Rainy Season Continues Through September in Aqua Pennsylvania's Southeast Territory

October 4, 2011

Record August rainfall followed by above average September rain

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Record rainfall in August, which made the month the wettest month ever in the Philadelphia area, has been followed by above average September rainfall.

"Right after Hurricane Irene, Pennsylvania was hit with another large storm that resulted in September rainfall 6.5 inches above average," said Aqua President Karl Kyriss. "Normal rainfall for September is just below four inches. We got just above 10 inches of rain."

This year, by the third week of August, the company's southeast region had already broken the rainfall record for August with more than 13 inches of rain. At that time, Kyriss explained that while usage was up as expected during the summer, the inordinate amount of rain in August had already replenished the company's reservoirs, much earlier than usual. At that time he explained that, "Except when hurricanes hit our area like Irene did last week, our reservoir storage is usually lowest in the fall and is replenished in the spring."

Total rainfall for August was 19.31 inches making it the wettest month ever in recorded history for the Philadelphia area. That has been followed by 10.27 inches in September, 60 percent above normal. As expected during periods of excessive rainfall, Kyriss said usage has been down.

"Between August and September of this year we got 29.58 inches of rain, as much we normally get from the beginning of January through August. It was also more than the 22.8 inches we actually got between January and July this year," said Kyriss.

Aqua operates five reservoirs in southeastern Pennsylvania, which collectively hold approximately 10 billion gallons of water. All have remained full since August.

Aqua provides water and wastewater services to approximately 1.4 million people throughout Pennsylvania, including 1.3 million people in Delaware, Montgomery, Chester, Bucks and Berks counties.

WTRG

Aqua Pennsylvania
Donna Alston
Director, Communications
610-645-1095
dpalston@aquaamerica.com

Source: Aqua Pennsylvania

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