American Water Works

American Water Works Company, Inc. (American Water) is a water and wastewater utility company. American Water provides drinking water, wastewater and other water-related services to an estimated 15 million people in more than 30 states and in two Canadian provinces. 

The Company operates in two segments: the Regulated Businesses and the Market-Based Operations. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of the water system assets from the city of Whitwell in southeast Tennessee. In April 2014, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Missouri American Water acquired water and wastewater system assets serving customers living in the Emerald Pointe development near Branson in southwest Missouri. As well, American Water Works Company Inc acquired Yankeetown Water, a member-owned water utility located in southwestern Indiana.

1886: Founded, August 9, 1886, the American Water-works Company.

1888: When the firm formed American Water Supply Co. The Payson partners added operational responsibilities as well.

1889: New Jersey greatly liberalized their corporation laws, allowing incorporated companies to stock in other corporations.

1891: American Water Works and Guarantee Company was incorporated in Maine, on January 7. 

1912: The Certificate of Amendment of the certificate of incorporation - Authorized an increase of Capital Stock - February 17. Increased to $20 million

1927: Accordingly, in June, the Board recommended a plan to the stockholders under which the Company would be reincorporated in Delaware, which would permit the issuance of preferred stocks bearing a lower dividend rate than was possible under the old Company’s charter.

1935: The American Water Works & Electric Company, a prime example of the type of company the 1935 law was intended to abolish. Whereas American Water Works Company's predecessor was broken up by the Public Utilities Act of 1935 because of its size and stranglehold on the market, the younger behemoth followed in the footsteps of its elder. 

1937: As it was approved that year, a plan called for a simple reorganization of the holding company to reduce its layers, and it required the company to divest itself of real estate holdings—development properties—in California.

1947: American Water Works and Electric Company, Inc. was liquidated after the water interests had been transferred to the American Water Works Company.

1948: The company contracted to build a dam and reservoir on the Occoquan River in Alexandria, Virginia. The prospects for growth helped to launch that year, the young company’s largest project, the building of a dam and reservoir on the Occoquan River, complete with pumping and treatment stations.

1961: AWWA founded Water Research Foundation to advance the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector.

1963: This spurred the court actions, which ended with Ware's loss of the Alexandria system after a protracted legal battle. American Water Works and Ware's company, Northeastern Water Company, officially merged into one nationwide utility giant.

1984: John H. Ware was succeeded as chairman of the company by his son, John H. Ware III, who served the company as chairman until that year. Gubanich was succeeded as president of the company by James V. LaFrankie as president of the company.

1989: Operating revenues had reached $528 million, with the company having sold more than 211 million gallons of water to 1.5 million customers in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public sectors.

1993: A joint venture with the United Kingdom's Anglian Water Plc forms American Anglian Environmental Technologies.

1995: The company's expansion projects were forging ahead to the tune of more than $331 million invested for that year alone and operating revenues at year-end were a robust $803 million.

1996: The company's Pennsylvania unit purchases the water holdings of Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company for $409 million, the industry's largest asset acquisition.

1998: The company surpasses the billion-dollar mark, with operating revenues of $1.02 billion.

1999: Operating revenues surpassed $1.26 billion, while stock performance ranged from a low of $17 to a high of more than $34 per share. Payson maintained a connection to the company when Philadelphia Suburban Water Company acquired it.

2012: American Water Announces Completion of Acquisitions in New York and Sale of Regulated Operations in Ohio, May 1.

2015: Recognizing the need to provide continuing education for water operators and students to ensure the future workforce, AWWA founded Water Equation.

“We work hard in many ways to deliver clean water for life that is also safe, reliable, and affordable.”

“Our Vision is Clean Water for Life. It is a simple but powerful message that describes ‘why' we do what we do every day. Water is necessary for our customers’ health and well-being.”