By Marc A. Lucca, President, Aqua Pennsylvania
As we celebrate Earth Day, it’s important to recognize that protecting our planet goes beyond just conserving energy or recycling. It’s about safeguarding the very resource that sustains all life on Earth: water.
At Aqua, we take our responsibility seriously when it comes to providing and protecting water. Since 1886, our mission has been to ensure that Earth’s most essential resource is safe and accessible for the communities where we live and work. Today, we’re proud to serve 1.5 million people across Pennsylvania, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to deliver high-quality water services while strengthening the infrastructure that makes that possible.
Though we often take clean, safe water for granted, the intricate systems that bring it to our taps require constant attention, care, and preparation. As Earth Day reminds us, it’s not enough to simply enjoy this resource — we must actively protect it.
The Role of Utilities in Water Protection
Water protection has long been a priority for our country, but it has become more complex and critical over time. Since 1948, the federal government has passed 12 major pieces of water-related legislation, continuously improving regulations around water safety. Today, we face new challenges from emerging contaminants like PFAS in drinking water and the need to replace lead and galvanized service lines. However, the financial realities of these new standards are becoming increasingly challenging.
According to the 2023 President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council, the U.S. government’s share of capital costs for water infrastructure fell from around 60 percent in 1977 to below 10 percent in 2020. As a result, water and wastewater utilities are being asked to get more from aging infrastructure than ever before.
Water utilities like Aqua are stepping up to the challenge, but we must also recognize that the rising costs of compliance, coupled with the lack of sufficient federal assistance, are a burden on our customers. That’s why we aggressively apply for alternative sources of funding to keep costs manageable for our customers. In 2024, we were awarded nearly $100 million in PENNVEST low-interest loans and grants.
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