Chester County Water Resources Authority

Notice

Chester County Water Resources Authority is open to the public for all regular services and programs, though there will be times when our staff will be working remotely or in the field. We encourage you to look for answers to your questions and concerns online, or send us an email at [email protected]. Should an in-person meeting be required, we urge you to contact us by phone (610-344-5400) or email to schedule an appointment. We will respond as soon as possible.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Watersheds 2045 public hearing postponed 

The public hearing on the new Chester County Watersheds 2045 integrated water resources plan, originally scheduled for the December 7th Commissioners meeting, has been postponed until January 2024 (date and time TBD). Details on the rescheduled hearing will be published online and via local news outlets as soon as they are available.

All plan materials, including the recently published public comment and response log, are available for review online here, or by in person by request at the CCWRA office. 

2045 Plan Cover

Brandywine Flood Study

In response to more frequent and extreme flooding events impacting communities along the Brandywine Creek in both Pennsylvania and Delaware, the Brandywine Flood Study has been initiated to better understand where and why flooding occurs and identify the best approaches to protect our communities from future severe flooding events. 

Continue to the Brandywine Conservancy web site for more info.

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2022 Water Quality Conditions - New Interactive Map

Water quality results from the 2022 fall water quality sampling are published via the Chester County – Water Conditions for 2022 interactive map. 

At this web site you can view the results of water quality sampling conducted at the eighteen monitoring sites in Chester County. You can find graphs of data from the past 25 years for biotic integrity, nitrate, phosphorus, and chloride, as well as links to the USGS web site for additional information.

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Chester County Commissioners' Adopt 2022 County-wide Stormwater Management Model Ordinance


The 90-day period for Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to review the final 2022 County-wide Act 167 Stormwater Management Model Ordinance ended on November 24, 2022. Under the Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Act (PA Act 167), all Chester County municipalities, both MS4 and non-MS4 permittees, are required to adopt stormwater ordinances consistent with the County's Model Ordinance by May 31, 2023. 

The updated Model Ordinance, summary of changes table, Matrix of Minimum Mandatory Standards, and other resources are available at chesco.org/StormwaterOrdinance. Any questions about the updated Model Ordinance can be submitted to [email protected]

PDFs and recordings from two workshops CCWRA hosted in May 2022 to assist municipalities with updating their stormwater ordinances are available here

Our Programs

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To ensure that our residents and businesses are equipped to respond to evolving water resources needs, Chester County is leading updates to the Watersheds Plan and the County-wide Stormwater Management Plan.


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Water Quality in Chester County

Clean water in our groundwater aquifers, streams and lakes is critical to long-term healthy communities.  Learn about PADEP's assessment program, resources from MS4 municipalities, and information about TMDL pollution reduction programs.

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Flooding and Stormwater Reduction

CCWRA provides information on FEMA floodplains as well as real time stream flood monitoring through a partnership with USGS. The Authority also provides flood protection in the Brandywine Creek watershed through the operation of four flood control dams, and has information on preparing for flooding emergencies.

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Maps, Reports and Data

Find both interactive and print-ready maps on water quality conditions, floodplains, and other key water resources components, as well as reports on water conditions in the County, and various factsheets.

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Get Involved Local Watershed Groups

Chester County is fortunate to have watershed and conservation organizations that are active with on-the-ground improvement projects, outreach and community education.

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Sustainable Water Supply Management

CCWRA assists with sustainable water management by providing reservoir water supplies, through planned and managed water releases from Chambers Lake Reservoir. Learn about our reservoir management as well as water conservation tips.

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