Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Ground broken for new water quality laboratory
Essential Utilities’ new Aqua Pennsylvania building will more than double the size of its existing facility.
LOWER MERION » Officials from Essential Utilities, along with other state and local officials, recently broke ground on a new water quality laboratory at its Aqua Pennsylvania site in Bryn Mawr.
Aqua America changed its name to Essential Utilities in February due to its upcoming March 16 acquisition of Peoples Gas in Pittsburgh.
Once built, the two-story, 14,700 square foot building will more than double the size of the existing 6,400 square foot laboratory that has served the company for over 60 years.
Marc Lucca, president of
Aqua Pennsylvania, said water and wastewater testing is necessary for their drinking water and wastewater operations.
“We conduct routine and special testing to ensure the water we deliver is safe and that the wastewater we treat and return to our rivers, lakes and streams is cleaner than it is when we remove it to treat it for drinking water,” Lucca said.
The groundbreaking represented the beginning of the new laboratory. Essential Utilities Inc. CEO Christopher Franklin said the construction of the new lab is a continuation of the company’s mission to protect the public health and ensure highquality water.
“Our company was founded by
Swarthmore College professors whose concern for water quality inspired them to build a pumping station for their community. That attention to water quality remains at the center of all we do today and is key to our ability to provide our customers with safe drinking water every day,” said Franklin.
Chief Environmental Officer Dr. Chris Crockett said the investment in the new laboratory is required to maintain pace with the advancement of science. As an example, he pointed to the fact that the number of regulated contaminants for drinking water jumped from 23 in the 1970s to 90 by 2000.
“In the same period, we’ve gone from measuring in parts per million to parts per trillion, a million-fold increase in detection levels,” said Crockett.
Also, as Aqua continues to add more and more customers and systems through acquisition, the ability of the laboratory capacity needs to keep pace.
Lower Merion Commissioner Scott Zelov said the upgrade would also have positive effects on the neighborhood.
“We are delighted to support Aqua as they upgrade their lab at their headquarters building in Bryn Mawr, Lower Merion Township,” Zelov said. “This project will include a wider sidewalk, more greening, improved landscaping, and additional parking.”
The new lab is expected to be open in the spring of 2021.