UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

OR

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from             to            

Commission file number: 001-34028

AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	51-0063696
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1 Water Street, Camden, NJ 08102-1658

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(856) 955-4001

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share	AWK	New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.     Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☒	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☐
		Emerging growth company	☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

Common Stock, $0.01 par value—$20,390,800,000 as of June 30, 2020 (solely for purposes of calculating this aggregate market value, American Water has defined its affiliates to include (i) those persons who were, as of June 30, 2020, its executive officers, directors or known beneficial owners of more than 10% of its common stock, and (ii) such other persons who were deemed, as of June 30, 2020, to be controlled by, or under common control with, American Water or any of the persons described in clause (i) above).

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock as of the latest practicable date: Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share—181,439,255 shares as of February 19, 2021.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the American Water Works Company, Inc. definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

		Page
Forward-Looking Statements		1
	Part I
Item 1.	Business	4
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	25
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	40
Item 2.	Properties	40
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	40
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	47
	Part II
Item 5.	Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	48
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data	48
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	49
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	75
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	77
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	130
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	130
Item 9B.	Other Information	130
	Part III
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers of the Registrant and Corporate Governance	131
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	131
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	131
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence	131
Item 14.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services	131
	Part IV
Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules	132
Exhibit Index		132
Signatures		137

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in Item 1—Business, Item 1A—Risk Factors, and Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and in other sections of this Form 10-K, or incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words with prospective meanings such as “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “predict,” “project,” “propose,” “assume,” “forecast,” “likely,” “uncertain,” “outlook,” “future,” “pending,” “goal,” “objective,” “potential,” “continue,” “seek to,” “may,” “can,” “should,” “will” and “could” or the negative of such terms or other variations or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements may relate to, among other things: the Company’s future financial performance, liquidity and cash flows; rate and revenue adjustments, including through general rate case filings, filings for infrastructure surcharges and other governmental agency authorizations and filings to address regulatory lag; growth and portfolio optimization strategies, including the timing and outcome of pending or future acquisition activity, the completion of the announced sale of the Company’s New York subsidiary and the amount of proceeds anticipated to be received therefrom; the ability of the Company’s California subsidiary to obtain adequate alternative water supplies in lieu of diversions from the Carmel River; the amount and allocation of projected capital expenditures and related funding requirements; the Company’s ability to repay or refinance debt; the ability to execute its current and long-term business, operational and capital expenditures strategies; its ability to finance current operations, capital expenditures and growth initiatives by accessing the debt and equity capital markets; the outcome and impact on the Company of governmental and regulatory proceedings and related potential fines, penalties and other sanctions; the ability to complete, and the timing and efficacy of, the design, development, implementation and improvement of technology and other strategic initiatives; the impacts to the Company of the current pandemic health event resulting from the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”); the ability to capitalize on existing or future utility privatization opportunities; trends in the industries in which the Company operates, including macro trends with respect to the Company’s efforts related to customer, technology and work execution; regulatory, legislative, tax policy or legal developments; and impacts that future significant tax legislation may have on the Company and on its business, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Forward-looking statements are predictions based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding future events. They are not guarantees or assurances of any outcomes, financial results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon them. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company’s actual results may vary materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements included herein as a result of the factors discussed under Item 1A—Risk Factors, and the following important factors:

•the decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise or lower customer rates and regulatory responses to the COVID-19 pandemic;

•the timeliness and outcome of regulatory commissions’ and other authorities’ actions concerning rates, capital structure, authorized return on equity, capital investment, system acquisitions and dispositions, taxes, permitting, water supply and management, and other decisions;

•changes in customer demand for, and patterns of use of, water, such as may result from conservation efforts, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, or otherwise;

•limitations on the availability of the Company’s water supplies or sources of water, or restrictions on its use thereof, resulting from allocation rights, governmental or regulatory requirements and restrictions, drought, overuse or other factors;

•a loss of one or more large industrial or commercial customers due to adverse economic conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic, or other factors;

•changes in laws, governmental regulations and policies, including with respect to environmental, health and safety, consumer and data privacy, water quality and water quality accountability, contaminants of emerging concern, public utility and tax regulations and policies, and impacts resulting from U.S., state and local elections and changes in federal, state and local executive administrations;

•weather conditions and events, climate variability patterns, and natural disasters, including drought or abnormally high rainfall, prolonged and abnormal ice or freezing conditions, strong winds, coastal and intercoastal flooding, pandemics (including COVID-19) and epidemics, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, electrical storms, sinkholes and solar flares;

•the outcome of litigation and similar governmental and regulatory proceedings, investigations or actions;

•the risks associated with the Company’s aging infrastructure, and its ability to appropriately improve the resiliency of or maintain and replace, current or future infrastructure and systems, including its technology and other assets, and manage

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the expansion of its businesses;

