The York Water Company

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The York Water Company is an investor-owned, water utility, based in York. It supplies high quality drinking water and wastewater services to over 210,000 people in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster, and York counties.

York Water was incorporated in 1816, founded by a small group of local businessmen who identified a need for public fire protection in Yorktowne, Pennsylvania and met the need by employing local craftsmen and private capital. The York Water Company holds the first Certificate of Public Convenience for a public water utility issued by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and is the oldest investor-owned utility in the country.

The York Water Company said it is committed to providing our customers with safe, dependable, high-quality water, wastewater, and related services that meet or exceed customer expectations at reasonable rates in an environment encouraging dedicated employees to achieve their highest standard of performance while earning a fair return for shareholders. “This mission that guides our daily work. It contains the important ‘three-legged stool’ that we focus on to maintain equilibrium with customers, employees and investors sharing commensurate importance in everything we do,” said president and CEO J.T. Hand.

York Water operates in a highly-regulated industry, providing the only public utility that is ingested. “The company’s investment in operational and human capital ensures we have the systems and people to overcome natural and man-made obstacles. With a team of 125 dedicated employees our company has persevered through the Civil War, Great Depression, World Wars, Global Pandemics, and financial highs and lows,” Hand said.

He said the company and its employees aren’t just in the community, it is integral to the community. “We serve our neighbors, our local small businesses, our friends and family. We are not only employees, we’re also customers. At The York Water Company, our employees are the backbone of our operations and the key to our success. Their dedication, expertise, and hard work ensure that our communities have access to safe, reliable, and high-quality water and wastewater services every day,” Hand said.

He said York Water takes great pride in supporting organizations, events, and vital institutions in the community. In 2024 York Water provided over $100,000 to early childhood education and educational foundations. In addition, every year the company extends support to community events of all sizes giving through time and financial resources. The company also shares its expertise by welcoming groups from local schools and colleges to its facilities providing students a behind-the-scenes look at how it impounds, treats and distributes safe drinking water and how infrastructure is managed and maintained.

“We focus on the fundamentals, providing a superior value proposition to all of our stakeholders. The quality of our water and wastewater service, the affordability of our rates, and leadership and attention to our community ensures York Water is well-positioned for another century of service,” Hand said.