Every collaboration that TTF develops helps pursue our mission of a healthy watershed more effectively everyday! That’s why we collaborate with dedicated volunteers, Board members, friends, and partners.
Our special TTF Partner Alliance members are vital to our work educating neighbors and stakeholders about clean water issues and how we can all make a difference in our own backyards, parks, and communities.
These local and regional businesses demonstrate their clean water commitment through year-long sponsorships. In return, they receive marketing and promotional perks, as well as free attendance at our annual networking events and awards ceremony. (Register here to join us for our upcoming Partner Alliance Networking Reception on Thursday, May 18 at Love City Brewing!)
We are excited to share this new blog segment highlighting Partner Alliance members. See our previous Spotlight of Partner Alliance member, REI, here.
Next up, Essential Utilities!
1.) What is Essential Utilities’ mission and focus? What are you best known for (or is there something your business does that you wish more people knew about)?
Essential Utilities is a champion of communities, people and the environment creating solutions to ensure we have clean and safe natural resources for life, to serve our 5.5 million peoples across 10 states. Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, we are known for bringing ingenuity and operational excellence as we improve infrastructure and provide new water, wastewater and energy solutions.
By applying our economies of scale, we deliver affordable, reliable, clean and safe natural resources. We wish more people understood how our work leads to improved services for our customers, while protecting the environment and maintaining affordable rates. Not many people realize the extensive research, testing and engineering that goes into the utility services we provide. For example, we build redundancy into our systems so we can respond to the unexpected without service disruptions for our customers.
At Aqua, we are also on the cutting edge of PFAS (‘forever chemicals’) and other contaminant research to provide safe drinking water that meets or exceeds all regulatory standards, and we upgrade wastewater systems to improve effluent quality to protect downstream waterways. In addition, all our treatment plants in Pennsylvania run on 100% renewable energy. Read more about our environmental impact here.
Essential Utilities also believe in being a community partner. We are committed to treating all of our community members in the places we serve like the neighbors we are. We directly contribute more than $4.5 million each year to local communities including support to nearly 450 community organizations. We also donate more than 3800 volunteer hours from our employees.
2.) Why is TTF’s clean water work important to your organization? Is there a particular focus of ours that resonates with your organization?
Since we are also in the clean water business, TTF’s work is extremely important to us! By engaging everyone they can in the protection and enjoyment of our natural resources, TTF is improving our waterways while educating our customers and neighbors. If everyone knew how their actions impacted the watershed, we would have a much easier time treating drinking water!
3.) Besides being a Partner Alliance member, have you collaborated with TTF in other ways (such as volunteering, tree planting, other events or programs)? Tell us about it; was it a valuable experience?
Aqua has been partnering with TTF for many years by funding tree-planting projects through the TreeVitalize Watersheds grant program, and our team members have come out to plant the trees during volunteer days. We have an active volunteer program, so we love getting out into the community and planting trees is one of the best things you can do for the planet. TTF always does a great job of planning their project sites and hosting volunteers!
4.) What’s new with your organization? Is there any news or opportunities you’d like to share with TTF’s community?
Last year, out of our commitment to the environment, we started Essential Earth Day, which is a month-long celebration of volunteer events, donations, and employee education opportunities across our company. Hundreds of our team members volunteer with organizations like TTF, and we donate around $500,000 to environmental causes.
We are grateful to businesses like Essential Utilities, and individuals who sponsor the work of TTF as members of the Partner Alliance!
Interested in advancing TTF’s clean water work like this amazing Aqua company? View our Partner Alliance members here, and learn about membership levels and benefits here.
If you have any questions, contact Emilie Wetzel at emilie@ttfwatershed.org.
