For the past several years, the 200,000 people – nearly 50,000 households - who have for years relied on Chester Water Authority (CWA) for their drinking water - have consistently argued to anyone who will listen – at public meetings, in scathing letters to the editor, to City of Chester authorities and in the faces of bigwigs hellbent on catering to the wishes of a large water company – that CWA is a public asset that belongs only to ratepayers and should never be reduced to just another monetized link in the chain of a monopoly. 

Galvanized by the members of Save Chester Water Authority, the fight for the future of the people’s water traces its roots back to 2016, when Act 12 was passed in Harrisburg, enabling private companies to buy municipal authorities for more than they are worth. The act placed a bullseye on CWA and with little surprise, Aqua Pennsylvania began making its aggressive pursuit of CWA with a $320 million purchase offer in 2017 – rejected by CWA – which led to a seemingly endless tussle for control of CWA that was argued in the courts and splayed on the front pages of area newspapers. 

From the start, it was the argument of the people that corporate privatization of public water authorities negatively impacts the public’s access to a fundamental human right to clean and affordable water. As a result, corporate ownership, driven almost exclusively by profit motives, leads to higher bills and provides for little to no accountability in services. Even worse, they said, the people would lose access to open spaces and water sources like the Octoraro Reservoir that would be in the exclusive ownership of Aqua. 

Meanwhile, lurking as a key backstory was the economic downfall of the City of Chester, which began to precipitate the concept that CWA was a cash cow whose sale would address the city’s fiscal problems. In fact, the state-appointed receiver overseeing Chester’s finances acknowledged this as a strategy.

With their backs against the proverbial wall, Save Chester Water Authority did not relinquish their right to a clear and consistent voice in their opposition to the sale. Townships and municipalities had their backs, as did legislators on both sides of the aisle: Carolyn Comitta, Bryan Cutler, Brian Kirkland, Leanne Krueger, John Lawrence, Chris Quinn, Christina Sappey, Craig Williams and Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz and Eric Roe. 

Finally, on January 21, the will of the people was at last heard, when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled five to one in favor of CWA by blocking the City of Chester’s receiver from unilaterally forcing a transfer of CWA assets. Further, the decision holds that the City of Chester does not have the sole power to sell off its water, and that any such action would require joint agreement by all three governing municipalities—Chester City, Chester County and Delaware County. 

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling was an important victory for the people and the power of their grassroots persistence, and while the uncertainty of CWA’s future remains uncertain – some CWA board members have terms that expire next year - the members of Save Chester Water Authority and the work of elected officials to save the people’s water are to be recognized for the catalysts they have been and will continue to be, selflessly, in the service of others.