Cutler, Lawrence Applaud Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Chester Water Authority’s Independence

January 21, 2026

HARRISBURG - Reps. John Lawrence (R-West Grove) and Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom) lauded today's Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that clarifies the independent status of Chester Water Authority (CWA) and protects its ratepayers.

"After years of advocating for CWA's independence, I am grateful the Supreme Court affirmed that the City of Chester has no authority to order a unilateral sale of CWA," said Lawrence. "Today's Supreme Court decision is a substantial victory both for the ratepayers of Chester Water Authority and all residents of Chester and Delaware counties. It is also an affirmation of the years-long effort to halt any sale of CWA and ask ratepayers to bailout the bankrupt City of Chester."

In a 5-1 opinion issued today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed a prior order of the Commonwealth Court to hold that the City of Chester does not have unilateral authority to seize and convey Chester Water Authority's assets. The court reasoned that the authority's board was replaced after the passage of Act 73 of 2012, and its governing body was expanded to also include representatives appointed by Delaware and Chester counties. Under the plain meaning of the law as amended, all three legislatively designated municipalities share governance over the Chester Water Authority's assets and it's projects.

For the past five years, Lawrence has led efforts in the State House to block the sale of CWA. In addition to introducing legislation and filing floor amendments on the issue, Lawrence pointedly questioned top officials from both the Wolf and Shapiro administrations during public hearings to keep the issue in the spotlight. He also battled and ultimately prevailed against the City of Chester to force the release of documents subject to the state's open records law and teamed with Cutler to file an amicus brief that the Supreme Court extensively referenced in today's court decision.

"Today's court decision shows that legislative authority does indeed still exist here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Cutler. "This decision means that Act 73 of 2012 still holds as the law regarding the Chester Water Authority and that residents of Chester and Delaware counties do have a role in the running of the authority. While the 100th district only covers the reservoir that the CWA uses, this is a critical ruling that protects the interests of the CWA and the citizens of my district. I want to thank Rep. Lawrence for his continued advocacy on this issue and for his work in protecting the interests of his constituents."

Representative John Lawrence
13th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
[email protected]
RepLawrence.com