Swimmable waterways have long been the goal of the federal Clean Water Act, which was passed in 1972.

But more than 50 years later, older industrial cities like Camden and Philadelphia have struggled to reach that level of cleanliness because of outdated sewer systems.

Unlike modern infrastructure, which utilizes separate piping systems, older sewer systems send stormwater and sewage through the same underground pipes.

During heavy rain, this combined sewer/stormwater system can overflow, spilling raw sewage into the region’s rivers and streams. The overflow can also mean flooding in nearby communities.

As of 2018, there were 30 active combined sewer outfalls located within Camden and Gloucester City, according to the New Jersey DEP. Overflows discharge into three receiving streams: the Delaware and Cooper rivers and Newton Creek.

Camden’s main waterways, the Cooper and the Delaware rivers, often contain fecal bacteria levels that make it unsafe for humans to swim, fish or even kayak in.

Prior to the Clean Water Act, the Delaware River between Trenton and Philadelphia supported virtually no aquatic life at all. More than 50 years ago, regulations requiring facilities to treat wastewater before discharging it changed what was once a “stinky, ugly mess” into a place where hundreds of thousands visit its urban shorelines each year.

Swimming and kayaking are now permitted in much of the Upper Delaware River, which is regulated by the Delaware River Basin Commission. However, for a 27-mile stretch along Camden and Philadelphia, the commission restricts residents to boating and fishing.

Swimming in waterways polluted with bacteria and viruses can cause health problems such as gastrointestinal illnesses, skin rashes and respiratory problems. About 90 million illnesses caused by swimming, boating and fishing in polluted waters are reported each year in the United States.

“Decisionmakers in Camden have a responsibility to safeguard public health and protect our shared waterways,” said Lucia Osbourn, program director at the American Littoral Society. “Recreational use of the Delaware River in Camden is already a reality for many residents, and we cannot continue to pollute the very waters our communities rely on.”

Federal regulations require municipalities to reduce 85% of stormwater and sewage overflow.

Progress has been made. For instance, the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, or CCMUA, is investing in infrastructure to divert millions of combined sewer discharges from the state’s waterways.

In an interview with WHYY News in May, Executive Director Scott Schreiber said that CCMUA is “fully committed” to restoring water quality to a level that allows people to recreate without getting sick.