Business Wire | Oct 29, 2020 02:01PM EDT

Illinois American Water Installing Ultraviolet Disinfection at Alton Water Treatment Plant; Investment of about $4.5 million Supports Safe Drinking Water

Oct. 29, 2020

ALTON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2020--Illinois American Water is investing approximately $4.5 million to install Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection at the Alton water treatment plant. The new treatment technology, which supports safe drinking water to residents and businesses, is expected to be implemented by the end of the year.

According to Brent O'Neill, director of engineering for Illinois American Water, UV technology is effective in inhibiting infection-causing microorganisms and adds another layer of protection for customers.

When used to treat drinking water, UV disinfection addresses chlorine-resistant pathogens and microorganisms that could be present in surface water sources. The Alton water treatment facility uses the Mississippi River as its water source.

O'Neill said, "There is nothing more important than the quality of the product we deliver to our customers' taps. This is why we continuously work to upgrade technology and treatment processes to deliver safe drinking water. We are excited to incorporate UV disinfection to our treatment process for particular water sources."

The investment will also help meet more stringent water quality regulations associated with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

According to O'Neill, Illinois American Water not only meets EPA drinking water guidelines, but the company "provides water quality which is better than required." He added, "Our customers trust us with a critical service. They serve our product to their family, their children. We take our responsibility seriously and are proud to deliver quality drinking water to the River Bend area for 145 years."

For more information about Illinois American Water please visit www.illinoisamwater.com.

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 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,800 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Illinois American Water ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction with Large Water Utilities in the Midwest according to the J.D. Power 2020 Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study For J.D. Power 2020 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards

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CONTACT: Media Contact: Karen Cotton, External Affairs Manager, 309.566-4126 or karen.cotton@amwater.com