Aqua America – one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded water utilities, which is headquartered in Bryn Mawr and serves nearly 3 million people – has announced that Christopher S. Crockett has joined the company as its chief environmental officer.

Crockett was previously deputy commissioner for planning and environmental services at the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), where he worked since 1995.

In his new role, Crockett will be responsible for overseeing water quality and environmental compliance for all of Aqua’s drinking water and wastewater systems in eight states. Crockett will also manage Aqua’s in-house water and wastewater laboratory, as well as the company’s water quality services and water resources engineering departments.

“We are excited to have someone with Chris’s depth of experience and knowledge join our team,” said Aqua America’s Chief Operating Officer Rick Fox. “Chris has more than 20 years of experience in the water, storm water, and wastewater industry.

“He has participated in and led many innovative projects, including many that improve the environment and have a positive impact on water quality and operations performance, including an ongoing and successful effort by PWD to significantly reduce the amount of rain that enters the city’s sewer system.”

Crockett, a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania, earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and his Master of Science and Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Drexel, were he is currently an adjunct professor.