American Water is an American
public utility
A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...
company that, through its subsidiaries, provides water and wastewater services in the United States. It offers water and wastewater services to approximately 1,700 communities in 14 states serving a population of approximately 14 million through 3.4 million customer connections. The company's customers include residential, commercial, fire service and private fire, industrial, government facilities, and other water and wastewater utilities.
American Water shares are traded on the NYSE under the ticker AWK.
History
The utility was founded in 1886 as the American Water Works & Guarantee Company.
In 1914, American Water Works and Guarantee Company became American Water Works and Electric Company.
In 1947 it was reorganized as American Water Works Company, Inc.
Most of American Water's
services
Service may refer to:
Activities
* Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty
* Civil service, the body of employees of a government
* Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a p ...
are locally managed utility subsidiaries that are regulated by the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
in which each operates. American Water also owns subsidiaries that manage municipal
drinking water
Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, a ...
and
wastewater
Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial ...
systems under contract and others that supply businesses and residential communities with water management products and services.
With headquarters in
Camden, New Jersey, American Water has about 6,400 professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and related services to over 14 million people in 24 U.S. states.
In 2003, American Water established the American Water Military Services Group, which enters into long-term contracts with the United States Military to treat and supply water and to collect and treat wastewater on 17 United States military installations.
Utilities
The company owns 80 surface water treatment plants, 480 groundwater treatment plants, 160 wastewater treatment plants, 52,500 miles of pipes,1,100 groundwater wells, 1,700 pumping stations, 1,300 water storage facilities, and 76 dams. Throughout its networks, the company serves 14 million people with drinking water, wastewater, and related services. Services provided by American Water's utilities are subject to regulation by multiple state utility commissions or other entities engaged in utility regulation. Federal, state and local governments also regulate environmental, health and safety, and water quality and water accountability matters.
See also
*
Public services
A public service is any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through public sector agencies ...
References
;Notes
;General sources
American Water’s Walter Lynch Joins Other Industry Leaders to Discuss Cybersecurity with President Bidenref> (Businesswire, 25 August 2021)
On the Waterfront: American Water opens Camden headquarters(The Courier-Post, 4 December 2018)
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Further reading
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External links
American Water.com: About usFox Business Network
{{Authority control
Companies in the Dow Jones Utility Average
Water companies of the United States
Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange
American companies established in 1886
Companies based in Camden, New Jersey