•exposure or infiltration of the Company’s technology and critical infrastructure systems, including the disclosure of sensitive, personal or confidential information contained therein, through physical or cyber attacks or other means;

•the Company’s ability to obtain permits and other approvals for projects and construction of various water and wastewater facilities;

•changes in the Company’s capital requirements;

•the Company’s ability to control operating expenses and to achieve operating efficiencies;

•the intentional or unintentional actions of a third party, including contamination of the Company’s water supplies or the water provided to its customers;

•the Company’s ability to obtain adequate and cost-effective supplies of equipment (including personal protective equipment), chemicals, electricity, fuel, water and other raw materials;

•the Company’s ability to successfully meet growth projections for the Regulated Businesses and the Market-Based Businesses (each as defined in this Form 10-K), either individually or in the aggregate, and capitalize on growth opportunities, including, among other things, with respect to:

•acquiring, closing and successfully integrating regulated operations and market-based businesses;

•entering into contracts and other agreements with, or otherwise obtaining, new customers or partnerships in the Market-Based Businesses; and

•realizing anticipated benefits and synergies from new acquisitions;

•risks and uncertainties associated with contracting with the U.S. government, including ongoing compliance with applicable government procurement and security regulations;

•cost overruns relating to improvements in or the expansion of the Company’s operations;

•the Company’s ability to successfully develop and implement new technologies and to protect related intellectual property;

•the Company’s ability to maintain safe work sites;

•the Company’s exposure to liabilities related to environmental laws and similar matters resulting from, among other things, water and wastewater service provided to customers;

•changes in general economic, political, business and financial market conditions, including without limitation conditions and collateral consequences associated with the current pandemic health event resulting from COVID-19;

•access to sufficient debt and/or equity capital on satisfactory terms and when and as needed to support operations and capital expenditures;

•fluctuations in interest rates;

•ability to comply with affirmative or negative covenants in the current or future indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or the issuance of new or modified credit ratings or outlooks by credit rating agencies with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or any current or future indebtedness thereof), which could increase financing costs or funding requirements and affect the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ ability to issue, repay or redeem debt, pay dividends or make distributions;

•fluctuations in the value of benefit plan assets and liabilities that could increase the Company’s cost and funding requirements;

•changes in federal or state general, income and other tax laws, including (i) future significant tax legislation, (ii) further rules, regulations, interpretations and guidance by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and state or local taxing authorities (collectively, the “Related Interpretations”) related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “TCJA”), (iii) the availability of, or the Company’s compliance with, the terms of applicable tax credits and tax abatement programs, and (iv) the Company’s ability to utilize its U.S. federal and state income tax net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards;

•migration of customers into or out of the Company’s service territories;

•the use by municipalities of the power of eminent domain or other authority to condemn the systems of one or more of the Company’s utility subsidiaries, or the assertion by private landowners of similar rights against such utility subsidiaries;

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•any difficulty or inability to obtain insurance for the Company, its inability to obtain insurance at acceptable rates and on acceptable terms and conditions, or its inability to obtain reimbursement under existing or future insurance programs and coverages for any losses sustained;

•the incurrence of impairment charges related to the Company’s goodwill or other assets;

•labor actions, including work stoppages and strikes;

•the Company’s ability to retain and attract qualified employees;

•civil disturbances or unrest, or terrorist threats or acts, or public apprehension about future disturbances, unrest, or terrorist threats or acts; and

•the impact of new, and changes to existing, accounting standards.

These forward-looking statements are qualified by, and should be read together with, the risks and uncertainties set forth above and the risk factors included in Item 1A—Risk Factors and other statements contained in this Form 10-K, and readers should refer to such risks, uncertainties and risk factors in evaluating such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements the Company makes shall speak only as of the date this Form 10-K was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Except as required by the federal securities laws, the Company does not have any obligation, and it specifically disclaims any undertaking or intention, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors. Furthermore, it may not be possible to assess the impact of any such factor on the Company’s businesses, either viewed independently or together, or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

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PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

The Company

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse, publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company in the United States, as measured by both operating revenues and population served. A holding company originally incorporated in Delaware in 1936, the Company employs approximately 7,000 professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 15 million people in 46 states. The Company conducts the majority of its business through regulated utilities that provide water and wastewater services, collectively presented as the “Regulated Businesses.” The Company also operates market-based businesses that provide complementary services. Individually, these businesses do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), and are collectively presented as the “Market-Based Businesses,” which is consistent with how management assesses the results of these businesses.

Throughout this Form 10-K, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” and “American Water” mean American Water Works Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries, taken together as a whole. References to “parent company” mean American Water Works Company, Inc., without its subsidiaries.

