How Missouri American Water keeps quality on tap

Business Journals

4 days ago

Missouri American Water has continued providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable water and wastewater service since 1886. With nearly 140 years of experience, the company has become a leader in the water and wastewater industry.
Serving approximately 1.6 million Missourians, the company strictly follows regulations that are set by local authorities as well as federal standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Missouri American Water understands how important water and wastewater service is to daily life. When you need it, you expect it to be there.
Water quality
For 22 years, six of Missouri American Water's treatment plants have been recognized with the Directors Award from the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary initiative developed by six prestigious drinking water organizations including the EPA.
For a second year in a row, Missouri American Water has won the 'Drinking Water Taste Test' award at the joint MO-AWWA/MWEA conference.
The company's water quality reports are published online and are updated each spring.
expand
Investing in aging infrastructure
Recently released grades from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2025 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, a comprehensive assessment of the nation's 18 major infrastructure categories, paint a grim and stagnant picture for water and wastewater systems across the U.S. Drinking water infrastructure received a grade of C-, while wastewater infrastructure earned a D+. These grades haven't changed or improved in the four years since the ASCE 2021 Report Card.
With over a trillion dollars in infrastructure investments needed in water and wastewater across the country over the next two decades, American Water continues to work with local, state and federal leaders to provide expertise and investment in communities that need to strengthen their water and wastewater systems. Providing high quality water and wastewater service is a top priority.
Customers and community leaders can view an interactive map of the company's pipe replacement projects. Projects are prioritized based on main break rate, system criticality and coordination with state and local governments.
Passing of SB 4
Recently, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 4, a bill that will allow private utilities in Missouri to plan rates based on future costs versus historical costs. This helps utility companies, like Missouri American Water, plan for necessary investments while focusing on rate stability. Built-in projections help safeguard customers from being overcharged if actual costs are lower than estimated.
Why future test year is good public policy:
Incentivizes greater infrastructure investment
Attracts business and makes Missouri more competitive for economic development
Aligns Missouri with most other states which use modern rate-setting tools to balance customer protection and investment needs
Keeps rates predictable by allowing utilities to invest in new technologies and perform necessary maintenance to improve reliability
Excess charges will be refunded to customers if projected costs are overestimated, creating a fairer system where customers only pay for actual, justified expenses
Helping communities solve water and wastewater challenges
Missouri American Water provides 1 in 4 Missourians with water and/or wastewater services. The team of more than 700 industry professionals serves areas across the state. The company understands that reliable water and wastewater service is critical to community health and prosperity.
Acquisition case studies:
In 2018, Missouri American Water purchased the water and wastewater systems in the city of Lawson. The city was facing regulatory compliance issues with its wastewater system that would have required a significant rate increase to address. Since the acquisition, several key improvements have been made to the wastewater system in a cost-effective manner, including the addition of ultraviolet disinfection to the treatment process, construction and implementation of a new lift station, and installation of remote monitoring. Approximately 3,000 feet of water mains have been replaced and about 3,500 feet of new water mains have been added.
Garden City was facing major compliance challenges for both their water and wastewater systems. Since 2015, they received 27 violations for drinking water from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Critical investments had not been made in an effort to keep rates low. In 2020, more than 67% of Garden City voters supported the ballot measure to sell the water and wastewater systems to make Missouri American Water their trusted water and wastewater provider. Immediately work began in 2021 to maintain regulatory compliance, including improvement of the chemical feed system and cleaning of the wastewater lagoons. With the sale, the city could retire its debt and have significant funds to address additional community needs.
here.
Missouri American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.6 million people. For more, visit missouriamwater.com