Aqua America's Nicholas DeBenedictis Named Regional Finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2007 Award.

BRYN MAWR, Pa. -- Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE:WTR) today announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Nicholas DeBenedictis is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year([R]) 2007 Award in the Greater Philadelphia Region. According to Ernst & Young, the awards program is designed to recognize outstanding entrepreneurs on a regional, national and global level who are building and leading dynamic, growing businesses. After an initial screening of hundreds of entries, a panel of independent judges selected DeBenedictis as a finalist from a total of 75 semifinalist nominations.

Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 21 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia.

"I am honored, humbled and proud to be representing the fine employees and 120-year legacy of Aqua in this national competitive process," said DeBenedictis.

Under DeBenedictis' leadership, Aqua America (formerly Philadelphia Suburban Corporation) has grown to provide water and wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and 11 other states. Today, Aqua America is the largest U.S.-based publicly traded water and wastewater company in the country. DeBenedictis was elected chairman of the company in May 1993, 10 months after joining the business as its president and chief executive officer and chairman of its principal subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania (formerly Philadelphia Suburban Water Company).

In addition to leading Aqua America, DeBenedictis is chairman of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau's Board of Directors. He also chaired Philadelphia Mayor John Street's 21st Century Review Forum Regional Cooperation Committee. DeBenedictis served as president of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce between 1986 and 1989. DeBenedictis served in two cabinet positions in Pennsylvania government: Secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources (1983-1986) and Director of the Office of Economic Development (1981-1983). Before joining the cabinet, he spent eight years (1973-1981) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, first as the Assistant Regional Administrator for Region 3, based in Philadelphia, before being transferred to serve in Washington, D.C. He is a former chairman and now member of the executive committee for both the Pennsylvania Business Roundtable and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 21st anniversary this year. Awards are given to entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2007 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 17, 2007. The national Entrepreneur Of The Year celebration is part of Ernst & Young's Strategic Growth Forum. The overall national Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.

Aqua America, Inc. is a publicly traded water and wastewater utility holding company, with operating subsidiaries serving approximately 2.8 million people in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, Maine, Missouri, and South Carolina. Aqua America is listed on both the New York and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol WTR.

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