Aqua Pennsylvania Installs PFAS Treatment to Protect Drinking Water for Thousands of Customers in Bucks County

Latest PFAS treatment system underscores company’s dedication to remove “forever chemicals”; funding received through PENNVEST helps alleviate associated costs for customers

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aqua Pennsylvania announced today the completion of a PFAS treatment system at its Edgely Water Treatment Facility in Bristol Township, Bucks County. This is the tenth PFAS treatment facility that Aqua Pennsylvania has placed into operation since 2018, all of which meet the new PFAS national drinking water standard. The new system at Edgely consists of six filters that use ion exchange resin to remove “forever chemicals” from drinking water for nearly 11,000 customers in Bristol Township and Bristol Borough.

Aqua Pennsylvania secured $5.7 million in a principal forgiveness loan to construct the treatment at Edgely through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST). This allowed Aqua Pennsylvania to complete the project at no direct cost to Aqua customers.

“This project further highlights our commitment to our customers. Not only are we providing them with safe, reliable drinking water but we’re doing so by seeking alternative funding to ensure customers are not burdened with the cost of construction for PFAS removal,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca.

The Edgely facility treats water from nine groundwater wells in Bristol Township and Bristol Borough. During construction, Aqua Pennsylvania ensured uninterrupted customer service by diverting drinking water from other local sources, specifically its Bristol Water Treatment Plant, which treats water from the Delaware River.

“Today is a culmination of years of hard work by the talented staff of professionals at Aqua. But our work does not end here. We will continue to lead the way in PFAS mitigation across Pennsylvania,” said Lucca.

State officials joined Aqua Pennsylvania to highlight the importance of removing PFAS from drinking water in the Commonwealth.

“The Edgely Water Treatment Facility shows what strong partnerships can achieve: removing ‘forever chemicals,’ delivering safe drinking water, and protecting consumers from unnecessary costs,” said Commissioner Kathryn Zerfuss, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). “It’s a clear example of how public health and affordability can move forward together.”

“The fact that Aqua is stepping up and being proactive in dealing with this is critically important, and I’m very grateful for that,” said State Senator Steve Santarsiero. “On behalf of all the residents here who will benefit from knowing that when they do turn on that tap the water they are drinking is safe to drink.”

“At DEP (Department of Environmental Protection), our mission is to protect Pennsylvania’s air, land and water resources and to provide for the health and safety of the Commonwealth residents and visitors,” said PA DEP Deputy Secretary of Field Operations John Ryder. “We are happy to highlight companies that also want to protect their customers. I want to thank Aqua for being a good partner that makes investments in clean water.”

In December 2024, Aqua Pennsylvania became fully compliant with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) drinking water quality standard. With the completion of the PFAS treatment system at the Edgely facility, Aqua Pennsylvania is well on its way to meeting the federal standard across the Commonwealth as well.

In the last 4 years, Aqua Pennsylvania has worked diligently to obtain $191 million in PENNVEST loans and principal forgiveness loans for infrastructure improvement projects. More than $91 million in funding has been awarded for PFAS treatment projects. This support has helped Aqua Pennsylvania add PFAS treatment to facilities across the state.

“The Edgely project is a testament to what strong partnerships can achieve,” said PENNVEST Project Specialist Rebecca Hayden. “Aqua Pennsylvania has been proactive in installing PFAS treatment on its public water supply systems. And PENNVEST is proud to provide financial support to help bring it to life.”

Learn more about Aqua’s dedication to protecting your water here.

About Aqua Pennsylvania

Aqua Pennsylvania provides water and wastewater service to approximately 1.5 million people in 33 counties throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow @MyAquaWater on Facebook and @MyAquaWater on X.

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 thousands of 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.

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 “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, but are not limited to, statements relating to the capital, including the timing of capital, to be invested in Aqua’s water and wastewater infrastructure, that it will continue to seek and receive grants and low-interest loans, and meeting all federal and state standards that may change. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including the factors discussed in the Company’s 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 the Company’s business, please refer to the Company’s annual, quarterly and other SEC filings. The Company 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.

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