Through volunteerism, teamwork and community engagement, more than 800 American Water employees participated in over 90 community volunteer projects, contributing nearly 2,400 hours of service throughout September.

In 2026, employees took part in environmental stewardship efforts by cleaning up rivers, shorelines, watersheds, and parks, as well as supporting tree-planting and beautification projects.

Wastewater infrastructure exists largely out of sight, yet reliability and performance of wastewater systems are essential to public health and environmental protection.

Across the country, aging infrastructure, stricter environmental standards and limited resources have made it increasingly difficult for many community systems to maintain reliable, environmentally compliant service.

October 18 marks the anniversary of the Clean Water Act – the federal legislation that protects our waterways from pollution by setting and regulating water quality standards for U.S. surface water.

Prior to the Clean Water Act, America's waters were in crisis, often flooded and even on fire with toxic pollution and contaminants.