Due to the air quality alert issued by the US EPA, our June 8 outdoor tour has been cancelled.

What’s Happening

Extreme Weather Preparedness

How Fairmount Water Works Averted Devastation from Tropical Storm Isaias Many are familiar with the phrase climate change, an extreme change in global weather conditions resulting directing from increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, attributed to fossil fuels and other types of pollution. While we have grown accustomed to the term climate change, what […]

Inspiring Water Workshops for Teaching and Learning

Teachers from the School District of Philadelphia and nearby districts are better-equipped for a successful school year thanks to a series of professional development workshops hosted by the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center. The four workshops were linked to our award-winning Understanding the Urban Watershed Curriculum, and were held in partnership with GreenFutures, the School […]

Campers Test Water Cycle Know-How in FWW’s Summer Challenge

Have you ever thought about the journey of a single water drop? Well, that was the challenge youth attending Philadelphia Parks & Recreation summer camps accepted from the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center. Campers were instructed to make a water drop puppet, decorate the character, and give it personality. Participants then created a story about […]

Tropical Storm Isaias’ Aftermath

It’s been a little more than six years since consistent heavy downpours swelled the neighboring Schuylkill River and subsequently flooded our historic site. We remember well the impacts of Tropical Storm Lee, and Katia which hit in 2014. Last week, as a result of Tropical Storm Isaias, the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center flooded again. On Tuesday, August 4, at […]

Fund for the Water Works Receives Grant from American Water Charitable Foundation

Grant Extends Watershed Education Curriculum to More Philadelphia Students About the American Water Charitable Foundation PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Fund for the Water Works – IC is pleased to announce it has received a $9,900 grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation’s 2020 Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, supported by America Water’s Homeowner Services division. Funds will expand access and […]

Behind-the-scenes science continues in the Freshwater Mussel Hatchery

June 5, 2020 Although our doors are closed to the public, the science behind re-establishing our rivers mussel population continues.Through April and May, our scientists collected gravid females of two different species of freshwater mussels, Eastern Elliptio and Tidewater Mucket. Host fish were collected and acclimated in the hatchery tanks. Trout is the host fish […]

Diving into eeBLUE: Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center Partners with Concilio to Offer Watershed STEM Education

Though the Interpretive Center has been closed for months, we have continued to secure funding so that our team can continue to provide high-quality experiential learning programs for youth and young adults! We’re excited to be one of 29 environmental education organizations nationwide to be awarded a Watershed STEM Education Grant from North American Association […]

Distance Learning Resources

Thanks to the educators and teachers who provided feedback and let us know what they need to support learning from home. Check back weekly as our list of tested lessons and activities grows. Please feel free to contact us with feedback or suggestions. Tuesday, May 25, 2020 Water-Themed Lessons & Activities (45 minutes or less) Properties of […]