Aqua PA Will Spend $292 Million On Water, Wastewater System Improvements In 2017

Aqua Pennsylvania Thursday announced the company will make $292 million in infrastructure improvements in the state throughout 2017, after completing $234 million of similar projects in 2016.

Multiple projects will take place in several areas across the state to improve customers’ water and wastewater service. Aqua has detailed its planned spending by operating division.

Here are some of the planned improvements--

-- $221 million will be spent in its Southeastern Pennsylvania operating division—its most populated service area—which comprises parts of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties;

-- $2.6 million in its Susquehanna operating division in Bradford County;

-- $18.9 million will be spent throughout its White Haven operating division, which comprises parts of Wyoming, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Schuylkill, Susquehanna and Carbon counties;

-- $10.9 million will be spent throughout its Honesdale operating division, which comprises parts of Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties;

-- $19.2 million will be spent throughout its Roaring Creek operating division, which comprises parts of Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Snyder counties; and

-- $19.7 million will be spent throughout its Western Pennsylvania operating division, which comprises parts of Lawrence, Mercer, Forest, Crawford, Venango, Clarion, Warren, Clearfield and McKean counties.

Aqua’s announcement comes within weeks of Infrastructure Week, which is celebrated May 15 through 19, bringing attention to our nation’s infrastructure needs.

“Our efforts to replace aging infrastructure benefits our customers by enabling us to provide quality water and reliable service, and provides environmental benefits as well,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca. “For instance, in 2016 in southeastern Pennsylvania, we identified approximately 2 billion gallons of “unaccounted-for water” by finding and fixing leaking pipe.”

Lucca said in addition to replacing aging water mains, the company is making improvements to its water and wastewater plants, well stations, and storage facilities.

“Our business is very capital intensive and we are constantly repairing and replacing old, outdated facilities,” said Lucca.

In accordance with Public Utility Commission directives, the company is also undertaking a significant meter exchange program for water meters that are approaching the 20-year mark.

Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.4 million people in 32 counties throughout Pennsylvania.

Visit the Aqua Pennsylvania webpage for more information.