Essential Utilities Named to USA TODAY’s America’s Climate Leaders 2025 List

Progress toward goal to 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions leads to third straight Climate Leaders honor

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) enters the final days of its monthlong Essential Earth Day campaign by announcing that it has been named to USA TODAY’s list of America’s Climate Leaders 2025. This is the third consecutive year Essential, a leading provider of water, wastewater and natural gas services, has received the prestigious award from USA TODAY and Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. View the full America’s Climate Leaders 2025 list.

The recognition reinforces Essential’s commitment to protecting and providing essential resources for life, and arrives while the company holds volunteer events around its nine-state service territory for Essential Earth Day. Hundreds of Essential employees are participating in dozens of events to clean up green spaces, plant thousands of trees and flowers, and support key conservation and environmental partners. Essential has also given more than $1 million to partner organizations as part of its Earth Day initiatives.

Essential pairs its charitable initiatives with a steadfast commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. Recognition on the America’s Climate Leaders list is reserved for companies showing a year-over-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity. On an absolute basis, Essential has achieved a 25 percent reduction through 2023, making strong progress to reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions 60 percent from a 2019 baseline level.

“Being named one of America’s Climate Leaders for the third straight year validates the efforts made by every member of the Essential team to responsibly provide the natural resources our customers need to thrive,” said Essential chairman and CEO Chris Franklin. “By modernizing natural gas infrastructure, aggressively addressing methane leaks, and investing in renewable energy, Essential Utilities is taking care of our communities for present and future generations.”

Essential’s Scope 1 emissions primarily come from its gas operations, with emissions reductions driven by the replacement of hundreds of miles of aged, leak-prone natural gas infrastructure and accelerated methane leak detection and repair processes. The company’s Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan is in the midst of replacing 3,000 miles of aging pipelines with state-of-the-art infrastructure that is less susceptible to corrosion and leaks. Scope 2 emissions reductions are achieved through increased procurement of renewable energy for its water and wastewater treatment and distribution processes.

Visit the Essential website for more information on the company’s sustainability practices.

About Essential
Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 9 states. Essential is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. Learn more at www.essential.co.

WTRGG