Publishers Philadelphia Inquirer

William Penn balks at drinking the "mixed drink" offered him: Schuylkill water, mixed with pollution from the upstream sources named. Editorial cartoon by Fred Morgan, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 6, 1899. One of a series of cartoons drawn by Morgan protesting the state of the city's drinking water and trying to encourage the passage of legislation authorizing the construction of a water filtration system.

“A Decidedly Mixed Drink,” April 6, 1899

Norman Lofton inspects sewer at Ditman and Sheffield, 1987

Sewer crawler Clarence Baskerville checks tunnel for leaks. He has faced the dangers of working in sewers for past three years, 1971

Norman Lofton inspects sewer at Ditman and Sheffield, 1987

Inspector looking for problems in sewer

Sewer crawler Tom Cross, heading down the manhole at 26th and Grays Ferry, 1982

General view of sewer looking up manhole as other Water Dept. personnel look down.

Joe Cerrone, Inspector, Industrial Waste Unit, PWD, enters storm drain to search for source of oil spill, 1989

Norman Lofton enters manhole at Ditman and Sheffield, 1987

Sewer worker Anthony Holston enters sewer, 1990

Black and white photo of a worker with darker skin, wearing protective clothing, gloves, and a hard hat with the number 25 on the front, reaching up out of a sewer manhole, only head, shoulders, and left arm visible.

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Manholes like this give access to city’s sewer system, 1961

Black and white photo of a worker with darker skin, wearing protective clothing, gloves, and a hard hat with the number 25 on the front, reaching up out of a sewer manhole, only head, shoulders, and left arm visible.

<img width="300" height="225" src="https://waterhistoryphl.org/wp-content/uploads/DU08_20050070031-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Black and white photo of a worker with darker skin, wearing protective clothing, gloves, and a hard hat with the number 25 on the front, reaching up out of a sewer manhole, only head, shoulders, and left arm visible." decoding="async" srcset="https://waterhistoryphl.org/wp-content/uploads/DU08_20050070031-300x225.jpg 300w, https://waterhistoryphl.org/wp-content/uploads/DU08_20050070031.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Sewer Inspections: Vintage Images

Philadelphia Underground, Jan. 29, 1961

“Philadelphia Underground,” Jan. 29, 1961

Sewer Crawlers, Jan. 29, 1961

“Sewer Crawlers,” January 29, 1961

Mill Creek Is Not All Bad, Inquirer, Aug. 27, 1961

“Mill Creek Is Not All Bad,” Inquirer, Aug. 27, 1961

150 May Have to Abandon Homes, Inquirer, Aug. 10, 1952

150 May Have to Abandon Homes, Aug. 10, 1952 (p. 2)