Christopher Franklin, Chairman and CEO of Essential Utilities Inc. appointed to Allegheny Conference on Community Development Board of Directors

Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) announced today Christopher Franklin, chairman and CEO of Essential Utilities, has been appointed to the Allegheny Conference on Community Development's Board of Directors.

In March 2020, Essential Utilities purchased Peoples, the largest natural gas distribution company in Pennsylvania, headquartered in Pittsburgh Pa.

"Peoples has a strong history in the Pittsburgh region as a high quality utility service provider, employer and community partner," said Christopher Franklin, chairman and CEO of Essential Utilities. "Peoples will continue to be a leader in driving beneficial change for our customers and communities. I'm proud to join the Allegheny Conference on Community Development board of directors to support the important work of the Conference's team. I'm eager to work with them to continue to improve the region and to share the benefits of living and working in southwestern Pennsylvania."

"Chris is a great addition to our board," said Stefani Pashman, chief executive officer of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. "Improving our region's infrastructure is going to be front and center as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and Chris brings with him a deep understanding of the investment required to make sure all communities across our region are able to move forward."

The Allegheny Conference on Community Development is a nonprofit, private sector leadership organization dedicated to economic development in the 10-county region composing southwestern Pennsylvania.

About Essential

Essential is one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., serving approximately 5 million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. Essential is committed to excellence in proactive infrastructure investment, regulatory expertise, operational efficiency and environmental stewardship. The company recognizes the importance water and natural gas play in everyday life and is proud to deliver safe, reliable services that contribute to the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information, visit http://www.essential.co.

About Peoples

Peoples is an energy provider serving approximately 740,000 homes and business in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. The company's mission is to improve the lives of its customers and to help build long-term economic growth for the regions it serves. For more information about Peoples, visit www.peoples-gas.com and follow Peoples on social media @peoplesnatgas.

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