About Chester Water Authority
The mission of Chester Water Authority is to provide quality water to all of our customers, when they need it, at a reasonable cost. Our water meets or exceeds all the criteria established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), and the American Water Works Association (AWWA). We not only satisfy the water needs of our current customers, but we anticipate and plan for the needs of future customers through orderly growth. We charge the lowest practical rates to cover operation and maintenance costs, capital requirements, and bond obligations.
History
The origin of the Chester Water Authority dates all the way back to 1866.
Water Source
Learn where your award-winning water comes from!
Rates and Service Area
Chester Water Authority is committed to keeping our rates low while consistently providing the highest quality water.
Water System Improvement Projects
CWA takes our water seriously. Learn how we are keeping the water flowing.
Fishing and Boating
Chester Water Authority is proud of its beautiful Octoraro Reservoir. We are pleased to open parts of the reservoir for fishing and boating.
Water Quality Reports
Award-winning water. Water Quality Report for 2025 now available.
Meet Our Board
Our Board of Directors
Our board is composed of nine individuals who represent the three main ratepayer populations. Three members represent Chester County. Three represent Delaware County. Three represent the City of Chester.
Noel Brandon, Chairperson
Nicole Whitaker, Vice Chairperson
Leonard J. Rivera, Secretary
Livia Smith, Treasurer
Donald Hurford
Alyssa Mehalick
Erik Walschburger
Leola Williams
Our Solicitor
Francis J. Catania, Esq.
Catania Law Offices, LLC.
(610) 565-8101
CWA Board Chairperson, Noel Brandon
Who We Are
Our Staff
Our team is responsible for directing and overseeing the daily operations of CWA. They, along with all of CWA’s employees, take seriously our critical mission to provide a high quality, affordable water to our more than 200,000 customers.
Darryl Jenkins, P.E.
Executive Manager
2024. Mr. Jenkins is a seasoned professional engineer and certified water/wastewater operator with over 30 years of experience in both the public and private water sectors. He is a member of the Water Works Operators Association of Pennsylvania, Eastern PA Water Pollution Control Operators Association, Board member of Berks Nature and a volunteer instructor with the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association.
Michael S. D’Agostino, Esq.
Assistant to the Executive Manager/Director of Human Resources
2013. Mr. D’Agostino joined CWA in 2013. Mr. D’Agostino received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from Widener University and a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.
Agnes Woebkenberg
Chief Financial Officer
Jeff DeRusso, P.E.
Director of Engineering
Stephen H. McBryde
Director of Plant Operations
Kyle E. Torster, PE
Chief of Distribution Department
2025. Kyle Torster has over 30 years of civil engineering and operational experience in leading operations in public works. He served a 20-year military career with worldwide experience in the United States Air Force followed by a 10-year career in Municipal government as Public Works Director. He received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Master of Engineering from University of Arkansas. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Wyoming and Maryland.
Our Award-Winning Water
Water Quality Reports
CWA is one of only two water providers in the entire state of Pennsylvania that has achieved Phase IV of the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary program administered by the US EPA, PA DEP, the American Water Works Association, the Water Research Foundation, and other drinking water organizations.
This Phase IV represents the highest level of achievement that can be received and signifies a “fully optimized system.” Phase IV is the culmination of a rigorous assessment process to determine conformance with the Partnership’s water treatment performance goals. The award honors utilities for achieving operational excellence by voluntarily optimizing their treatment facility operations and adopting more stringent performance goals than those required by federal and state drinking water standards. CWA has been Phase IV since 2013, and has to maintain standards and submit data every year to keep that status.
CWA has been a member of the Partnership for Safe Water since 1996. To get to the Phase IV award CWA had to complete the first three Phases of the Partnership for Safe Water Programs and along the way CWA has been awarded the Directors Award, the Phase III 15 Year Directors Award, the President’s Award and the Excellence in Water Treatment Award.
IRMA Notice
Independent Registered Municipal Advisor (IRMA) Disclosure
March 13, 2026
By publicly posting the following written disclosure, the Chester Water Authority (the “Authority”) intends that market participants receive and use this notice for purposes of relying on the independent registered municipal advisor exemption to the Securities Exchange Commission’s Municipal Advisor Rule.
The Authority has contracted with Acacia Financial Group, Inc., an independent registered municipal advisor, as its municipal advisor in the administration of its cash and debt management programs. The Authority is represented by and will rely on its municipal advisor to provide advice on proposals from financial services firms concerning the issuance of municipal securities and municipal financial products, including investment of bond proceeds and escrow investments, as such terms are defined in the SEC’s Municipal Advisor Rule. This notice may be relied upon until is removed from the Authority’s website. Should the Authority receive and consider advice, offers, materials or municipal financial products in association with the issuance of debt, or bond proceeds and escrow investments, the Authority will share such items received with the municipal advisor. Please note that an underwriter/financial services firm should not speak directly with, or send materials or municipal financial products directly to, the municipal advisor unless specifically directed to by the Authority or mandated by regulatory requirement(s).
Listed below is the Authority’s independent registered municipal advisor. Any advice, offers, materials or municipal financial products, as well as inquiries regarding the municipal advisor assigned, should be sent to the Authority’s Chief Financial Officer:
Acacia Financial Group, Inc. – Peter Nissen, Managing Director
