Our Stories

Across the United States, municipal leaders face a common challenge: balancing aging infrastructure needs with growing demands for public services, economic development, public safety and recreation.

For many communities, partnering with a regulated water and wastewater provider has become a strategic tool for addressing those competing priorities. Proceeds generated through water and wastewater system acquisitions can provide financial flexibility that may otherwise take decades to achieve.

Transaction proceeds are often used to attract investment, redevelop underutilized assets and create conditions for long-term economic growth – like in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

McKeesport, Pennsylvania

For decades, the City of McKeesport faced significant economic and fiscal challenges, including aging infrastructure, population decline and growing demands on municipal resources. In 2023, the city completed the sale of its water and wastewater systems to Pennsylvania American Water in a transaction valued at approximately $156 million, generating an estimated $40 million in net proceeds for the community. City leaders viewed the sale as an opportunity not only to secure long-term utility investment, but also to create new resources to advance economic development, strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life for residents.

The City of McKeesport leveraged net proceeds from the sale of its water and wastewater systems to launch the "McKeesport Rising" initiative. 

McKeesport Rising Focuses On:

• Removal of blighted properties
• Redevelopment efforts
• Neighborhood stabilization
• Public infrastructure improvements
• Enhanced public safety investments
• Expanded road paving programs and new paving equipment

Click here to learn more about the community benefits of water and wastewater system partnerships.