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.
York, Pennsylvania
The City of York’s wastewater system faced years of underinvestment amid severe fiscal constraints, resulting in aging infrastructure, operational deficiencies, and documented environmental impacts to nearby Codorus Creek.
Between March 2019 and June 2021 alone, the City of York recorded 29 effluent exceedances and repeated releases of raw sewage, triggering a federal consent agreement and compounding financial pressure on the City.
By 2021, the City faced a $14 million budget deficit, the prospect of a 48% property tax increase, and a wastewater collection system where 86% of collection pipes dated back prior to 1950.
Following acquisition, Pennsylvania American Water initiated a targeted modernization program focused on interceptor replacement, large scale collection system rehabilitation, and digital control upgrades to address high inflow and infiltration. These improvements are expected to divert wastewater during peak flow events, directly reducing pollutant loads to local waterways.
Key Outcomes
- Proactively addressed path forward to comply with federal consent agreement addressed through capital upgrades
- $13.7 million invested to date and $60 million planned by 2030
- Up to 70 million gallons of wastewater diverted from waterways during peak flows
- Enhanced protection of Codorus Creek and downstream waters
Click here to learn more about wastewater solutions at American Water.