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( Mark One ) þ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15 ( D ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 Or UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from Commission File number 1-6659 Pennsylvania ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) Title of each class Common stock , par value $ 0.50 per share 6.00 % Tangible Equity Units 762 W Lancaster Avenue , Bryn Mawr , Pennsylvania ( Address of principal executive offices ) ESSENTIAL UTILITIES , INC . ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) to Large accelerated filer þ Non - accelerated filer " ( 610 ) 527-8000 ( Registrant's telephone number , including area code ) WTRG WTRU Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) 23-1702594 19010-3489 ( Zip Code ) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None . Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . þ Yes No Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes þ No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . þ Yes No Name of each exchange on which registered New York Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . þ Yes No Accelerated filer Small reporting company Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company or emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " small reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12 ( b ) -2 of the Exchange Act .: Emerging growth company " If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . " Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . þ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . " Yes þ No The aggregate market value of the voting and non - voting common equity held by non - affiliates of the registrant as of June 30 , 2020 : $ 10,336,428,580 The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's common stock as of February 15 , 2021 : 245,393,761 DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE ( 1 ) Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement , relating to the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders of registrant , to be filed within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10 - K , have been incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10 - K