Essential Utilities, Inc.

Overview

Essential Utilities, Inc. is a U.S. regulated utility holding company whose Aqua and Peoples businesses provide water, wastewater and natural-gas services. Its two principal segments are Regulated Water and Regulated Natural Gas; its service territory spans nine states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia and Kentucky.[1][2]

The company’s stated mission is to “sustain life and improve economic prosperity” through safe, reliable delivery of essential resources. In 2025, it reported $2.475 billion in operating revenue and had more than 3,300 employees. Its operations are domestic. The company adopted the Essential Utilities name in 2020, after operating as Aqua America.[3]+3 [1]+5

Products & services

Essential Utilities’ regulated water services include supplying and distributing water from surface-water sources, underground aquifers, and other suppliers. The company treats water at 24 surface-water treatment plants and numerous well stations; customer services include residential, commercial, industrial, fire-protection, and other water service.[7][8]

Its wastewater services collect and treat wastewater through collection pipelines and treatment plants. The company reports about 14,600 miles of water and wastewater mains and pipelines and 206 wastewater treatment plants.[9]

Through its natural-gas utility, Essential Utilities distributes and sells gas to retail customers, or transports customer-purchased gas through its pipelines at approved rates. Its network includes gathering and transmission lines, compressor stations, and storage facilities. Additional offerings include service-line protection and repair, gas marketing, and gas production.[10]+3

For 2025, regulated water accounted for 53.6% of consolidated operating revenue, regulated natural gas 45.2%, and other activities and eliminations 1.2%.[8] [7]+6

Geographic presence

Essential Utilities’ regulated service area spans nine U.S. states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia and Kentucky. Its FY2025 filing describes water and wastewater operations in six states and natural-gas operations in Pennsylvania and Kentucky; Aqua Pennsylvania serves customers in suburban counties north and west of Philadelphia and 28 other Pennsylvania counties.[13]

FY2025 operating revenue was reported by state. Water revenue included Pennsylvania $750.6 million (30.3% of consolidated revenue), Ohio $143.0 million (5.8%), Texas $107.3 million (4.3%), Illinois $115.8 million (4.7%), North Carolina $89.8 million (3.6%), and other states $120.2 million (4.9%). Gas revenue included Pennsylvania $1,049.8 million (42.4%) and Kentucky $68.0 million (2.8%). The filing identifies New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia within “other states”; consolidated revenue was $2,474.6 million.[14]

The company’s principal executive office and corporate offices are in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; its listed address is 762 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-3489.[15][16] [13]+3

Business segments

Essential Utilities reports two reportable segments: Regulated Water and Regulated Natural Gas. Regulated Water combines eight state-organized water and wastewater utility operating segments; Regulated Natural Gas covers natural-gas distribution. The company also has two nonregulated operating segments, but because they are not quantitatively significant to report separately, their results are included in “Other and eliminations” along with corporate costs and eliminations.[2][17]

For 2025, Regulated Water generated approximately 53.6% of consolidated operating revenue ($1.327 billion of $2.475 billion), and Regulated Natural Gas generated approximately 45.2% ($1.118 billion). “Other and eliminations” accounted for the remaining approximately 1.2% ($30.1 million); it is not a reportable segment.[18] [2]+2

Company history

The company’s roots trace to a water utility founded in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, in 1886; this was a predecessor to today’s company.[19] From the early 1990s, the business expanded its regulated water and wastewater operations, more than quadrupling its customer base and extending beyond southeastern Pennsylvania. Between 2010 and 2013, it sold utility operations in six states to concentrate on areas with greater scale and growth potential.[20]

In 2003, Philadelphia Suburban Corporation acquired AquaSource’s investor-owned water and wastewater systems, adding approximately 130,000 customer accounts.[21] The company changed its name to Aqua America, Inc. on January 16, 2004.[22] Christopher H. Franklin became president and CEO in 2015 and chairman in 2018.[23] On February 3, 2020, Aqua America became Essential Utilities; the company completed its acquisition of Peoples that March, adding regulated natural-gas distribution to its water and wastewater businesses.[24][20] [19]+8

Sources

• Essential Utilities, Inc. — Full financial report (2025 Y)
  13 citations

  [1][2][3][4][7][8][9][12][14][15][16][17][18]
• online.flippingbook.com[5]
• www.essential.co[6]
• Essential Utilities, Inc. — Full financial report (2026 Q 2)
  3 citations

  [10][11][13]
• www.essential.co[19]
• Essential Utilities, Inc. — Full financial report (2020 Y)
  3 citations

  [20][23][24]
• www.essential.co[21]
• www.essential.co[22]