BELLEVILLE, Ill., Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the U.S., proudly highlights American Water's 140-year milestone of providing safe, clean, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater services to the communities it serves. Founded in 1886, American Water now serves more than 14 million people across 14 regulated states and 19 military installations, including 1.3 million people in Illinois.
"Illinois American Water remains committed to investing in the systems and communities who rely on us every day," said Rebecca Losli, President, Illinois American Water. "As our parent company celebrates 140 years of providing safe, reliable water and wastewater service in 2026, we are proud to continue that legacy locally. In Illinois, we plan to invest approximately $570 million in infrastructure upgrades through 2027, to further enhance reliability and system resiliency for our customers."
Additionally, Illinois American Water will recognize the following milestones in 2026, including:
- The 30th anniversary of Illinois American Water's H2O Help to Others™ Program, assisting customers who would otherwise have trouble paying their bills with supplemental funding. Since 2020, Illinois American Water has assisted more than 11,000 customers.
- 54 years of membership with the American Water Works Association and Partnership for Safe Water (1972), collaborating to protect water systems and infrastructure.
- The 15th anniversary of the American Water Charitable Foundation, commemorating more than $25 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to communities served by American Water. In 2025, the American Water Charitable Foundation and Illinois American Water employees contributed more than $400,000 to 270 organizations throughout Illinois. In 2026 to date, 14 organizations were recognized as Water & Environment grant recipients, and applications are currently being accepted for the 2026 Hydration Station Grant Program.
- The 45th anniversary of American Water's Research & Development Program, advancing science and innovation to support the long‑term safety and reliability of drinking water systems. This includes the company's Central Laboratory in Belleville, IL, which runs 36 standard test methods for more than 260 compounds. In 2025 the lab ran an average of 273 tests per day. The analytical strength of American Water across our service footprint allows us to be a leader in developing solutions, including our collaboration to develop a response plan in the event of harmful algal blooms.
Learn more about American Water's history here.
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 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 19 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 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.
About Illinois American Water
Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 600 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
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SOURCE American Water
