Resolution 190234

..Title Celebrating the City of Philadelphia's high-quality, affordable drinking water, provided by the Philadelphia Water Department. ..Body WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Water Department is devoted to delivering safe, reliable, high-quality drinking water to everyone who lives, works, or plays in Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, A staff of over 2,000 dedicated Water Department employees work every hour of every day to provide residents with safe, trustworthy, and reliable service; and WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Water Department rigorously tests our tap water for nearly 100 compounds daily to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water; and WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is committed to reducing the occurrence of water shut-off notices by enrolling eligible, low-income residents in the Philadelphia Water Department's Customer Assistance Programs; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia Water Department customers only pay half of one penny per gallon for high-quality drinking water, making it an affordable beverage choice for all Philadelphians; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia tap water contains fluoride which keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities and tooth decay by about 25% in children and adults; and WHEREAS, Community water fluoridation is recommended by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and other accredited public health, medical, and dental organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the American Dental Association; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia's drinking water quality outperforms national standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and WHEREAS, Information-sharing, public education, and trust-building empowers customers to choose tap water; and WHEREAS,The Council of the City of Philadelphia recommits to Resolution 150732, reaffirming the value of clean water in our lives and the strategic investment in the critical infrastructure necessary to protect this valuable resource; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Philadelphia's tap water is a safe, high-quality, environmentally-friendly and affordable beverage choice for all Philadelphians. ..End