Why Philly has so many sinkholes

Sinkholes are fairly common in Philadelphia due to aging water lines that leak or burst, causing the surrounding soil to wash away.

By: Laura Toran, Temple University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 20, 2026

Words: 907

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Laura Toran, Temple University

In early January, a giant sinkhole formed at an intersection in the West Oak Lane neighborhood of North Philadelphia after a water main break. Just two weeks earlier, the city reopened a section of the Schuylkill River Trail in Center City that had been shut down for two months due to a sinkhole. Last summer, some residents of Point Breeze in South Philly also waited two months for …

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