Pennsylvania American Water Partners with Chesapeake Bay Foundation to Plant 2,500+ Trees in Recognition of Customers’ Switch to Paperless Billing

At a volunteer project, a group of Pennsylvania American Water employees, including President Justin Ladner (far right) present Chesapeake Bay Foundation with a check for $24,000 to support the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership tree plantings following a monthlong paperless billing enrollment campaign.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Nov. 8, 2023) – Following a highly successful monthlong paperless billing customer enrollment campaign, Pennsylvania American Water recently donated $24,000 to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership. This August, in recognition of Water Quality Month, the company committed to donate $12 for every customer who switched from paper to electronic bills during the month, up to 2,000 customers. The campaign led to 2,506 conversions to paperless billing, surpassing the company’s goal, which will result in an equivalent number of trees being planted across Pennsylvania thanks to Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its network of partners. Now in its second year, the campaign encouraged 559 more conversions than the previous year.  

“We are so pleased that our efforts to help customers make more sustainable choices will also help plant more than 2,500 new trees in communities where our customers live, work and play,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “I want to thank each customer who participated for taking this step to help reduce their environmental footprint.” 

The $12-per-tree donation made by Pennsylvania American Water to Keystone 10 Million Trees Partners is enough to underwrite the cost of planting one tree, including the tree itself and a reusable stake and shelter, as well as important ongoing tree care and maintenance.

“Community involvement is central to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s work in the Commonwealth, and to the success of the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership,” said Julia Krall, the Foundation’s executive director in Pennsylvania. “We are grateful for the investment that has been made by Pennsylvania American Water, on behalf of their customers, to ensure that we are not only able to purchase and install trees, but also provide ongoing maintenance and care for the trees that are being planted in communities throughout the state.”

As part of the initiative, Pennsylvania American Water customers could also request free trees from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for their properties, which resulted in 25 new tree inquiries. More information and an online request form can be found at https://tenmilliontrees.org/get-involved/landowners/.  

Culminating this year’s partnership, Pennsylvania American Water employees recently provided more than 30 volunteer hours at a tree planting and maintenance activity at the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve in Mechanicsburg. At the event, the group also presented the Chesapeake Bay Foundation with a ceremonial check in recognition of the paperless billing customer enrollment campaign’s donation and tree planting commitment.

To go paperless today, Pennsylvania American Water customers simply need to log on to their account through the company’s MyWater portal and click “Go Paperless” on the left side of the home page. Customers who have not yet set up a MyWater account can do so by clicking “Sign Up” in the MyWater login window. An account number will be needed for registration.  

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.3 million people. For more information, visit www.pennsylvaniaamwater.com and follow Pennsylvania American Water on Twitter and Facebook.