To the Temple community,

As you may have heard, earlier this weekend, a chemical spill occurred in Bucks County, which released contaminants into the Delaware River.

Temple University is in contact with the Philadelphia Water Department and the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management which continue to monitor the latex spill. While the health risks are believed to be very low, the City of Philadelphia recommended that everyone switch to bottled drinking water today beginning at 2 p.m. Tap water is still safe for bathing purposes, city officials said. Bottled beverages are available in all Temple University dining halls.

Additional information on the spill can be found here. For updates from the City of Philadelphia, text ReadyPhila to 888-777 and follow @PhillyH20 and @PhilaOEM on Twitter.

A map of areas that could be affected is available here. The impact to the surrounding counties in the Philadelphia region is not known at this time. We will provide updates as that information becomes available.

Temple’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to follow the guidance of the city and send updates as needed. Follow @TempleUOEM and @TempleUniv for university updates.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Nicola Mammes
Director of Emergency Management