Last month, we completed the installation of our tenth PFAS treatment facility since 2018 at our Edgely Water Treatment Facility in Bristol Township, Bucks County.

You may be wondering: What does it take to remove chemicals designed to last forever? The answer at the Edgley facility is six ion exchange resin filters, millions in funding, years of planning, and the willingness to address these chemicals proactively.

This facility now removes “forever chemicals” from drinking water serving nearly 11,000 customers in Bristol Township and Bristol Borough, meeting the new PFAS national drinking water standards. When you’re responsible for protecting public health, you don’t cut corners or wait for someone else to solve the problem.

Upgrades like the one at Edgely aren’t optional or cosmetic. They’re vital for public health and safety, and the need is staggering. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave our nation’s drinking water systems a C- and wastewater systems a D+ in its 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. The report called for sustained, continued investment to ensure safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for generations to come.

I see firsthand, every day, what it takes to run water and wastewater systems the right way. The level of expertise, investment, and ongoing infrastructure improvements required to protect drinking water quality and deliver essential service for millions isn’t something you can fake or shortcut. I am proud of our engineers and technicians who plan system improvements and timely respond to challenges. And I’m proud that our drinking water is treated and tested by a team of highly trained biologists, chemists, and water treatment operators.

We take our responsibility as stewards of this life-sustaining natural resource seriously – and understand the significant costs involved in maintaining and rehabilitating systems, especially those that have fallen into disrepair due to deferred maintenance. That’s why we aggressively pursue alternative funding sources like the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority’s (PENNVEST) low-interest loans and grants to help mitigate the impact to our customers’ bills.

That’s why over the last four years, our team has worked to obtain $191 million in PENNVEST loans and principal forgiveness for infrastructure improvement projects. More than $91 million in funding has been awarded specifically for PFAS treatment projects, including $5.7 million for Edgely. This support enabled us to add PFAS treatment to facilities across the state.

This is where partnerships matter. We were honored to have Pennsylvania Utility Commissioner Kathryn Zerfuss, State Senator Steve Santarsiero, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary of Field Operations John Ryder, and PENNVEST Project Specialist Rebecca Hayden join us at Edgely last month to celebrate the treatment system installation. This critical work would not be possible without strong public-private partnerships and ongoing collaboration. We’re fortunate to work with dedicated officials, lawmakers, and municipal leaders across the Commonwealth, who understand each community’s unique needs.

We may own and operate the system, but whether we’re coordinating infrastructure upgrades, securing funding, educating residents about water quality, or responding quickly to emergency needs, these partnerships are essential.

I am proud of the technical expertise and economies of scale that Aqua brings, and our investment of more than $380 million in planned capital investments throughout 2025 to our communities. As Pennsylvania continues to navigate the complex challenges of aging infrastructure, we must continue to strengthen the partnerships that keep our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure resilient.

The Edgely facility is our tenth PFAS treatment system. It won’t be our last. Because when it comes to protecting the water that sustains life, waiting isn’t an option.

Learn more at Aqua Pennsylvania and how the utility remains a leading water and wastewater utility serving approximately 1.5 million residents across 32 counties in Pennsylvania.