Like most utilities Philadelphians rely on — electricity, internet, gas — water is something we pay more attention to when it isn’t working. Where our H2O comes from and how it gets into our faucets are mysteries most of us will likely never care to understand. As long as it’s flowing, we’re good.
Until recently, West Oak Lane native and West Philadelphia resident Michelle Bailey felt the same way. Then, almost exactly three years ago, the longtime public servant joined the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) as a public relations and social media specialist.
Bailey’s new role didn’t just require her to learn about water chemistry, distribution, sewer maintenance, inlet cleaning, meters, billing and such for the 2,000-plus person department. She also had to relay PWD’s consumer-centered messaging to the nearly 1.6 million Philadelphia residents who rely on the public utility to wash their clothes, cook their meals, clean their homes, and, crucially this time of year, stay hydrated — and make the people delivering that water feel appreciated.
What makes Bailey so special — and so good at her job — is that she did something more than all that. She decided to reinvent how the department communicates with the public, to show residents what their bills pay for, to reimagine how the PWD shows up for the many, many communities they serve — seniors in particular — and, when presented with the opportunity, to take service matters into her own hands.
For going above and beyond in her work for the city and all the people of Philadelphia, Bailey is one of this year’s Integrity Icons. She will be honored alongside her fellow 2026 Integrity Icons at a party on June 3, from 6 to 7:30pm, at Fitler Club ballroom. (Attendance is free, but you must RSVP in advance here.)
More meaningful than Madison Avenue
Growing up, Bailey “always had dreams of working in advertising in New York City somewhere at a magazine,” she says. “I always knew I was attracted to creative work.” What she found out, after graduating from Philmont Christian Academy, then Shippensburg University with a degree in public relations and communications, is a meaningful, creative career doesn’t have to look like The Devil Wears Prada.
In fact, a glam job at a glossy mag would most certainly not satisfy Bailey’s lifelong desire to be of service. “I’ve always been drawn to organizations that have helped people,” she says.
Right out of school, she went to work in development and communications at the Office of Adult Education, creating and coordinating events and all manner of materials to encourage adults to improve their literacy — a vital pursuit in a city where reported literacy rates have long hovered around 50 percent.
From there, she joined the City’s Office of Reentry Partnerships (then known as RISE), working face-to-face with returning citizens trying to get back on their feet, helping them earn and keep steady employment. Her latest former role threaded her previous roles together, and tacked on social media responsibilities at the Department of Revenue, where she publicized tax assistance for all and tax help for business owners.
“She’s always learning everything, so she can help with everything.” — Danielle Stollak–Both
Joining the Water Department, however, was a whole new challenge, not the least of which was grasping the many functions of the massive operation. Bailey became responsible for communicating about “water assistance … construction, programs and service issues,” along with answering a constant stream of customer inquiries arriving to the department’s inbox. She credits her team with helping her do all of that. Her colleagues credit her with taking that communication several steps further.
Upon joining the department, she was provided a “blueprint,” she says, for public events, mostly water-centered one-offs. But what’s the utility in hosting a public event dedicated to a single utility only?
Bailey’s assigned role at resource fairs was to communicate customer-tiered assistance programs that set water rates and prevent shutoffs based on individual residents’ means. She still does that — a crucial part of her work, especially as water rates continue to rise — but she also invites PGW, PECO, even community legal services to the fairs.
“She brings it all to one place,” and approaches every customer, no matter if they’re coming with questions about a landlord issue or an overdue gas bill, with patience,” says Danielle Stollak–Both, who works alongside Bailey. “She’s always learning everything, so she can help with everything.”
Stollak-Both calls her colleague “super proactive,” in that Bailey is glad to help sign folks up for assistance programs, bring in translators to assist with communication, and, in at least one case, step in to prevent residents’ water from being completely shut off. She is proud to champion strangers.
“I make sure she is invited to any meeting where there are potentially underrepresented residents or a topic that could affect them, because I know she will be able to speak on their behalf in an intelligent way,” says Stollak-Both.
Bailey has also worked to ensure the department’s apprentice program is open to returning citizens, and has held resume clinics and headshot events to help applicants boost their professional prospects.
Senior savior
Social media and websites are a great, fast way to send and receive messages. But they’re certainly not a method of communication for all Philadelphians — especially seniors.
The EPA requires the department to mail all correspondence, especially when it comes to the City’s massive, 10-year project of replacing hazardous lead or galvanized metal pipes. Massive, but also confusing to many. The City is responsible for the service lines that run up to homes, but at some point, those lines become residents’ obligations. Bailey and her colleagues work hard to share information about identifying dangerous pipes, mitigating harmful metals’ effects, and taking advantage of an emergency loan program for replacing older lines.
It’s a lot to process, and Bailey realized the best way to convey this information is in person. She decided “to actually go where [seniors] are — senior centers,” which tend to be accessible for non-drivers, near public transportation, and familiar to neighborhood residents, she says. Her team brings customer service representatives who answer questions, check to make sure payments are up to date, and figure out if a resident qualifies for assistance, or even free replacement lines.
It’s essential, she says, to offer multiple ways for residents to access information.
Extra credit
On June 6, one of those ways will include opening PWD’s doors to the public, to offer tours of the city’s Belmont Water Treatment Plant, to meet PWD employees, and, harkening to Bailey’s days at RISE, to provide information about job openings, not just for the department, but for all of city government.
These events aren’t just good for community relations. They’re good for the people who work behind the scenes to keep our water safe and flowing. “Michelle promotes unseen work” of the PWD, says Glen Abrams, a deputy commissioner at the department. “She has been integral in getting people excited to talk about their work,” he says.
The PWD isn’t just large, it’s also expansive, working in every corner of the city, doing all sorts of work. It’s easy for employees to become disconnected from each other, to feel like a cog in a much larger machine.
Laura Copeland has known Bailey since they worked together in the Revenue Department. “Even though she has a lot on her plate, she makes the employees feel valued,” says Copeland, who recalls a contest Bailey created where groups of PWD staffers present their work, and one group receives a trophy, which they show off for the rest of the department to see.
It’s a rare moment of victory and recognition for work we all too often take for granted.
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