Aqua Pennsylvania and Ohio Among Utilities Setting Sights on Job Creation and Environmental Protection in Disadvantaged Communities with Help from Energy Innovation Center Institute
Training made possible through grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Aqua Pennsylvania and Aqua Ohio announced today participation in a program that will dramatically improve communities they serve in Pennsylvania and Ohio, through an innovative training program with the Energy Innovation Center Institute (EICI) and Infrastructure Academy.
A $4.9 million grant from the EPA’s Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program will provide funding, not just for Aqua, but several other municipal utility providers and training partners including:
- Pittsburgh Water
- Pennsylvania Rural Water Association (PRWA)
- Pittsburgh Works Together
- The National Safety Council (NSC)
The goal of the program is to perform an emissions and efficiency audit for several drinking water and wastewater plants in disadvantaged or historically underserved communities. Once the audits are completed, training programs will be developed to ensure a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers. In total, 145 people from disadvantaged communities will be recruited, vetted, trained and then placed in plants across Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“We are excited to work with this team and be a part of a project which will enhance skills through continued education and training for new workers as well as existing employees,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca.
“The training that we will be able to provide through this effort will build and establish skills that will also lead to a healthier environment from reduced emissions,” said Aqua Ohio President Bob Davis.
In addition to job creation, the program aims to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon and other pollutants at drinking water and wastewater plants. This collaborative effort between Aqua, EICI and other partners creates an opportunity for the EPA to expand the program nationally.
“We strongly feel that the partners included in this project create a uniquely qualified team that will be able to deliver a drinking and wastewater treatment plant emission reductions strategy and training program that will become a national model for all water treatment plants,” said Rich DiClaudio, President and CEO of Energy Innovation Center Institute.
About Aqua Pennsylvania
Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.5 million people in 32 counties throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow Aqua on Facebook at facebook.com/AquaWater and on X at @AquaWater.
About Aqua Ohio
Aqua Ohio serves approximately 474,000 people in 20 counties across the Buckeye State. Visit AquaWater.com for more information or follow @MyAquaWater on Facebook and X.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others: the ability of the program to recruit and train the number of workers, the receipt of the grant funding, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions at water and wastewater treatment plants. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including: general economic business conditions; the success of the program; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Essential Utilities’ business, please refer to Essential Utilities’ annual, quarterly and other SEC filings. Essential Utilities is not under any obligation — and expressly disclaims any such obligation — to update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
