Illinois American Water observes Drinking Water Week by encouraging consumers to 'know your H₂O'

Drinking Water Week: May 5-11

[May 09, 2013]  BELLEVILLE -- Illinois American Water is joining others in the water industry to help consumers appreciate the essential role water plays in public health, fire protection, economic vitality and overall quality of life, and recognize the water company's role in maintaining a safe and sustainable supply. With current trends in population, economic growth, energy, climate and pollution affecting water usage and the critical infrastructure, now more than ever the system needs to function properly.

"While we are constantly investing in and working to improve the water infrastructure statewide, we want consumers to be conscious of how they value, use and access water," said Karla Olson Teasley, president of Illinois American Water. "So, in observance of Drinking Water Week, we are encouraging individuals to ‘get to know their H2O' and help preserve our most precious resource for future generations."

Consumers can help maintain the quality and supply of drinking water through the following actions:

• Be conscious of your daily water use and take the necessary steps in your home to be "water smart" and help preserve this precious natural resource.

• 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 do not inadvertently find their way into groundwater.

• Properly dispose of chemicals or other potentially harmful products, and do not pour them directly into home drains, the sewer, street drains or the lawn.

For more water tips and information, visit the Learning Center on Illinois American Water's website at www.illinoisamwater.com.

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Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing water or wastewater services to approximately 1.2 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.

American Water, founded in 1886, is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,700 who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 30 states and parts of Canada. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.

[Text from file received from Illinois American Water]