Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center
The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center opened in 2003 as the public education center of the Philadelphia Water Department. It is located in the old mill house of the Fairmount Water Works. The Interpretive Center is open to the public and often hosts school field trips. It is a hub for STEAM and environmental education, research, and community engagement. Locally based lessons empower students to become active participants in 21st-century solutions to urban water issues in their own communities.
View of the Floating Workshop from the River
River Hydrology Table and Bike Stations
Reflective River Room
Floating Water Workshop
The fund is pursuing an exciting project to build a Floating Water Workshop at Penn’s Landing and, eventually, the site of the Fairmount Water Works. This project will connect the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers directly with Philadelphia’s diverse communities.
The floating platform will bring visitors and students to the river to learn firsthand about the rivers surrounding them.
The design and engineering is to be completed in 2024 and the workshop is expected to open to the public at Penn’s Landing in 2025.
Freshwater Mussel Hatchery
Freshwater mussels do a lot for our ecosystem. They filter pollutants from the water, create a diverse habitat for fish, and stabilize the streambed. Located at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, the Freshwater Mussel Hatchery supports the study of these crucial parts of our ecosystem. The hope is to learn how to increase the population of mussels in the Schuylkill River and beyond.
Preservation and climate resiliency of the Fairmount Water Works
Because of its proximity to the river, the Fairmount Water Works campus is at risk of severe damage from storms and flooding brought on by climate change. In 2021, Hurricane Ida brought record-breaking flooding to Philadelphia and near catastrophic damage to the historic pumping station and the Interpretive Center housed inside it.
As a result, the Fund for the Water Works partnered with Philadelphia’s Parks & Recreation and the Interpretive Center to explore climate mitigation strategies. The Fund worked with architect Mark B. Thompson & Associates and flood mitigation experts to identify flood mitigation treatments that would also meet national historic preservation requirements. Plans include installing flood resistant windows and doors, dry proofing select sections of the building, and elevating all utilities above flood levels. Our ultimate goal is the preservation of our iconic, historic landmark while activating our Fairmount Water Works campus.
Understanding the Urban Watershed Curriculum Project
Understanding the Urban Watershed Curriculum helps classroom educators connect their students to one of the most fundamental elements in all living things: water. Together students and teachers explore how to access, use, manage, clean up, and return water to our waterways. The curriculum includes cross-disciplinary and differentiated learning opportunities.
The Curriculum is accessible online at the website https://resourcewater.org. There you will find in-depth and mini-units for elementary through high school with Learning Experiences following the 5 Es (Engage, Explore and Explain, Elaborate and Evaluation), with essential and guiding questions, learning objectives, and performative and summative ways to check for student understanding during and at the end of each Learning Experience. Clickable links to videos, materials list, downloadable pdfs and student-facing slide decks are embedded. All Learning Experiences are aligned with the new PA STEELS (Science, Technology Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability) Standards, with MWEEs (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences) throughout.
To learn more about the curriculum, see our 10 year report (PDF) or check out this video and hear directly from students and educators about their experiences.