Regulated Businesses

The Company’s primary business involves the ownership of utilities that provide water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service and sale for resale customers. The Company’s utilities operate in over 1,700 communities in 16 states in the United States, with 3.5 million active customers in its water and wastewater networks. Services provided by the Company’s utilities are subject to regulation by multiple state utility commissions or other entities engaged in utility regulation, collectively referred to as public utility commissions (“PUCs”). Federal, state and local governments also regulate environmental, health and safety, and water quality and water accountability matters. The Company reports the results of the services provided by its utilities in the Regulated Businesses segment. Operating revenues for the Regulated Businesses were $3,255 million for 2020, $3,094 million for 2019 and $2,984 million for 2018, accounting for 86%, 86% and 87%, respectively, of the Company’s total operating revenues for the same periods.

Presented in the table below is a geographic summary of the Regulated Businesses’ operating revenues and the number of customers the Company serves, by type of service, for and as of the year ended December 31, 2020:

	Operating Revenues (in millions)								Number of Customers (in thousands)
	Water (a)		Wastewater		Total		% of Total		Water	Wastewater	Total	% of Total
New Jersey	$	753	$	43	$	796	24.5	%	657	55	712	20.4	%
Pennsylvania	663		70		733		22.5	%	673	77	750	21.6	%
Missouri	335		11		346		10.6	%	472	15	487	13.9	%
Illinois	293		32		325		10.0	%	292	68	360	10.3	%
California	247		3		250		7.7	%	183	3	186	5.3	%
Indiana	234		2		236		7.3	%	318	2	320	9.2	%
West Virginia	164		1		165		5.1	%	168	1	169	4.8	%
Total—Top Seven States (b)	2,689		162		2,851		87.7	%	2,763	221	2,984	85.5	%
Other (c)	381		23		404		12.3	%	481	31	512	14.5	%
Total Regulated Businesses	$	3,070	$	185	$	3,255	100.0	%	3,244	252	3,496	100.0	%

(a)Includes other operating revenues consisting primarily of miscellaneous utility charges, fees and rents.

(b)The Company’s “Top Seven States” are determined based upon operating revenues.

(c)Includes the Company’s utility operations in the following states: Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Tennessee and Virginia and other revenue attributable collectively to the Regulated Businesses.

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Customers

The Company’s Regulated Businesses have a large and geographically diverse customer base. A customer is defined as a person, business, municipality or any other entity that purchases the Company’s water or wastewater services as of the last business day of a reporting period. One single customer may purchase the Company’s services for use by multiple individuals or businesses. Examples of these customers are homes, apartment complexes, businesses and governmental entities.

The vast majority of the Company’s regulated water customers are metered, which allows the Company to measure and bill for its customers’ water usage, typically on a monthly basis. The Company employs a variety of methods of customer meter reading to monitor consumption. These methods range from meters with mechanical registers where consumption is manually recorded by meter readers, to meters with electronic registers capable of transmitting consumption data to proximity devices or via radio frequency to mobile or fixed network data collectors. The Company’s wastewater customers are billed either a flat rate or based upon their water consumption.

Residential customers make up a substantial portion of the Company’s customer base in all of the states in which it operates. The Company also serves (i) commercial customers, such as food and beverage providers, commercial property developers and proprietors, and energy suppliers, (ii) fire service customers, where the Company supplies water through its distribution systems to public fire hydrants for firefighting purposes and to private fire customers for use in fire suppression systems in office buildings and other facilities, (iii) industrial customers, such as large-scale manufacturers, mining and production operations, (iv) public authorities, such as government buildings and other public sector facilities, including schools and universities, and (v) other utilities and community water and wastewater systems in the form of bulk contracts for the supply of water or the treatment of wastewater for their own customers.

The following chart depicts the allocation of the Company’s Regulated Businesses’ operating revenue of $3,255 million by type, including a breakout of the total water services revenues by class of customer, for the year ended December 31, 2020:

(a)Includes water revenues from public authorities and other utilities and community water systems under bulk contracts.

(b)Includes other operating revenues consisting primarily of miscellaneous utility charges, fees and rents.

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Presented in the table below is the number of water and wastewater customers the Company served by class as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, which represents approximately 15 million people served as of December 31, 2020:

	2020		2019		2018
(In thousands)	Water	Wastewater	Water	Wastewater	Water	Wastewater
Residential	2,948	236	2,914	215	2,892	188
Commercial	225	15	222	13	222	11
Fire service	50	—	49	—	48	—
Industrial	4	—	4	—	4	—
Public and other (a)	17	1	16	1	16	1
Total	3,244	252	3,205	229	3,182	200

(a)    Includes public authorities and other utilities and community water and wastewater systems under bulk contracts. Bulk contracts, which are accounted for as a single customer in the table above, generally result in service to multiple customers.

Customer growth in the Company’s Regulated Businesses is primarily from (i) adding new customers to its customer base through acquisitions of water and/or wastewater utility systems, (ii) population growth in its authorized service areas, and (iii) sale of water to other water utilities and community water systems.

