Leading water, wastewater and gas provider honored for commitment to sustainable, ethical operations

Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG), one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., celebrates its placement on Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 list, published today. The honor demonstrates Essential’s core values of integrity, respect, and commitment to excellence, centered upon its commitment to provide and protect Earth’s most essential resources.

“Every day, our teams show their dedication to making a positive impact on the communities we serve,” said CEO and Chairman Christopher Franklin. “It’s a great honor to see that commitment recognized by Newsweek – being named among America’s Most Responsible Companies for the fifth straight year is a validation of our work and passion to build a better future for all.”

This placement on the Most Responsible Companies list comes shortly after publication of Essential’s 2024 Sustainability Report, which showed the company’s ongoing progress in emissions reduction and infrastructure modernization while maintaining exceptional service and community investment. Highlights of the bi-annual report include:

• Achieving more than 25% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from 2019 baseline;
• Delivering water quality well above national average, with fewer than 1.5% of Essential’s 1,500+ water systems experiencing health-based violations, compared to a rate of nearly 12.5% for all water systems across America;
• Replacing 425 miles of aging natural gas and water pipelines—part of more than 1,400 miles of natural gas and 725 miles of water lines upgraded since 2020, significantly reducing methane emissions, addressing water loss, and improving safety and reliability;
• Installing 100,000 state-of-the-art gas meters, enhancing safety for customers and employees;
• Recycling over 720 million gallons of treated wastewater, giving water a second life and protecting freshwater sources;
• Donating $4.6 million to more than 450 nonprofits through the Essential Foundation, and logged nearly 4,500 employee volunteer hours; and
• Procuring nearly 100% renewable electricity for water and wastewater operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois.

America’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 List is presented by Newsweek in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The list focuses on a holistic view of corporate responsibility that considers environmental, social, and corporate governance factors. The analysis is based on the quantitative data from more than 30 key performance indicators, derived from an extensive survey conducted among U.S. residents, assessing the public’s perception of each company's social responsibility efforts.

Visit the Essential website for more information on the company’s sustainability practices.

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting thousands of acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across nine states. Essential is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S.

About Statista:

Statista publishes hundreds of worldwide industry rankings and company listings with high-profile media partners. This research and analysis service is based on the success of statista.com, the leading data and business intelligence portal that provides statistics, business-relevant data, and various market and consumer studies and surveys.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which generally include words such as “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar expressions. The Company can give no assurance that any actual or future results or events discussed in these statements will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements represent its views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from the statements contained in this release. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements relating to the capital to be invested by the water, wastewater, and gas distribution divisions of the Company. There are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including the factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the Company’s annual, quarterly and other SEC filings. The Company 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.

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“Being named among America’s Most Responsible Companies for the fifth straight year is a validation of our work and passion to build a better future for all.” --Essential CEO & Chairman Christopher Franklin