Water Center Projects

A significant body of applied water research is already completed, underway, or planned by the Water Center.

The Catawba Wateree Basin includes more than 367 river miles and 11 interconnected reservoirs with 12 hydro-electric power plants and several other power plants throughout the basin. The basin’s waters also provide drinking water for several communities in the basin. The Catawba Wateree Water Management Group (CWWMG) is made up of approximately 70 municipal and energy stakeholders. In 2015, the group adopted a water supply management plan and in 2021, they began updating that plan and converting it to an integrated water resources plan to better represent the group’s comprehensive approach to… Read More
This research project aims to evaluate the role that GSI has in the redevelopment approval process (and subsequently, PWD’s role), and how the approval process can be better streamlined to allow for GSI integrations in the early stages of redevelopment project planning. Our output will be a detailed and illustrative white paper that will feature an infographic detailing and explaining the process to be used for advocacy and evaluating aspects that may be convoluted or redundant, as well as what might be missing. In addition to evaluating this process, the document will explore the roles that… Read More
The Water Center at Penn and Penn Praxis are coleading the development of a comprehensive stormwater master plan for Pittsburgh. This plan will ultimately provide a global model using the P4 Framework of People, Planet, Place, and Performance to provide an innovative, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable blueprint to address one of our region’s most challenging problems. For too long, aging infrastructure and the impacts of climate change have created challenges for stormwater management. The increasingly frequent and intense rain causes the combined sewer system to overflow into rivers and… Read More
The water quality in the Delaware River is considered suitable for swimming, except for a 27 mile stretch between Philadelphia, Camden, and Chester. This project will assemble and analyze existing data outlining current conditions and limiting factors to achieving a “swimmable” water quality, in coordination with key stakeholders including the Delaware River Basin Commission, Utilities, Environmental and Recreational Stakeholders, Regulatory Agencies, and others.  The Water Center and its partners will evaluate expected results of planned investments with the goal of predicting when and where… Read More
The Region 3 Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) program is offering direct support to municipalities, tribes, and water utilities in US EPA Region 3 to help them access federal and state funding to address water infrastructure needs. This assistance will be delivered over the coming five years at no cost to recipients, through an award from the US Environmental Protection Agency.  Assistance is available on a need basis, with priority given to historically underserved and disadvantaged communities.  Available services include assistance identifying water challenges; developing plans;… Read More