Published on Historical Society of Pennsylvania (https://hsp.org)


Surveying the Problem of Water Supply in Philadelphia and Debating a Solution

For this activity, students will study Dana Barber’s 1884 “Sanitary Survey” as well as William Ludlow's "Address to the County Medical Society"  to develop a detailed understanding of the source and kind of pollution that was contaminating the Schuylkill River Valley. In doing so, students will gain an understanding of what defines a watershed, land use, and the challenges of managing upstream/downstream issues related to pollution.