Elizabeth Borough wastewater system sale official
Pennsylvania American Water has finalized the purchase, completing the process that began nearly three years ago.
For the MVI
Pennsylvania American Water announced Tuesday it has completed the acquisition of the Elizabeth Borough Municipal Authority wastewater system for $28 million.
The newly acquired wastewater system serves approximately 660 direct customer connections in Elizabeth Borough. Pennsylvania American Water already provides water service to these customers.
The wastewater system also serves approximately 1,500 indirect customers in Lincoln Borough and Elizabeth and Forward townships.
“Pennsylvania American Water is already privileged to be the trusted water service provider to the former Elizabeth Borough Municipal Authority customers, and now we’re excited to have the opportunity to welcome them as new wastewater customers as well,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Justin Ladner. “We look forward to continue providing this community with safe, clean, reliable and affordable service by delivering on our technical expertise and decades of water and wastewater experience.”
Over the next five years, Pennsylvania American Water plans to invest more than $25 million in improvements to the EBMA wastewater system to meet regulatory, safety and security standards while keeping rates affordable for customers, according to a company press release.
“The company has a long and suc- cessful track record of providing solutions for water and wastewater systems facing significant capital investment needs and making the necessary investments to meet current and future regulatory requirements,” the press release states. “As many water and wastewater systems across Pennsylvania face challenges stemming from aging infrastructure and growing water quality and environmental regulation, regional consolidation, as with this acquisition, has been identified as a viable solution.
“Pennsylvania American Water’s scale as the commonwealth’s largest water and wastewater company differentiates it from other service providers in terms of the types of solutions it is able to offer communities in need.”
EBMA agreed to sell its wastewater system to Pennsylvania American Water in January 2023, citing the system’s infrastructure investment and regulatory compliance needs and highlighting that proceeds from the sale would be used to fund other township capital improvement projects.
“Throughout this competitive bid process, Pennsylvania American Water has reaffirmed its long standing reputation as an excellent community partner who is dedicated to providing high-level service,” Elizabeth Borough Mayor Barry Boucher said at the time of the agreement. “The sale of our sewage system will relieve the need to continually invest in an aging system and enables our historic town to focus on more important community needs, such as taking Elizabeth back to our vibrant, traditional roots.”
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which regulates the company’s rates and service rules, approved the acquisition Oct. 9, 2025.
Pennsylvania American Water will adopt the rates currently charged to the system’s customers. Any future changes to rates must be reviewed and approved by the PUC.
Pennsylvania American Water offers several customer assistance programs, including its longstanding H2O Help to Others Program, which provides income-eligible customers with grants of up to $500 per year for each water and wastewater service, significant discounts on monthly bills, arrearage forgiveness and water-saving devices and education.
