Ohio Clears Merger of American Water and Essential Utilities Serving 5.44M Customers
Ohio regulators approved American Water and Essential Utilities' all-stock merger after Kentucky cleared the deal, advancing formation of a company serving 4.7 million water and wastewater and 740,000 gas connections. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, the merged entity aims to close by Q1 2027 pending final approvals.
1. Regulatory Approval Progress
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio issued an order approving the all-stock merger between American Water and Essential Utilities, marking the second state commission to clear the transaction following Kentucky approval on April 21, 2026.
2. Scale of Combined Operations
The transaction will create a combined company serving more than 4.7 million water and wastewater customer connections and over 740,000 gas customer connections under the American Water name.
3. Remaining Approvals and Timing
The merger, announced October 27, 2025, remains subject to Hart-Scott-Rodino clearance and approvals from other public utility commissions, with the companies targeting completion by the end of the first quarter of 2027.