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Combined sewer overflow (CSO) reported — Philadelphia Water Department - Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant, Nov 6, 2026

Ongoing (as reported) · Philadelphia Water Department CSOcast (pilot)

Source: Philadelphia Water Department CSOcast (pilot), record C_04A-20261106T0045, reported Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST, retrieved 2026-11-06 08:47 UTC · Read the original notice

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1. Reported wastewater outlet

Operator named in the record: Philadelphia Water Department - Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant (federal wastewater discharge permit, NPDES, PA0026671). Outlet: C_04A “Malvern Ave and 68th St”. Location: 39.97754, -75.25738; location source: given in the source record.

Outfall: a pipe or outlet where wastewater enters a water body.

2. Waters named in the notice

The notice names: “Cobbs Creek”. DirtyWaterWatch links this report to Cobbs Creek, PA. Match basis: the water named in the report.

3. Estimated downstream stretch

Estimated downstream stretch — not checked by water sampling. Estimated by DirtyWaterWatch using U.S. Geological Survey river maps and flow measurements; not an official advisory area. This estimates water movement, not bacteria levels.

• Discharge or advisory reported 0 to 1.4 kilometres below the outlet

  0 to 1.4 kilometres below the outlet · on Cobbs Creek

  Estimated travel time from outlet C_04A: about 2 hours, or as little as 1 hour. Estimate based on the river's average yearly flow; no current gauge reading was available.

• Discharge or advisory reported 1.4 to 11.5 kilometres below the outlet

  1.4 to 11.5 kilometres below the outlet · on Cobbs Creek

  Estimated travel time from outlet C_04A: about 10 hours, or as little as 6 hours. Estimate based on the river's average yearly flow; no current gauge reading was available.

  Estimate stops where the river becomes tidal. Below this point water moves with the tide and wind, so we do not estimate where the discharge goes. Read the original notice and local beach or shellfish advisories.

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When it happened and when it was reported

Event and notice times use Eastern Time (EST or EDT). Retrieval times use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Started

Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST

Ended

ongoing, as last reported

Detail provided by the source

Times known poll

Reported to the source

Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST

Published

not given

Source last updated

Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST

Last retrieved by DirtyWaterWatch

2026-11-06 08:47 UTC

What and how much

Type

Combined sewer overflow (CSO): sewage mixed with rainwater spills from a shared sewer system.

Status in the record

Ongoing (as reported)

Material

not stated

Volume

volume not reported (not stated whether estimated or measured)

Volume as reported

none

Advice from Philadelphia Water Department CSOcast (pilot)

“Waterways where a combined sewer outfall is overflowing are unsafe for any type of recreation, and may remain unsafe for recreation for a period of up to 72 hours following storm events, particularly in the Delaware and tidal Schuylkill rivers.”

Advice period

This report does not state a period. See the rule DirtyWaterWatch applies and its source.

Basis

not stated

Status history from this report

• Discharge or advisory reported Cobbs Creek: Discharge reported ongoing, Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Nov 13, 2026, 12:45 AM EST (the end is scheduled: a new report can change it)
• End not confirmed Cobbs Creek, Nov 13, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Dec 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST (scheduled: a new report can change it)
• No current status shown Cobbs Creek: end not confirmed, no map colour, Dec 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Feb 4, 2027, 12:45 AM EST (scheduled: a new report can change it)
• Discharge or advisory reported East Branch Indian Creek: Discharge reported ongoing, Nov 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Nov 13, 2026, 12:45 AM EST (the end is scheduled: a new report can change it)
• End not confirmed East Branch Indian Creek, Nov 13, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Dec 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST (scheduled: a new report can change it)
• No current status shown East Branch Indian Creek: end not confirmed, no map colour, Dec 6, 2026, 12:45 AM EST to Feb 4, 2027, 12:45 AM EST (scheduled: a new report can change it)

Source: DirtyWaterWatch calculations using this report and the published status rules. Updated 2026-11-06 09:03 UTC.

Source and versions

Source

Philadelphia Water Department CSOcast

Source record number

C_04A-20261106T0045

Original notice

Read the original notice

Earlier version

None: this is the first record

Later versions

None

{
  "outfall": {
    "Name": "C_04A",
    "Status": 4,
    "Status_Message": "Currently overflowing.",
    "LastPoll": 1793925900000,
    "Latitude": 39.9775433,
    "Longitude": -75.25737992,
    "Interceptor": "CCHL",
    "Waterbody": "C",
    "Street": "Malvern Ave and 68th St",
    "OBJECTID": 3,
    "LastPoll_DATE": "2026-11-06",
    "LastPoll_TIME": "00:45:00"
  },
  "transitions": [
    {
      "fetched_at": "2026-11-06T07:56:18Z",
      "last_poll": "2026-11-06T00:45:00-05:00",
      "status_message": "Currently overflowing."
    }
  ],
  "status_basis": "Philadelphia Water Department's CSOcast status for this outfall. PWD says CSOcast draws on its flow-monitoring network and a SWMM watershed and wastewater conveyance model, which it calls \"only an estimate of actual conditions\". A model-and-monitor status, not a measured or reported discharge.",
  "time_basis": {
    "precision": "poll: started_at and ended_at are CSOcast poll times (LastPoll) of the snapshots our hourly fetch saw, not the overflow's own start and end",
    "started_at": "LastPoll of the first snapshot that said 'Currently overflowing.'; the overflow began at or before it, after started_after when that is given",
    "ended_at": "LastPoll of the first snapshot that no longer said 'Currently overflowing.'; the overflow ended at or before it, after ended_after"
  },
  "started_after": null,
  "start_basis": "the first CSOcast snapshot whose LastPoll showed 'Currently overflowing.'; the overflow began at or before it",
  "occurred_after": null,
  "last_overflowing_at": "2026-11-06T00:45:00-05:00",
  "ended_after": null,
  "end_basis": null,
  "closed_by": null,
  "resumed": null,
  "no_data_since": null,
  "vanished": null,
  "placement": {
    "waterbody_code": "C",
    "waterbody_name": "Cobbs Creek",
    "nearest_inventory_outfall": {
      "npdes_permit": "PA0026671",
      "outfall": "082",
      "distance_m": 49,
      "receiving_water_echo": "West Branch Indian Creek",
      "water_slug": null
    }
  },
  "last_poll_note": "LastPoll is Eastern wall-clock time stored as UTC (its epoch equals LastPoll_DATE/TIME); read here as America/New_York.",
  "disclaimer": "CSOcast is not intended to be used as a water quality notification system for recreation (pilot program).",
  "layer": "https://services2.arcgis.com/POWz8dBwmjnei8fu/ArcGIS/rest/services/CSOCast_Layerboard/FeatureServer/0"
}