Capital Investment

The Company plans to invest between $22 billion and $25 billion over the next 10 years, including acquisitions, for capital improvements to its Regulated Businesses’ water and wastewater infrastructure, largely for pipe replacement and upgrading aging water and wastewater treatment facilities. The Company has proactively improved its pipe renewal rate from a 250-year replacement cycle in 2009 to an expected 110-year replacement cycle by 2025, which it anticipates will enable the Company to replace nearly 2,200 miles of mains and collection pipes between 2021 and 2025. In addition, from 2021 to 2025, the Company’s capital investment in treatment plants, storage tanks and other key, above-ground facilities is expected to increase, further addressing infrastructure renewal, resiliency, water quality, operational efficiency, technology and innovation, and emerging regulatory compliance needs. Additionally, the Company continues to invest significantly in resiliency projects to address the impacts of climate and weather variability by hardening its assets. Recently completed projects include a $15 million emergency power generation system installation at New Jersey’s Raritan Millstone Water Treatment Plant which provides automated standby power in the event of a power failure, and $23 million and $27 million Water Treatment Plant Improvement projects to retire obsolete pumping and water treatment facilities located in 100-year floodplains in both Muncie and Richmond, Indiana, respectively.

Regulation and Rate Making

The operations of the Company’s Regulated Businesses are generally subject to regulation by PUCs in the states in which they operate, with the primary responsibility of the PUCs being the promotion of the overall public interest by balancing the interest of customers and utility investors. Specific authority might differ from state to state, but in most states, PUCs review and approve rates charged to customers, accounting treatments, long-term financing programs and cost of capital, operation and maintenance (“O&M”) expenses, capital expenditures, taxes, affiliated transactions and relationships, reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, and dispositions, along with imposing certain penalties or granting certain incentives. Regulatory policies vary from state to state and can change over time. These policies will affect the timing, as well as the extent, of recovery of expenses and the realized return on invested capital.

Periodic changes in customer rates generally occur through the filing of a rate case by the utility with the PUC. The timing of rate case filings is typically determined by either periodic requirements in the regulatory jurisdiction or by the utility’s need to increase its revenue requirement to recover capital investment costs, changes in operating revenues, operating costs or other market conditions. The Company attempts to minimize “regulatory lag,” which is the time between the occurrence of an event that triggers a change in the utility’s revenue requirement and the recognition in rates of that change.

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The Company’s Regulated Businesses support regulatory practices at the PUCs and state legislatures that mitigate the adverse impact of regulatory lag. Presented in the table below are examples of approved regulatory practices:

Regulatory Practices	Description	States Allowed
Infrastructure replacement surcharge mechanisms	Allows rates to change periodically, outside a general rate case proceeding, to reflect recovery of capital investments made to replace infrastructure necessary to sustain safe and reliable services for the Company’s customers. These mechanisms typically involve periodic filings and reviews to ensure transparency.	IA, IL, IN, KY, MO, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV
Future test year	A “test year” is a period used for setting rates, and a future test year describes the first 12 months that new rates are proposed to be effective. The use of a future test year allows current or projected revenues, expenses and capital investments to be collected on a more timely basis.	CA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KY, NY, PA, TN, VA
Hybrid test year	A historical test year sets rates using data from a 12-month period that ends prior to a general rate case filing. A hybrid test year allows an update to historical data for “known and measurable” changes that occur subsequent to the historical test year.	MD, MO, NJ, WV
Utility plant recovery mechanisms	Allows recovery of the full return on utility plant costs during the construction period, instead of capitalizing an allowance for funds used during construction (“AFUDC”). In addition, some states allow the utility to seek pre-approval of certain capital projects and associated costs. In this pre-approval process, the PUC may assess the prudency of such projects.	CA, IL, KY, NY, PA, TN, VA
Expense mechanisms	Allows changes in certain operating expenses, which may fluctuate based on conditions beyond the utility’s control, to be recovered outside of a general rate case proceeding or deferred until the next general rate case proceeding.	CA, IL, MD, MO, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA
Revenue stability mechanisms	Adjusts rates periodically to ensure that a utility recovers the revenues authorized in its general rate case, regardless of sales volume, including recognition of declining sales resulting from reduced consumption, while providing an incentive for customers to use water more efficiently.	CA, IL, NY
Consolidated tariffs	Use of a unified rate structure for water systems owned and operated by a single utility, which may or may not be physically interconnected. The consolidated tariff pricing structure may be used fully or partially in a state, and is generally used to moderate the price impact of periodic fluctuations in local costs, while lowering administrative costs for customers. Pennsylvania also permits a blending of water and wastewater revenue requirements.	CA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MO, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV
Deferred accounting	A regulators’ willingness to defer recognition of financial impacts when setting rates for utilities.	All

The Company pursues enhancements to these regulatory practices to facilitate efficient recovery of its costs and capital investments and to continue to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable services to its customers. The ability to seek regulatory treatment using the regulatory practices described above does not guarantee that the PUCs will accept the Company’s proposal in the context of a particular rate case, and these regulatory practices may reduce, but not eliminate, regulatory lag associated with traditional rate making processes. It is also the Company’s strategy to expand the use of these mechanisms in areas where they may not currently apply and enhance certain mechanisms where they already exist.

