I testified against the proposed PAWC–Essential Utilities water merger because Pennsylvanians deserve transparency, competition, and protection of our natural resources.
Tuesday evening, May 5th, I attended the public hearing on the proposed merger between Pennsylvania American Water (PAWC) and Essential Utilities. As a PAWC customer, I testified on the record against the merger.
One moment stood out to me in particular. The judge asked whether any elected officials were present to testify on behalf of the public.
None were there.
A HUGE failure on their part to stand up for us!
That was deeply disappointing.
For this merger to move forward, it must be proven to be both “necessary and beneficial” to the public. I do not believe it meets that standard.
This merger appears less about improving service for consumers and more about consolidating market power. When fewer companies control critical infrastructure, consumers lose leverage, competition weakens, and accountability suffers.
Supporters claim rates will not increase, yet PAWC already filed for a 15% rate increase in Pennsylvania in December 2025. At the hearing, I asked whether these companies could independently meet projected future water demands without merging. That question matters because the real driver behind this proposal appears tied to Pennsylvania’s rapidly expanding data center industry.
Pennsylvania is quickly becoming a major target for AI and cloud computing infrastructure because of our access to water and power resources. Governor Shapiro recently announced a $20 billion agreement with Amazon tied to data center development and AI innovation campuses across the Commonwealth.
As of early 2026, Pennsylvania has approximately 129 data centers, including both operational and planned facilities.
This rapid expansion raises serious concerns about:
- water consumption
- energy demand
- environmental impact
- and the long-term effect on local communities
Large data centers can consume enormous amounts of water for cooling—in some cases, millions of gallons per day. Communities also face concerns about noise, light pollution, strain on electrical infrastructure, and environmental emissions.
I support technological advancement and economic growth. But government has a responsibility to ensure communities, consumers, and natural resources are protected before massive infrastructure expansion takes place, not after.
Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s leadership appears to be moving faster to incentivize development than to establish meaningful safeguards for residents and local municipalities.
Even more concerning are efforts to weaken local control by limiting counties' and municipalities' ability to regulate data center development within their own communities.
This should not be a partisan issue.
Protecting consumers, preserving competition, safeguarding our water resources, and ensuring local communities retain a voice in development decisions should matter to everyone, regardless of political party.
Pennsylvanians deserve transparency, accountability, and leadership willing to stand up for the public interest before irreversible decisions are made.
Who is protecting Pennsylvania’s water?
Aurora Stuski for Congress
Fighting for Berks and Montgomery Counties