About Us

Company History

Founded in 1886 as the American Water Works & Guarantee Company, American Water has been serving customers and communities for more than 121 years.

The people of American Water have centuries of combined experience in the water and wastewater industry. The team includes world-renowned researchers who are on the leading edge of scientific study and environmental protection, people who have been with us for decades, and people who are passionate about environmental stewardship and care. Our crew members and plant operators get up each day with one goal in mind - to make sure American Water provides the best possible water service to our customers. We're a company with a track record of financial success, environmental compliance, successful partnerships, and commitment to our customers. We are customer and community focused, forward thinking and performance driven.

Our beginnings were humble, and the company's origins can be traced to the local water utilities of the post-civil war era. A small group of entrepreneurs and innovators spurred the nation's industrial development by bringing a critical commodity - pure, abundant water - to towns and cities across the land. In the years that followed, American Water grew and grew as smaller systems were purchased. Our service footprint now stretches across the country and into Canada.

Today, our hard-working teams proudly serve more than 15.6 million people in 32 U.S. states and in Ontario, Canada. We work hard each and every day to supply our customers with something they cannot live without - high-quality water and water service. We are scientists, innovators and stewards of the environment.

Corporate Information

Headquartered in Voorhees, NJ, we are the largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility company in the United States. We employ approximately 7,000 people who give back to the community each day by doing their part to provide the highest quality service possible. Our professionals are committed to customer service, operational excellence and the delivery of high-quality, reliable drinking water, safe and effective wastewater treatment and release and other water-related management services. Our teams live and work in the communities they serve.

While we principally serve residential homes and businesses, we also perform non-regulated contract operations for municipalities that own their utility systems. Additionally, American Water develops and implements solutions to help meet our country's many water supply challenges.

The primary mission of American Water is to be your local, trusted water resource company dedicated to delivering innovative solutions, environmental stewardship and community infrastructure investment. We are well positioned to meet the challenges of increasing water system reach and capacity, using precious water supplies wisely and delivering high-quality water to the individuals and businesses that rely on us. Our company's track record of success is attributable to our industry experience, state-of-the-art innovations in water quality and testing, ample infrastructure investment, responsive customer service, and dedication to the communities we serve.

American Water is a study in the richest of contrasts. With operations in 32 states and Ontario, Canada, we are large enough to pool tremendous expertise and financial strength, but we are local to the core.

We are experts at delivering high-quality water and wastewater service to our customers. And we are more. We are scientists, environmentalists, innovators and protectors. We are caretakers of water, life's most essential resource, and we take our role very seriously.

We are American Water.