Small Actions, Essential Impact: Essential Utilities Improves Communities During Month-Long 2025 Earth Day Celebration

Employee volunteers donate money and time to support environmental improvement across 9-state footprint

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) successfully concluded its fourth annual Essential Earth Day, a 30-day campaign dedicated to environmental stewardship and community engagement. This year’s effort resulted in record-breaking achievements, reaffirming Essential’s commitment to protecting the environment and safeguarding natural resources.

• Donated nearly $1.2 million in grants supporting dozens of deserving organizations dedicated to sustainability and environmental improvement
• Empowered 450 employees to volunteer 1,500 hours across nearly 40 volunteer events
• Provided 306 employees with educational programs on sustainability, proper recycling techniques and waste prevention

“Environmental stewardship is core to the work we do at Essential, and it’s especially evident as we celebrate our 5-year anniversary as Essential Utilities,” said Essential Utilities Chairman and CEO Chris Franklin. “We take seriously our mission to protect and provide essential resources for life, and nothing demonstrates that goal more than our month-long recognition of Essential Earth Day. I’m incredibly proud of all of my Essential colleagues who donated their time and money to make a better future in the communities we serve. We are truly better together.”

Employees throughout the company’s nine-state footprint participated in a variety of volunteer activities, including:

• Cleaning up 185 bags of litter and other debris from alongside rivers, trails and roadways
• Removing invasive weeds and planting more than 11,000 trees and native wildflowers to improve habitat and beautify public spaces
• Constructing 160 raised beds for low-income families to grow their own produce.
• Cleaning a lake bottom to protect water quality in a community park
• Setting up a rock and mineral education program for youth
• Building duck nesting boxes to help mallard conservation efforts
• Hosting a collection drive to keep clothing out of landfills and provide for families in need

These volunteer efforts from Essential employees are crucial in supporting local environmental organizations and our communities at large.

“We are delighted to celebrate Earth Day with volunteers from Aqua Pennsylvania,” said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass. “Their hard work planting native species will help improve habitat in the floodplain along Crum Creek. Their day’s work will offer benefits for decades to come. We are so grateful for their efforts.”

"Nature grows, and there’s a constant need to maintain the park spaces that benefit our community,” said Erin Tobin, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Assistant Director of Community Engagement. “We are grateful for the support from Peoples and the Essential Foundation to help us continue our work across the city of Pittsburgh.”

Small Actions, Essential Impact

Essential Earth Day is part of the company’s comprehensive commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. Since the initiative launched in 2022, Essential has donated $2.9 million and more than 1,820 employees have participated in 150 events, logging more than 6,500 hours to support environmental causes, including litter cleanups, reforestation projects and other conservation efforts. The company remains dedicated to providing high-quality water, reliable natural gas service, and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.

Essential’s impact to the environment recently resulted in the company’s recognition in USA Today's 2025 List of America's Climate Leaders.

See how our small actions made an essential impact in this year’s recap video.

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, 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, donating more than $4 million from the Essential Foundation each year, 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.