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

Rhea-AI Summary

Kentucky American Water (NYSE:AWK) on Jan 12, 2026 shared customer tips to save money, water and time in 2026 and highlighted ways to stay informed about service. The company said it invested approximately $70 million in system upgrades in 2025 to reduce leaks and improve efficiency and resiliency. Tips include running full dishwashers and washers, using low-flow fixtures, checking and repairing leaks, insulating pipes, limited outdoor watering, and using drip irrigation. Customers are encouraged to enroll in auto pay and paperless billing via MyWater and to use the interactive advisory map for alerts, contact updates, and emergency reporting.

News Market Reaction – AWK

+1.81%

1 alert

+1.81% News Effect

On the day this news was published, AWK gained 1.81%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

2025 Kentucky capex: $70 million KY revenue increase: $18.2 million KY capital investments: $212 million +5 more

8 metrics

2025 Kentucky capex $70 million System upgrades to strengthen water infrastructure in 2025

KY revenue increase $18.2 million Annualized water system revenue increase from KY PSC order

KY capital investments $212 million Water treatment and distribution improvements tied to KY rate case

Exchange ratio 0.305 shares AWK shares per Essential share in proposed all-stock merger

Implied merger value $43.18 Per Essential share, based on AWK price on Oct 24, 2025

Essential termination fee $370 million Payable to AWK if specified merger termination events occur

AWK termination fee $835 million Payable to Essential if specified merger termination events occur

Q3 2025 revenue $1.451 billion AWK operating revenues for Q3 2025

Market Reality Check

Price: $135.25 Vol: Volume 1,462,189 is close...

normal vol

$135.25 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,462,189 is close to the 20-day average of 1,497,597, suggesting typical interest ahead of this release. normal

Technical Shares at 127.98 trade below the 200-day MA of 139.13 and about 17.7% under the 155.5 52-week high, modestly above the 118.74 low.

Peers on Argus

AWK fell about 1% with key regulated utility peers also down: WTRG -0.42%, AEE -...

AWK fell about 1% with key regulated utility peers also down: WTRG -0.42%, AEE -0.23%, ATO -0.25%, DTE -0.42%, FE -0.60%. The mild decline aligns with broader utility weakness rather than this customer-focused Kentucky release.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 07 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 07	Customer savings outreach	Positive	-1.3%	Missouri unit highlighted 2026 customer savings tools and $450M 2025 upgrades.
Dec 19	ESG recognition	Positive	-2.1%	Named to Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 list.
Dec 18	Acquisition announcement	Positive	-0.7%	Agreed to buy Hopewell Borough water system for $6.4M with added capex.
Dec 17	Rate case outcome	Positive	-0.7%	Kentucky PSC approved new rates adding $18.2M annualized revenue.
Dec 17	Infrastructure commentary	Positive	+1.0%	West Virginia unit discussed large state water needs and AWK’s investment plans.

Pattern Detected

Across recent generally positive operational and regulatory updates, AWK has more often traded lower in the following session, indicating a tendency for benign or good news to coincide with modest downside moves.

Recent Company History

Recent news for AWK has focused on customer programs, ESG recognition, acquisitions and rate outcomes. On Dec 17, 2025, Kentucky American Water secured new rates adding about $18.2 million in annualized revenue, driven by more than $212 million in system improvements, yet the stock fell 0.74%. A $6.4 million Hopewell Borough acquisition and inclusion on Newsweek’s responsible companies list on Dec 19, 2025 also saw negative price reactions. Today’s Kentucky savings and conservation message continues this theme of positive but non‑transformational updates.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement emphasizes customer tools and conservation, highlighting Kentucky American Water’s...

Analysis

This announcement emphasizes customer tools and conservation, highlighting Kentucky American Water’s $70 million of 2025 infrastructure investment to cut leaks and boost resiliency, plus digital features like Auto Pay, paperless billing and the MyWater advisory map. In context of recent rate approvals adding $18.2 million in annualized revenue and sizable capital plans, investors may watch how these operational upgrades, customer engagement and regulatory outcomes collectively support long-term earnings and service reliability.

Key Terms

auto pay, paperless billing

2 terms

auto pay financial

"Save time by enrolling in auto pay and paperless billing."

Auto pay is an arrangement where a customer authorizes a company to automatically withdraw recurring charges from their bank account or charge a card on a set schedule, like putting a subscription on autopilot. For investors, high use of auto pay means more predictable revenue, lower missed payments and collection costs, and stronger customer retention — factors that can improve cash flow stability and reduce the risk of sudden drops in reported sales.

paperless billing financial

"Save time by enrolling in auto pay and paperless billing."

Paperless billing is the electronic delivery and storage of invoices and account statements instead of sending printed paper by mail. Like switching from letters to email, it can lower postage and printing costs, speed payment cycles and provide cleaner digital records, so investors watch it as a sign a company is cutting operating expenses, improving cash flow and modernizing customer experience—while also changing data security and regulatory responsibilities.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Save money, water, time and stay informed in 2026

LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kentucky American Water celebrates the new year and offers tips to save customers money, water and time, from their kitchen to their backyard, and ways to stay informed about their water service all year long.

"The new year is the perfect time to start new habits like saving water around the home," said Rob Burton, president of Kentucky American Water. "Wise water use is not just about preserving our most precious resource for future generations; it can also help reduce your bills. At Kentucky American Water, we invested approximately $70 million in system upgrades in 2025 to strengthen our water 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.

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 their MyWater account, customers can use the interactive customer advisory map to check for alerts in their area and to 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, alerts and report an emergency by visiting https://www.amwater.com/kyaw/ 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.

About Kentucky American Water
Kentucky American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, provides safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 527,000 people.

For more information, visit Kentucky American Water's website and join Kentucky American Water on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kentucky-american-water-welcomes-in-the-new-year-with-new-ways-to-save-302658582.html

SOURCE American Water

FAQ

What did Kentucky American Water (AWK) announce on January 12, 2026?

Kentucky American Water published customer tips to save water and money in 2026 and described service-alert tools in MyWater.

How much did Kentucky American Water (AWK) invest in system upgrades in 2025?

The company said it invested approximately $70 million in system upgrades in 2025 to reduce leaks and improve resiliency.

How can AWK customers sign up for auto pay and paperless billing?

Customers can log into or sign up for a MyWater account to enroll in auto pay and paperless billing today.

How can Kentucky American Water (AWK) customers get emergency alerts and report issues?

Within MyWater customers can set notification preferences for text, email or phone and use the interactive advisory map; non-account holders can visit the company's website and click 'Alerts' or 'Report Emergency.'

What household actions did AWK recommend to reduce water bills in 2026?

Recommended actions include running full washers/dishwashers, installing low-flow fixtures, checking for leaks, insulating pipes, and using drip irrigation outdoors.