Can the Delaware River be cleaned?

The Delaware River cleanup has been significantly advanced by Camden County, which has sharply reduced discharges from its combined sewer overflows (CSOs) — antiquated pipes designed to carry both stormwater and sewage but that often dump both into waterways during heavy rains.



Yes, the Delaware River can be—and is being—cleaned, though it remains a complex, multi-state effort. In 2026, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) continues to implement the federal Clean Water Act via the 2026 Water Quality Assessment Report, focusing on reducing "impaired" segments. Major efforts include the Spearhead Project Earth, which organizes weekly community cleanups from April to October to remove physical waste from the shorelines. On a chemical level, the focus has shifted toward reducing PFAS and nitrogen runoff from upstream agriculture. While the river has made a historic recovery from its 1950s "dead zone" status, full restoration requires constant vigilance against urban microplastics and industrial legacy pollutants, making it a perpetual project of environmental maintenance rather than a "finished" task.

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For much of the last century, parts of the Delaware River were a foul mess, full of sewage, chemical waste and other putrid byproducts of a rapidly urbanizing watershed. There were fish kills and disease outbreaks.

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Delaware River Basin waterways are still polluted 50 years after the Clean Water Act | Opinion. Published: Oct. 30, 2022, 6:01 p.m.

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No contaminants from the Bristol Township spill have been detected in the Delaware River water: tap water continues to be safe. Residents should continue to use tap water as they normally would.

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The cause: a chemical spill from a Bucks County plant into a Delaware River tributary that feeds into a Philadelphia water processing facility.

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On March 24, 2023, the Trinseo Altuglas chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania in the United States had an equipment failure that resulted in a leak of between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methyl methacrylate into Otter Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.

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However, the most famous fact about the Delaware River is the famous crossing of it by George Washington in 1776 which helped him successfully surprise Hessian troops in New Jersey during the American Revolution.

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Residents can track the impact of the spill on a map provided by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. Officials say there is no risk associated with inhaling the water or skin contact. Bathing and showering with water is fine.

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The chemicals released into the Delaware River include butyl acrylate, a flammable liquid used to manufacture paints, coatings, caulks, sealants, and adhesives. The same chemical was also released into a river in East Palestine, Ohio as a result of the Norfolk Southern train derailment.

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The deepest point on the Delaware River is located at Narrowsburg in the Town of Tusten, where the Big Eddy runs 113 feet deep.

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The Delaware River is known for freshwater populations of striped bass, muskellunge, brown trout, yellow perch, and American shad. When you visit New Jersey, be sure to plan a Delaware River fishing trip.

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Within the Upper Delaware Region, snakes are found in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Some snakes, like the Northern Watersnake, prefer aquatic habitats and are often found in slow-moving or standing water with places they can bask in the sun. The Northern Watersnake is commonly seen in and along the river.

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