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.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
When Pennsylvania American Water acquired Scranton’s wastewater system in 2016, the community faced longstanding environmental challenges tied to a federally mandated EPA Consent Decree and a complex combined sewer system. Years of regulatory violations, fines, and deferred maintenance contributed to repeated combined sewer overflows into the Lackawanna River.
Following the acquisition, American Water assumed responsibility for the 25-year Long‑Term Control Plan and began executing a multi‑year program of infrastructure upgrades, operational improvements and compliance oversight. These actions focused on reducing overflows, modernizing treatment operations and strengthening system-wide maintenance.
Today, Scranton stands as a leading example of how sustained investment and accountability can return a struggling system to a path toward compliance and protect waterways.
Key Outcomes
- EPA violations reduced from 15+ to zero post acquisition
- Over $287 million invested in wastewater system upgrades and CSO controls
- Over 40 Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) reduction projects underway or completed under a 25-year EPA-mandated Long-term Control Plan
Currently capturing an additional 118 million gallons per year of combined sewer for treatment which is significantly reducing untreated discharges to the Lackawanna River
Click here to learn more about wastewater solutions at American Water.