Aqua Pennsylvania Acquires Greenville Municipal Water Authority in Mercer County
MWN-AI** Summary
Aqua Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG), has completed its acquisition of the Greenville Municipal Water Authority for $18 million. This transaction, which serves over 2,900 customers in Greenville Borough and surrounding townships, underscores Aqua's commitment to enhancing drinking water services, following its prior acquisition of the Greenville Sanitary Authority for wastewater services in 2025. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved the sale in January 2026, allowing Aqua to extend its services in the region.
Chairman and CEO of Essential Utilities, Christopher Franklin, emphasized Aqua’s dedication to providing top-quality drinking water to the Greenville community, stating that the company is committed to investing in system upgrades that will bring lasting benefits. The initiative involves a planned investment of $10 million over the next decade to modernize the water infrastructure, including improvements across 40 miles of pipelines to ensure compliance with regulatory and environmental standards.
Aqua Pennsylvania’s President, Marc Lucca, highlighted the necessity of investing in water infrastructure for maintaining drinking water quality and reliability. All current employees of the Greenville Municipal Authority have been offered positions with Aqua, pending standard hiring practices, ensuring continuity of service in the community.
Customers can expect no immediate change in base rates, and any future rate adjustments will require Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approval. Aqua will also provide access to its low-income Customer Assistance Program (CAP) for eligible residents, facilitating support for water bill payments.
This acquisition marks Aqua Pennsylvania's seventh addition in recent years, collectively bringing in over 9,600 new customers, as it reinforces its role as a major provider of water and wastewater services in Pennsylvania.
MWN-AI** Analysis
The recent acquisition of the Greenville Municipal Water Authority by Aqua Pennsylvania for $18 million signals a strategic expansion in Essential Utilities, Inc.'s efforts to enhance water service delivery in Pennsylvania. This move, following last year's acquisition of the Greenville Sanitary Authority, demonstrates Aqua's commitment to investing in water infrastructure, which is increasingly crucial given the current regulatory requirements and environmental considerations for utility providers.
From a financial perspective, this acquisition is poised to reinforce Aqua’s market position within a sector known for its stability and growth potential. The projected $10 million investment in system upgrades over the next decade indicates a focus on improving operational efficiency, which could enhance shareholder value in the long run. The emphasis on environmental sustainability and infrastructure improvement also aligns well with current trends favoring responsible investment options among institutional investors.
Market participants should note that customers’ base rates will remain unchanged, mitigating immediate concerns over affordability for the existing user base of over 2,900 residents. This strategic pricing decision, alongside Aqua's low-income assistance programs, positions the utility provider positively within the community, likely resulting in improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Given the positive backdrop of regulatory approval and expansion strategies, investors should consider Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) as a viable option for long-term capital appreciation. With past performance reflecting a pattern of successful acquisitions enhancing their customer base, future iterations could suggest continued upward momentum and growth in market share. However, it is vital to monitor any regulatory developments or operational challenges that may arise from integrating new customer bases and enhancing existing infrastructure.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
Acquisition reflects company’s commitment to providing highest quality drinking water service; follows 2025 acquisition of Greenville Sanitary Authority
Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) announced today its Aqua Pennsylvania subsidiary has finalized its $18 million purchase of the Greenville Municipal Water Authority in Mercer County, PA. The system serves more than 2,900 customers in Greenville Borough as well as Hempfield and West Salem Townships. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved the sale on January 15, 2026. This acquisition comes one year after Aqua Pennsylvania purchased the Greenville Sanitary Authority’s wastewater system.
“Our customers in Greenville and the surrounding communities already count on us for safe and reliable wastewater service,” said Essential Utilities Chairman & CEO Christopher Franklin. “Now, they’ll be able to count on us to provide them with the highest quality drinking water. We are committed to investing in upgrades to the water system in Greenville that will bring long-term benefits to our customers.”
Aqua Pennsylvania has identified the need to invest $10 million in the system over the next decade, which consists of 40 miles of main pipelines. Improvements will be made to improve system operations and meet regulatory, environmental, and cybersecurity demands. All Greenville Municipal Authority employees have been offered employment at Aqua, pending the company’s standard hiring practices.
“Investing in water infrastructure is not optional; it is essential for drinking water quality,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca. “The repairs and upgrades planned for the water system in Greenville will improve reliability and service for our customers at the start and for years to come.”
“The Greenville Water Authority has proudly served this community for over 100 years, and this decision was not made lightly,” said Greenville Water Authority Board Chairman Tom Strahler. “Our responsibility has always been to ensure safe, reliable water service for our residents — not just today, but for generations to come. After careful consideration, we believe this transition positions both our employees and the Borough for long-term stability and growth. We are grateful for the dedication of the Authority’s employees, past and present, who built and maintained this system with pride. As we move forward, we are confident that Aqua has the experience and resources to continue that legacy of service while investing in the future of Greenville’s water and wastewater infrastructure.”
Customers’ base rates will not change at the closing of the transaction. Any future rate change will be subject to approval of the PUC. Eligible customers seeking assistance with their water bills will gain access to Aqua’s low-income Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and the hardship fund – Aqua Aid.
As part of the transition, residents can expect to receive communication from Aqua Pennsylvania outlining service schedules and procedures. This is the seventh water and wastewater acquisition Essential Utilities, Inc. has completed in the past 24 months, adding 9,655 customers or 12,420 equivalent dwelling units (EDUs).
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
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 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 nine 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,” “will” 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 to be invested by the company over the next ten years, efficiencies and benefits created, and improvements to reliability. 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 our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which is 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.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260304601930/en/
Media Contact :
Amanda Burge
Regional Communications Specialist
M: 610.329.2015
O: 610.520.6440
AEBurge@aquawater.com
FAQ**
How does the acquisition of the Greenville Municipal Water Authority by Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) align with the company's long-term strategic goals in the water service industry?
What specific enhancements does Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) plan to implement in the Greenville water system to ensure compliance with regulatory and environmental standards?
Can you elaborate on how Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) intends to maintain customer satisfaction during the transition to Aqua Pennsylvania's services post-acquisition?
What role does Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) foresee for the low-income Customer Assistance Program (CAP) in supporting the community after the acquisition of the Greenville Municipal Water Authority?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG).
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