This year marks Aqua’s 130-year anniversary of protecting and providing water service in the communities we serve. Our history dates back to Jan. 4, 1886, when a group of Swarthmore College professors were granted a charter to supply water to the residents of Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
The professors had previously been part of an association that included Swarthmore residents who had abandoned their wells in favor of nearby spring water. They built a small pumping station and laid pipes to their homes. At first, new customers were welcomed openly, but as the number of potential customers increased, so did the association’s operating responsibilities. It was then that the association decided to incorporate the Springfield Water Company — the future Aqua America.
Today, Aqua provides water and wastewater services to approximately 3 million people in 8 states and continues to grow its operations through acquisitions.
And in celebration of our 130th anniversary, we are introducing our new mission and vision statements to guide our company into the future.