How many people get their water from the Delaware River?

The Delaware River Basin provides drinking water for more than 13 million people across Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. “In certain areas of the basin, specifically in southern Delaware, South Jersey, it's the sole source of drinking water.



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South of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, all water used for public and domestic supply and more than 98 percent of water used for irrigation is pumped from underground, according the Delaware Geological Survey. North of the canal, 70 of public water comes from creeks and rivers, with the rest from groundwater.

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For its size, the Upper Delaware River contains some of the highest water quality in the eastern United States. The upper portion of the watershed remains largely forested. These forests act as a natural buffer against pollution and erosion by filtering water, which is very important for maintaining water quality.

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While Delaware's tap water meets federal standards, an environmental nonprofit said that doesn't mean the water supply is contaminant-free.

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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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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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Average height, you can expect to float at an average speed of 2-3 miles per hour in between rapids.

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The Delaware River has a long history of flooding. The river's floodplain, as well as those of its tributaries, has been subject to both local and widespread damage.

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Some popular Delaware River swimming holes are located at Bulls Island just north of New Hope and Lambertville, Farview in Stroudsburg, Flatbrook and Milford swimming holes in Milford, and at the Trestle Bridge in Columbia, New Jersey. 112 Popular swimming lakes include Crater Lake and Highlands Natural Pool.

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