American Water Welcomes in the New Year with New Ways to Save

Rhea-AI Summary

American Water (NYSE: AWK) offers 2026 tips for customers to save money, water and time and outlines tools to stay informed about service. The company said it plans to invest $46–48 billion over the next ten years in water and wastewater system upgrades to reduce leaks and boost resiliency. Practical customer actions include running full dishwashers/clothes washers, installing low‑flow fixtures, checking and repairing leaks, insulating pipes, and smart outdoor watering. The release also highlights leak-detection technologies (acoustic monitoring, drones, sensors, smart metering) and encourages enrollment in Auto Pay and paperless billing and use of the MyWater Customer Advisory Map for alerts.

Positive

• $46–48 billion planned investment in infrastructure over ten years
• Leak-detection tech deployment: acoustic monitoring, drones, sensors, smart metering
• Customer convenience promoted via Auto Pay, paperless billing and MyWater alert map

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Conference date: September 12 Announcement date: September 6, 2024

2 metrics

Conference date September 12 Barrington Research Virtual Fall Investment Conference

Announcement date September 6, 2024 Press release dateline in Chicago

Market Reality Check

Price: $134.18 Vol: Volume 1,475,077 is in li...

normal vol

$134.18 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,475,077 is in line with 20-day average 1,458,020 (relative volume 1.01). normal

Technical Trading below 200-day MA at 138.95, with shares about 14.82% under the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

Key regulated utility peers (WTRG, AEE, ATO, DTE, FE) all showed positive moves ...

Key regulated utility peers (WTRG, AEE, ATO, DTE, FE) all showed positive moves today, with gains up to 1.85%, broadly consistent with a constructive utilities backdrop even though momentum scanners did not flag a sector-wide move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 12 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 12	Customer savings tips	Positive	+1.8%	Shared 2026 money and water saving tips and highlighted $70M upgrades.
Jan 07	Infrastructure investment	Positive	-1.3%	Outlined 2025 system upgrades over $450M and customer saving tools.
Dec 19	ESG recognition	Positive	-2.1%	Named to Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 list.
Dec 18	System acquisition	Positive	-0.7%	Agreed to acquire Hopewell Borough water system for $6.4M with added capex.
Dec 17	Rate approval	Positive	-0.7%	Kentucky PSC approved new water rates adding $18.2M in annualized revenue.

Pattern Detected

Recent news has mostly been constructive (investment, regulatory wins, recognition), yet 4 of the last 5 items saw negative next-day moves, suggesting a tendency for muted or contrarian reactions to positive headlines.

Recent Company History

Over the past several weeks, American Water (AWK) highlighted customer-focused initiatives and continued infrastructure investment, including about $70 million of Kentucky upgrades and more than $450 million in Missouri in 2025. The company also advanced growth via a $6.4 million Hopewell Borough system acquisition and secured new Kentucky rates tied to over $212 million in improvements, driving an annualized revenue increase of about $18.2 million. Recognition on Newsweek’s 2026 responsibility list reinforced its ESG profile. Today’s routine conference-related news sits against this backdrop of regulated growth and customer initiatives.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement focuses on leadership’s attendance at an investment conference, signaling ongoing ...

Analysis

This announcement focuses on leadership’s attendance at an investment conference, signaling ongoing engagement with the institutional investor community rather than a direct change in fundamentals. Recent filings highlight an active period of rate cases, system acquisitions, and an all-stock merger plan with Essential Utilities, while historical news shows mixed short-term price responses. Investors may watch upcoming regulatory decisions, merger milestones, and execution of the capital investment program as key drivers of future performance.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Save money, water, time and stay informed in 2026

CAMDEN, N.J., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., celebrates the new year and offers tips to save customers money, water and time, from their kitchen to their backyard, as well as ways to stay informed about their water and wastewater service all year long.

"Now is a great time to start new habits, especially those that save water around the home," said Cheryl Norton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, American Water. "Wise water use is not just about preserving our most precious resource for future generations; it can also help reduce your water and wastewater bill. Over the next ten years, American Water plans to invest $46 to 48 billion in system upgrades to strengthen our water and wastewater infrastructure, which reduces system leaks and increases efficiency and resiliency. We also provide customers with valuable resources to help them use water wisely and detect leaks quickly."

Save money on customer bills by conserving water at home. Here are some simple household tips to save all year long:

USE WATER WISELY INSIDE

• Run dishwasher and clothes washer only when full or install water- and energy-efficient appliances.
• Use low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.
• Check for leaks and fix them as soon as possible.

PROTECT YOUR PIPES

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas to prevent them from freezing. If pipes run through cabinets, open the doors to allow warmer room temperatures to flow in.
• When temperatures stay below freezing, allow a small trickle of water to run to help keep pipes from freezing. Capture the drips to use later.
• Check for leaks after the first thaw by having a plumber walk the property to inspect water lines.

CONSERVE WATER OUTSIDE (When outdoor watering season begins)

• Water only when necessary. Turn off sprinklers during rain and for 48 hours after it ends.
• Use drip irrigation to water plants or water in the early morning/evening to reduce evaporation from the sun and heat.
• Check your irrigation system and repair any leaks. Disconnect hoses when not in use to stop leaks before they start.

"Additionally, American Water uses various technologies to monitor and detect leaks in our systems before they develop into larger issues," said Norton. "Acoustic leak monitoring records sound patterns underground to detect small leaks before they are visible above ground. Drones and other sensors utilize infrared and spectral technologies to detect leaks, while smart metering provides real-time water usage data. These technologies highlight the significant value that investments in infrastructure and innovation bring to system resilience and conservation efforts nationwide."

Save time by enrolling in Auto Pay and paperless billing. Customers can log into or sign up for their MyWater account and enroll in both programs today.

• With Auto Pay, a customer's bill will be paid automatically on time, every time
• Paperless billing helps to eliminate clutter and sends customers' bills via email

Stay informed. Within the MyWater account, customers can use the interactive Customer Advisory Map to check for alerts in their area and to help ensure that their contact information and notification preferences are up to date. Customers can choose to receive a text, email and/or phone call in the event of a water emergency in their area.

Non-account holders and the general public can view the map to view alerts and report an emergency by visiting www.amwater.com and clicking on 'Alerts' or 'Report Emergency' at the top.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

FAQ

What infrastructure investment did American Water (AWK) announce for the next ten years?

American Water announced a planned investment of $46–48 billion in water and wastewater system upgrades over the next ten years.

How can AWK customers reduce their water and wastewater bills in 2026?

Customers are advised to run full dishwashers and washers, install low‑flow fixtures, check and repair leaks, and conserve outdoor watering to lower bills.

What leak-detection technologies does American Water (AWK) use?

The company uses acoustic leak monitoring, drones and sensors with infrared/spectral tools, and smart metering for real-time usage data.

How do I enroll in Auto Pay and paperless billing for AWK accounts?

Log into or sign up for a MyWater account and enroll in Auto Pay and paperless billing within the account settings.

How can non-account holders view water alerts from American Water (AWK)?

Non-account holders can view alerts and report emergencies by visiting amwater.com and clicking 'Alerts' or 'Report Emergency' at the top.

What steps does AWK recommend to protect pipes during freezing temperatures?

Insulate pipes in unheated areas, open cabinet doors to warm pipe zones, allow a small trickle of water during freezes, and inspect for leaks after thawing.