Celebrating 50 Years of the Safe Drinking Water Act

2024-10-24 19:27Blog post

Celebrating 50 Years of the Safe Drinking Water Act

American Water launches a nationwide celebration recognizing the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Environment Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), a law passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply, through 50 days of highlights from October 28, 2024 through December 16, 2024.

Check out the countdown below! Also, be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly as we continue to add to the list.

DAY 50: Mon., Oct. 28

Nearly fifty years ago, on December 16, 1974, the U.S. government passed the Safe Drinking Water Act! To recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary, for the next fifty days, American Water will highlight how we treat and deliver high-quality and safe drinking water to customers in the communities across the nation that we are privileged to serve.

DAY 49: Tues., Oct. 29

Be aware that any operation of a fire hydrant without a permit is illegal. Every open hydrant affects water pressure, which is needed to deliver water to your tap and when firefighters are fighting a fire. Keep them closed and report any open hydrants to us or 911 immediately.

DAY 48: Wed., Oct. 30

To help ensure we deliver safe, clean drinking water, American Water tests for more than 90 regulation compounds, including PFAS, as required by state and federal drinking water standards, as well as unregulated compounds.

DAY 47: Thurs., Oct. 31

American Water is an industry leader and works with the US EPA and state environmental regulators to implement existing and future drinking water standards and regulations.

DAY 46: Fri., Nov. 1

American Water has earned 66 Directors Awards from the Partnership for Safe Water program for our long-term commitment to optimizing operations and achieving outstanding performance. For more information about this program, visit https://www.awwa.org/programs/partnership-for-safe-water/treatment/

DAY 45: Sat., Nov. 2

American Water recognizes the SDWA's 50-year impact on water quality and emphasizes the need for continued investment to address emerging challenges in water safety and quality. We expect to invest $34 to $38 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, and system resiliency over the next ten years. For more information, visit https://www.amwater.com/corp/Water-Quality-Wastewater-Service/infrastructure.

DAY 44: Sun., Nov. 3

American Water meets or exceeds all federal and state drinking water standards and regulations. We are committed to removing all lead and galvanized pipes from service lines. For more information about American Water's lead service line replacement program in your area, visit https://www.amwater.com/corp/Water-Quality-Wastewater-Service/Lead-And-Drinking-Water/ and then click on your state.

DAY 43: Mon., Nov. 4

We are the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. Our expertise and use of technology and economies of scale help us provide high-quality service at an exceptional value.

DAY 42: Tues., Nov. 5

Did you know? The average, daily amount of water that American Water supplies to our customers across our national footprint is over 4.3 million cubic meters per day[BD2] !

DAY 41: Wed., Nov. 6

The sources of drinking water across our national footprint include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, aquifers and groundwater. To find out where your drinking water is sourced from, visit https://www.amwater.com/corp/Water-Quality-Wastewater-Service/water-quality-reports.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $34 to $38 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities. American Water has been included in the top 10% of America's Most JUST Companies by JUST Capital and CNBC, is ranked number one in the utilities industry for the 2024 Forbes American's Best Large Employers, has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year, is the highest-ranked water and wastewater utility on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2024 List, and has earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions. For more information, visit amwater.com.