Acquisitions and Strategic Growth

The U.S. water and wastewater industries include investor-owned systems as well as municipal systems that are owned and operated by local governments or governmental subdivisions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), as of 2017, approximately 84% of the water market is served by municipal systems and approximately 98% of the country’s wastewater systems are government owned. The EPA also estimates, as of 2017, that there are approximately 50,000 community water systems and approximately 15,000 community wastewater systems in the United States, with approximately 80% of the community water systems serving a population of 3,000 or less.

A fundamental aspect of the Company’s growth strategy is to pursue acquisitions of water and/or wastewater systems in geographic proximity to areas where the Company operates its Regulated Businesses. The proximity of acquisition opportunities to the Company’s regulated footprint allows it to integrate and manage the acquired systems and operations primarily using the Company’s existing management (although the Company typically retains the majority, if not all, of the employees of the acquired systems) and to achieve operational efficiencies and prioritize capital investment needs. The Company’s current customer mix of 93% water and 7% wastewater also presents strategic opportunities for wastewater growth and systems consolidation, allowing the Company to add wastewater customers where it already serves water customers. The Company intends to continue to expand its regulated footprint geographically by acquiring water and wastewater systems in its existing markets and, if appropriate, pursuing acquisition opportunities in certain domestic markets where the Company does not currently operate its Regulated Businesses. Before entering new regulated markets, the Company will evaluate the business and regulatory climates to ensure that it will have the opportunity to achieve an appropriate rate of return on its investment while maintaining its high standards for providing safe, reliable and affordable services to its customers, as well as a line of sight to grow the Company’s base customers to attain efficiencies after entering the new domestic market.

Increasingly stringent environmental, health and safety, and water quality and water accountability regulations, the amount of infrastructure in need of significant capital investment, financial challenges and industry legislation are several elements, among others, that may drive more municipalities to consider selling their water and wastewater assets.

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Sale of New York American Water Company, Inc.

On November 20, 2019, the Company and the Company’s New York subsidiary entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”) with Liberty Utilities Co. which it subsequently assigned to its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary Liberty Utilities (Eastern Water Holdings) Corp. (“Liberty”), pursuant to which Liberty will purchase all of the capital stock of the New York subsidiary (the “Stock Purchase”) for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $608 million in cash, subject to adjustment as provided in the Stock Purchase Agreement. The Company’s regulated New York operations have approximately 125,000 customers in the State of New York. Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., Liberty’s ultimate parent company, executed and delivered an absolute and unconditional guaranty of the performance of the obligations of Liberty under the Stock Purchase Agreement. The Stock Purchase is subject to various conditions, including obtaining approvals and satisfying or waiving other closing conditions. The Stock Purchase Agreement has an initial termination date of June 30, 2021. Either party may extend the agreement beyond June 30, 2021, and the Company intends to extend the agreement, if necessary, provided all of the conditions to closing have been or are capable of being met, other than obtaining regulatory approvals. If not otherwise extended, the ultimate termination date is December 31, 2021. Liberty may also terminate the Stock Purchase Agreement if any governmental authority initiates a condemnation or eminent domain proceeding against a majority of the consolidated properties of the New York subsidiary, taken as a whole.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Governor of New York proposed legislation that, among other things, requires the New York State Department of Public Service (“NYSDPS”) to study whether private water suppliers should be placed under municipal control. On February 3, 2021, the Governor issued a press release announcing that he directed the NYSDPS Special Counsel to commence and lead a municipalization feasibility study to be completed by April 1, 2021. Meanwhile, the Company’s New York subsidiary continues to work constructively with the NYSDPS and is taking the actions necessary to complete the Stock Purchase. Subject to satisfying or waiving the various conditions to closing, and assuming no prior termination of the Stock Purchase Agreement by Liberty as described above, the Company remains confident that the Stock Purchase will be completed, though the date of the close of the transaction could be impacted by the timing of the work to be completed by the NYSDPS Special Counsel.

Industry Legislation

In 2017, New Jersey enacted the Water Quality Accountability Act (the “WQAA”), which sets operational standards for all water utilities in New Jersey, including municipal and investor-owned utilities with more than 500 service connections. This law imposes requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, asset management, water quality reporting, remediation of notices of violation, and hydrant and valve maintenance. The WQAA requires the most senior water manager, or either the executive director for municipal utility authorities or the mayor or chief executive officer for municipally owned public water systems, to certify that the system meets the requirements under the WQAA. In an effort to strengthen accountability under the WQAA, the New Jersey Senate held three hearings on the WQAA during 2020. The New Jersey Assembly has also heard legislation to strengthen the WQAA in one committee, and referral to the Assembly Appropriations Committee is pending.

