Tennessee American Water Celebrates National Drinking Water Week

National event raises awareness of the need for reliable drinking water

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tennessee American Water will join drinking water utilities across the nation to celebrate “National Drinking Water Week”, May 1 – 7, 2011. The week will focus on the critical role a reliable drinking water utility has in the community and how consumers can help protect our drinking water.

“Tennessee American Water has provided Chattanooga and the surrounding areas drinking water for more than 140 years and we take our responsibility to the community seriously”

The American Water Works Association, who declares annually the first week of May as “National Drinking Water Week”, sponsors the national effort, which is designed to raise public awareness of the fundamental need for reliable drinking water supplies for public health, fire protection, economic development, and the overall quality of life communities and individuals enjoy.

“Tennessee American Water has provided Chattanooga and the surrounding areas drinking water for more than 140 years and we take our responsibility to the community seriously,” says Deron Allen, president of Tennessee American Water.

“As Tennessee American Water is working on the continued infrastructure improvements, everyone must be aware the Tennessee River is our drinking water source,” adds Allen. “That means we must all be conscious of how everyone’s daily actions can impact the source.”

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Tennessee American Water will provide tours for students of Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy of the Citico Treatment Plant then a trip on the Tennessee Aquarium River Gorge Explorer for them to understand the connection of the river and their drinking water.

“By providing this experience for these students, we are hoping it will make a lasting impression on the students so they will understand the importance of a clean watershed and connecting it to their drinking water source,” says Allen.

In observation of National Drinking Water Week, consumers are reminded to help maintain the quality and supply of our drinking water through the following actions:

• Be sure that leaking pipes and faucets – indoors and outdoors – are repaired.
• Take care in the use of garden, lawn, garage or other home products and ensure that they inadvertently do not find their way into the source.

• Dispose of chemicals or other potentially harmful products properly and do not pour them directly into home drains, the sewer, street drains or the lawn. Visit http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/hhw.htm#collect for more information on proper disposal.

Tennessee American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to more than 350,000 people in Tennessee and northern Georgia. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125^th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.