Essential Utilities Names Daniel Ramirez-Cisneros as President of Aqua Texas

Ramirez-Cisneros boasts nearly a decade of industry experience; succeeds recently retired Craig Blanchette

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) today announced Daniel Ramirez-Cisneros as the new President of Aqua Texas. Ramirez-Cisneros, previously the Director of Operations for Aqua Texas, will oversee Aqua’s water and wastewater operations across the state, guiding capital investment, regulatory compliance, and customer service during a pivotal phase of growth. The appointment is part of the company’s long-term succession plan to maintain leadership continuity.

“Daniel brings the right mix of operational strength, financial fluency, and water-sector insight to lead Aqua Texas forward,” said Colleen Arnold, Aqua President. “He’s already delivering results on the ground, and with Texas as one of our fastest-growing markets, his leadership will be instrumental in scaling responsibly and advancing critical infrastructure.”

This transition comes as Aqua Texas plans significant capital investments in the coming years focusing on operational optimization, including remote monitoring (SCADA), water and wastewater plant expansion, water supply renewal, main replacement, PFAS mitigation, and route and labor efficiency projects.

Previously, Ramirez-Cisneros served as Utilities Manager for the Puerto Rico Financial Oversight Board, where he was instrumental in the development of a $5 billion recovery plan and oversaw a $1 billion infrastructure budget for the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority. He also held roles with 374Water and began his career in institutional finance at the Bank of Montreal. Ramirez-Cisneros holds a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

This announcement comes after the retirement of Aqua Texas President Craig Blanchette, who steps down following a distinguished 17-year career with the company spanning multiple regions. Blanchette began his career with Aqua in 2008 in Illinois. He served as President of Illinois from 2014 until he was named President of Texas in 2022, where he focused on improving the customer experience and navigating the state’s unique water challenges and opportunities.

“It’s a privilege to lead Aqua Texas at a time when the state is making historic investments in water infrastructure,” said Ramirez-Cisneros. “I’m grateful for Craig’s example and excited to work with our team to modernize systems, strengthen community partnerships, and deliver reliable service for the next generation.”

About Aqua Texas
Aqua Texas serves approximately 300,000 people in 53 counties across the Lone Star State. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow @MyAquaWater on Facebook and @MyAquaWater on X.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which generally include words such as “plans”, “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” and similar expressions. The Company can give no assurance that any actual or future results or events discussed in these statements will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements represent its views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from the statements contained in this release. Such forward-looking statements include, among others: the company’s belief that it will make significant capital investments focusing on SCADA, water and wastewater plant expansion, water supply renewal, main replacement, PFAS mitigation, and implement route and labor efficiency projects. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including: changes in regulations or regulatory treatment; changes in the United States’ governmental policies, including those from the Executive Branch; disruptions in the global economy; potential disruptions in the supply chain for raw and finished materials; the continuation of the company's growth-through-acquisition program; general economic business conditions; the success of certain cost-containment initiatives; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Essential's business, please refer to Essential's annual, quarterly, and other SEC filings. Essential is not under any obligation - and expressly disclaims any such obligation - to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.