The Company’s regulated subsidiaries in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia have access to fair market value legislation for private sector investment in public sector water and wastewater systems. The Company supports full optionality for municipalities, including state legislation that enables the consolidation of the largely fragmented water and wastewater industries through third-party fair market valuations of purchased property. Fair market value assessment of water and wastewater systems is an alternative to the traditional depreciated original cost method of valuation, which allows the Company to offer municipalities a purchase price for their system assets that is reflective of the assets’ fair market value, while providing the Company with increased opportunity to recover the purchase price over the life of the purchased system assets, subject to PUC approval.

In 2020, legislation in Indiana was passed that created an appraisal process to establish fair value for non-municipal utilities and a presumption that a purchase price not exceeding the appraised value is reasonable. That legislation also requires that all new municipal water and wastewater systems are subject to the jurisdiction of the utility regulatory commission for ten years. Separate legislation authorizes recovery for above ground infrastructure, without a full rate case, for service enhancements that are completed for health, safety or environmental concerns. That same legislation also removed relocations completed for road construction from the distribution system improvement charge recovery caps.

Consolidated tariffs use a unified rate structure for systems owned and operated by a single utility, which may or may not be physically interconnected. Consolidated tariff pricing moderates the impact of periodic fluctuations in local costs and promotes a more universal water infrastructure investment in a state. As a result, consolidated tariffs can make it easier to incorporate new systems into an existing utility, support economies of scale for even the smallest of systems and prioritize capital needs across the state. Overall, the Company believes that consolidated tariffs bring cost-effective, high quality services to a larger number of customers. Twelve of the Company’s regulated jurisdictions currently have some form of consolidated tariff pricing, including California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

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In 2020, legislation in West Virginia was passed that allows for expanded asset valuation in connection with the acquisition of a utility or utility assets, combined water and wastewater revenue requirements and the expansion of permitted uses by municipalities of proceeds from the sale of a water or wastewater system. The legislation also allows inclusion of contributed property in a system’s asset valuation and rate base recognition for the full purchase price approved by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.

In December 2020, Congress passed and the President signed into law a $900 billion COVID-19 relief and $1.4 trillion U.S. government appropriations package for 2021, which included $638 million for a low-income water assistance program and $2.8 billion for capitalization grants under the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The Company is awaiting further guidance on the distribution of these funds.

Competition

The Company’s Regulated Businesses generally do not face direct competition in their existing markets because (i) the Company operates in those markets pursuant to franchises, charters, certificates of public convenience and necessity or similar authorizations (collectively, “CPCNs”) issued by state PUCs or other authorities, and (ii) the high cost of constructing a new water and wastewater system in an existing market creates a significant barrier to market entry. However, the Company’s Regulated Businesses do face competition from governmental agencies, other investor-owned utilities, large industrial customers with the ability to provide their own water supply/treatment process and strategic buyers that are entering new markets and/or making strategic acquisitions. When pursuing acquisitions, the Company’s largest investor-owned competitors, based on a comparison of operating revenues and population served, include Essential Utilities, Inc. (formerly known as Aqua America, Inc.), Suez North America, American States Water Company and California Water Service Group. From time to time, the Company also faces competition from infrastructure funds, multi-utility companies and others, such as Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp., Eversource Energy and Corix.

Condemnation and Eminent Domain

All or portions of the Regulated Businesses’ utility assets could be acquired by state, municipal or other government entities through one or more of the following methods: (i) eminent domain (also known as condemnation); (ii) the right of purchase given or reserved by a municipality or political subdivision when the original CPCN was granted; and (iii) the right of purchase given or reserved under the law of the state in which the utility subsidiary was incorporated or from which it received its CPCN. The acquisition consideration related to such a proceeding initiated by a local government may be determined consistent with applicable eminent domain law, or may be negotiated or fixed by appraisers as prescribed by the law of the state or in the particular CPCN.

As such, the Regulated Businesses are periodically subject to condemnation proceedings in the ordinary course of business. For example, a citizens group in Monterey, California successfully added “Measure J” to the November 2018 election ballot asking voters to decide whether the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (the “MPWMD”) should conduct a feasibility study concerning the potential purchase of the Monterey water service system assets (the “Monterey system assets”) of the Company’s California subsidiary, and, if feasible, to proceed with a purchase of those assets without an additional public vote. This service territory represents approximately 40,000 customers. In November 2018, Measure J was certified to have passed. In August 2019, the MPWMD’s General Manager issued a report that recommends that the MPWMD board (1) develop criteria to determine which water systems should be considered for acquisition; (2) examine the feasibility of acquiring the Monterey system assets and consider public ownership of smaller systems only if the MPWMD becomes the owner of a larger system; (3) evaluate whether the acquisition of the Monterey system assets by the MPWMD is in the public interest and sufficiently satisfies the criterion of “feasible” as provided in Measure J; (4) ensure there is significant potential for cost savings before agreeing to commence an acquisition; and (5) develop more fully alternate operating plans before deciding whether to consider a Resolution of Necessity.

