Illinois American Water Supports Work Zone Awareness Week
Company reminds drivers to focus on safety – in roadway and water system work zones
 

[March 27, 2015]  BELLEVILLE - As the weather warms up, Illinois American Water joins federal, state and local transportation officials in drawing attention to the safety needs of people working and traveling in and near Illinois roadways. This week, March 23 through 27, marks National Work Zone Awareness Week, an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones.

Illinois American Water serves customers in 128 Illinois communities. Our employees work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure reliable, quality water service. Illinois American Water employees maintain approximately 29,000 fire hydrants, plus thousands of miles of water main including critical valves and meters – much of this infrastructure is located in or right next to streets and highways. Illinois American Water crews also fix and repair water main breaks which often put them in situations where road lane closures are necessary.

All of these tasks have the potential to put our employees in or near the roadways, and working safely is always at the forefront of our minds. When motorists see an Illinois American Water employee performing flagging duties they can rest assured knowing that s/he has been trained and certified according to Illinois Department of Transportation guidelines, and are focusing on protecting the public as well as the job site.

“As the pace picks up during construction season, we want to remind drivers that their safety, and the safety of our crews, depends on drivers’ focus and attention,” said Vice President of Operations Barry Suits.

Illinois American Water recommends the following work zone awareness week tips.

Stay alert – dedicate your full attention to the roadway and don’t use your cell phone.

Follow signs – they’ll guide you through work zones safely

Pay attention – watch for flaggers, workers and equipment

Be patient – remember we are improving your water system

Buckle up – every trip and every time – safety belts save lives

Never drink and drive – no impairment is acceptable

Be nice – merge as directed, don’t tailgate or speed and don’t change lanes in a work zone

According to the State of Illinois, on average, there are over 5,900 work zone motor vehicle crashes a year in Illinois resulting in 1,850 injuries and 27 fatalities with an average of 3 worker fatalities (IDOT, 2014). Illinois American Water believes that one death is too many and all of these accidents are preventable. Please take the Work Zone Safety Pledge at www.embracethe orange.com.

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About Illinois American Water  - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/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. Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in more than 45 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.