Our Stories
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.
As the nation’s largest regulated water and wastewater utility, American Water approaches these challenges with a long-term perspective grounded in solutions that deliver economies of scale, technical expertise, capital investment, transparency and accountability.
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
For decades, portions of the City of McKeesport and nearby Borough of Dravosburg experienced untreated sewage discharges into nearby waterways.
After acquiring the City of McKeesport’s wastewater system in 2017, Pennsylvania American Water launched a comprehensive reinvestment program focused on eliminating illegal discharges and modernizing aging infrastructure.
Targeted projects connected homes to regional wastewater treatment, replaced failing sewer mains, and reduced stormwater-driven overflows. These efforts directly addressed long-standing environmental risks to the Monongahela River watershed.
Key Outcomes
- Dravosburg Mine Discharge Elimination: millions of gallons of untreated wastewater diverted from entering waterways annually
- Elimination of raw sewage discharges into abandoned mine shafts
- Over $95 million invested in wastewater infrastructure upgrades since acquisition improved water quality in the Monongahela and Youghiogheny River watersheds
- The City of McKeesport received a net proceed of $40 million allowing the city to launch “McKeesport Rising Project” to eliminate blight and fund public works projects.
Click here to learn more about wastewater solutions at American Water.