Pennsylvania American Water Urges Customers under Drought Watch and Warning to Use Water Wisely

Pennsylvania American Water today requested that customers voluntarily reduce water consumption in support of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) declaration of drought watches and drought warnings for all 67 Pennsylvania counties. DEP’s declaration is the result of the below-normal rainfall during the past few months, causing a steady decline in surface water and groundwater levels.

The drought watch calls for a voluntary 5 percent reduction in non-essential water use, and puts large water consumers on notice to begin planning for the possibility of reduced water supplies. A drought warning asks residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 10-15 percent.

Pennsylvania American Water joins state officials in urging customers in the following drought warning counties to voluntarily reduce water use by 10-15 percent:

In the following drought watch counties, customers are urged to voluntarily reduce non-essential water use by 5 percent:

“We want to reinforce DEP’s request that homeowners and businesses do what they can to voluntarily reduce water consumption during this drought situation,” said Daniel Hufton, senior director of production for Pennsylvania American Water. “Conservation measures by customers will help us maintain adequate water supply until we get relief with more precipitation this fall and winter.”

Pennsylvania American Water offers the following tips for conserving water inside your home:

• Install water-saving showerheads and faucet aerators in your sinks.
• Shorten showers to 7-10 minutes.
• Turn off the water while brushing teeth.
• Run only full loads in your dishwasher.
• Rinse produce in a basin rather than under running water.
• Keep water in the refrigerator to avoid running water from a faucet until it is cold.
• Adjust the water level on your washing machine to match the size of your load.
• Check your toilets for leaks

Pennsylvania American Water, a wholly owned 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 2.2 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.