In November 2019, the MPWMD issued a preliminary valuation and cost of service analysis report, finding in part that (1) an estimate of the Monterey system assets’ total value plus adjustments would be approximately $513 million, (2) the cost of service modeling results indicate significant annual reductions in revenue requirements and projected monthly water bills, and (3) the acquisition of the Monterey system assets by the MPWMD would be economically feasible. On June 12, 2020, the MPWMD issued a draft environmental impact report for the potential acquisition of the Monterey system assets and a related district boundary adjustment that would be required if the MPWMD were to acquire and operate certain of the Monterey system assets located outside the MPWMD’s boundaries. On September 15, 2020, the MPWMD gave notice of its intention to appraise the Monterey system assets and related property interests. On September 29, 2020, the Company’s California subsidiary declined to make the Monterey system assets and related property interests available for inspection or to comply with any of the other requests contained in the MPWMD’s notice. On October 7, 2020, the MPWMD issued a final environmental impact report (“FEIR”), and on November 4, 2020, the MPWMD certified the FEIR, which purports to analyze the environmental impacts of the MPWMD’s project to (1) acquire the Monterey system assets through the power of eminent domain, if necessary, and (2) expand its geographic boundaries to include all parts of this system. On November 25, 2020, the Company’s California subsidiary filed a petition challenging this certification in court. See Item 3—Legal Proceedings—Challenge of Certification—Proposed Monterey System Final Environmental Impact Report.

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The MPWMD will be required to file an application with the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (“LAFCO”) seeking approval to become a retail water provider and annex approximately 56 parcels of land into the MPWMD’s boundaries. Approval by LAFCO is a precondition to the MPWMD’s ability to file an eminent domain proceeding against the Company’s California subsidiary to acquire the Monterey system assets. If the MPWMD were to make a final determination that an acquisition of the Monterey system assets is feasible, it would then need to file a multi-year eminent domain proceeding against the Company’s California subsidiary. In that proceeding, it would first need to establish its right to take the Monterey system assets. If such right is established, the amount of just compensation to be paid to the California subsidiary for such assets would then need to be determined.

Also, five municipalities in the Chicago, Illinois area (approximately 30,300 customers in total) formed a water agency and filed an eminent domain lawsuit against the Company’s Illinois subsidiary in January 2013, seeking to condemn the water pipeline that serves those five municipalities. Before filing its eminent domain lawsuit, the water agency made an offer of $38 million for the pipeline. The parties have filed with the court updated valuation reports. Although the date of the valuation trial is not currently scheduled, it is not likely to commence until the second quarter of 2021.

Furthermore, the law in certain jurisdictions in which the Regulated Businesses operate provides for eminent domain rights allowing private property owners to file a lawsuit to seek just compensation against a public utility, if a public utility’s infrastructure has been determined to be a substantial cause of damage to that property. In these actions, the plaintiff would not have to prove that the public utility acted negligently. In California, lawsuits have been filed in connection with large-scale natural events such as wildfires. Some of these lawsuits have included allegations that infrastructure of certain utilities triggered the natural event that resulted in damage to the property. In some cases, the PUC has allowed certain costs or losses incurred by the utility to be recovered from customers in rates, but in other cases such recovery in rates has been disallowed. Also, the utility may have obtained insurance that could respond to some or all of such losses, although the utility would be at risk for any losses not ultimately subject to rate or insurance recovery or losses that exceed the limits of such insurance.

Water Supply and Wastewater Services

The Company’s Regulated Businesses generally own the physical assets used to store, pump, treat and deliver water to its customers and collect, treat, transport and recycle wastewater. Typically, the Company does not own the water, which is held in public trust and is allocated to the Company through contracts, permits and allocation rights granted by federal and state or multi-state agencies or through the ownership of water rights pursuant to local law. The Company is dependent on defined sources of water supply and obtains its water supply from surface water sources such as reservoirs, lakes, rivers and streams; from groundwater sources, such as wells and aquifers; and water purchased from third-party water suppliers. The level of water treatment the Company applies varies significantly depending upon the quality of the water source and customer stipulations. Surface water sources typically generally require significant treatment, while groundwater sources often require chemical treatment only.

