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SYSTEM OVERVIEW

Pennsylvania American Water is proud to serve as our state’s largest water and wastewater service operator. For 135 years, we have provided water and wastewater services across Pennsylvania and currently serve 2.4 million Pennsylvanians in 417 communities – including 63,000 people in Berks County

For over 21 years, we have been providing high quality, reliable water service to Lower Alsace and the surrounding communities. In the fall of 2019, we began providing wastewater service to the Exeter community. The entire system includes the Exeter wastewater treatment plant and more than 132 miles of mains. It serves approximately 15,000 residents in Exeter and Lower Alsace townships and Mount Penn Borough.

BACKGROUND

Communities across Pennsylvania all want the same thing – reliable, safe and affordable water services. Residents should be able to turn on the tap and expect high quality drinking water or flush the toilet and know that their community’s wastewater is being managed and treated in a way that protects Pennsylvania’s treasured rivers and streams.

However, after a major storm in October 2018, Exeter Township’s municipal wastewater system released four million gallons of untreated sewage into the Schuylkill River. The spill forced communities downstream in Montgomery and Chester counties to monitor their drinking water. As a result, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) placed the system under a consent order, requiring a three-year study on rain overflows and major upgrades to the treatment and collection system that resulted in competing budgetary challenges.

In 2019, Pennsylvania American Water acquired the Exeter Township wastewater system, which was in poor shape and had significant environmental violations. Before the acquisition, the DEP had cited the system for numerous problems, such as untreated sewage spills, equipment failures and pollution of nearby waterways like Heisters Creek and the Schuylkill River. 

To fix these problems, we entered into a formal agreement with DEP and committed to restoring the system. Since then, we’ve been investing to improve reliability, expand capacity for heavy rains and protect the environment. 

IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE

We believe that safe, effective, and reliable wastewater treatment is a vital service. Being a good steward of your water – including what goes down the drain – is just one more way We Keep Life Flowing.

Since acquiring the system in 2019, Pennsylvania American Water has invested $32 million in Exeter’s wastewater infrastructure and will invest an additional $46 million over the next five years.

We've replaced mains and pumps, improved treatment processes and expanded capacity all to protect our environment and help ensure reliable wastewater service for families and local businesses.

In 2024, we began replacing key parts of the system identified in a recent study. Major infrastructure projects are planned through 2027 and 2029, including the Exeter Equalization Tank project starting in 2026. These upgrades will help prevent overflows and better manage stormwater. Once completed, these improvements are expected to divert 7.5 million gallons of wastewater per year from local waterways — helping to keep rivers cleaner and communities safer. 

Ongoing investment is essential to help ensure reliable service and protect public health and the environment. Pennsylvania American Water remains committed to building a stronger wastewater system for Exeter and safeguarding the watershed for future generations.

For customers, this means fewer service interruptions, improved system reliability and cleaner water in local streams. The upgrades also support long-term performance and help ensure the community’s wastewater system can meet future demands. 

RECENT UPDATES

We were pleased to recently present a $10,000 grant to Schuylkill River Greenways on behalf of the American Water Charitable Foundation. The grant will help connect those in the community to the Schuylkill River through equitable access at Reeser's Landing in Exeter Township, Berks County.

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