build local capacity by training, paying, funding, and empowering communities to become leaders of environmental stewardship
  2. Enhance and create public green space and waterfront access
  3. Increase outdoor recreation
  4. Engage underserved communities
  5. Equip communities to be resilient to climate change impacts
  6. Ensure sustainable development
  7. Support sustainable urban agriculture

View our 2024 Workplan HERE for more information about the goals and initiatives of this location.

There are many ways to be involved as an Urban Waters partner! Do you need additional resources, letters of support, or funds for a project? Do you want to get involved in our monthly meetings?

Our workgroup meetings are made up of federal, inter-state, state, and regional non-profit organizations with a goal of sharing resources for cohesive environmental justice efforts in the region. Our next workgroup meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17, 2024 from 11-12 ET on Zoom.

If you are community group working on a project, the UWFP Ambassador is more than happy to write you a Letter of Support from this Urban Waters location! Click HERE to download the guidelines are email the UWFP Ambassador with your letter of support request.

The Delaware River Location also has a Community Funding Program to assist with local restoration  projects such as community greening and open space revitalization. The current round of applications for awards up to $10,000 is currently closed. Grantees will be officially announced in early 2024.

Please contact John Harrod, PDE’s Engagement Director, at jharrod@delawareestuary.org.

Additional resources from past meetings and from our past webinar series can be found below.