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Presented in the chart below are the Company’s sources of water supply as of December 31, 2020:

Presented in the table below are the percentages of water supply by source type for the Company’s Top Seven States for the year ended December 31, 2020:

	Surface Water	Ground Water	Purchased Water
New Jersey	72%	24%	4%
Pennsylvania	91%	7%	2%
Missouri	78%	21%	1%
Illinois	54%	35%	11%
California	—	62%	38%
Indiana	44%	56%	—
West Virginia	100%	—	—

The Company’s ability to meet the existing and future water demands of its customers depends on an adequate water supply. Drought, governmental restrictions, overuse of sources of water, the protection of threatened species or habitats, contamination or other factors may limit the availability of ground and surface water. The Company employs a variety of measures in an effort to obtain adequate sources of water supply, both in the short-term and over the long-term. The geographic diversity of the Company’s service areas may mitigate some of the economic effects on the water supply associated with weather extremes it might encounter in any particular service territory. For example, in any given summer, some areas may experience drier than average weather, which may reduce the amount of source water available, while other areas the Company serves may experience wetter than average weather.

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The Company evaluates quality, quantity, growth needs and alternate sources of water supply as well as transmission and distribution capacity to provide water service to its customers. Water supply is seasonal in nature and weather conditions can have a pronounced effect on supply. In order to ensure that the Company has adequate water supply, it uses long-term planning processes and maintains contingency plans to minimize the potential impact on service caused by climate variability and a wide range of weather fluctuations. In connection with supply planning for most surface or groundwater sources, the Company employs models to determine safe yields under different rainfall and drought conditions. Surface and ground water levels are routinely monitored so that supply capacity deficits may, to the extent possible, be predicted and mitigated through demand management and additional supply development. An example of the Company’s use of long-term planning to ensure that it has adequate water supply is its involvement in the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (the “Water Supply Project”) in California. The Water Supply Project includes the construction of a desalination plant, to be owned by the Company’s California subsidiary, and the construction of wells that would supply water to the desalination plant. In addition, the Water Supply Project also includes the California subsidiary’s purchase of water from a groundwater replenishment project (the “GWR Project”) between Monterey One Water (formerly known as the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency) and the MPWMD. The Water Supply Project is intended, among other things, to fulfill obligations of the California subsidiary to eliminate unauthorized diversions from the Carmel River as required under orders of the California State Water Resources Control Board (the “SWRCB”). For more information, see Item 3—Legal Proceedings—Alternative Water Supply in Lieu of Carmel River Diversions and Note 17—Commitments and Contingencies—Contingencies—Alternative Water Supply in Lieu of Carmel River Diversions, in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Wastewater services involve the collection of wastewater from customers’ premises through sewer lines. The wastewater is then transported through a sewer network to a treatment facility, where it is treated to meet required regulatory standards for wastewater before being returned to the environment. The solid waste by-product of the treatment process is disposed of or recycled in accordance with applicable standards and regulations.

Seasonality

Customer demand for the Company’s water service is affected by weather and tends to vary with temperature and amount and frequency of rainfall. Customer demand is generally greater during the warmer months, primarily due to increased water usage for irrigation systems and other outdoor water use. As such, the Company typically expects its operating revenues to be the highest in the third quarter of each year. Weather that is hotter and/or drier than average generally increases operating revenues, whereas, weather that is cooler and/or wetter than average generally serves to suppress customer water demand and can reduce water operating revenues. Three of the Company’s jurisdictions, California, Illinois and New York, have adopted revenue stability mechanisms which permit the Company to collect state PUC-authorized revenue for a given period which is not tied to the volume of water sold during that period, thereby lessening the impact of weather variability. See Regulated Businesses—Regulation and Rate Making for additional information regarding revenue stability mechanisms.

Market-Based Businesses

The Company’s Market-Based Businesses provide home services primarily to residential and smaller commercial customers and water and wastewater services to the U.S. government on military installations, as well as municipalities, and utility customers. These businesses are not subject to regulation by state PUCs and the services provided generally do not require significant capital investment. Operating revenues for the Company’s Market-Based Businesses were $540 million for 2020, $539 million for 2019 and $476 million for 2018, accounting for 14%, 15% and 14%, respectively, of the Company’s total operating revenues for the same periods.

The Company’s primary Market-Based Businesses include the following operating segments:

•Homeowner Services Group (“HOS”), which provides various warranty protection programs and other home services to residential customers;

•Military Services Group (“MSG”), which enters into long-term contracts with the U.S. government to provide water and wastewater services on various military installations.

The Company also has five contracts with municipal customers to operate and manage water and wastewater facilities and provide other related services through its Contract Services Group (“CSG”).

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Homeowner Services Group

The Company’s Homeowner Services Group, which includes the operations of Pivotal Home Solutions (“Pivotal”) acquired in June 2018, provides warranty protection programs and other home services to residential customers for interior and exterior water and sewer lines, interior gas and electric lines, heating and cooling systems, water heaters and other home appliances, as well as power surge protection and other related services. The Company develops partnerships with municipalities, utilities and other organizations to offer protection programs to customers serviced by, or affiliated with, those municipalities, utilities and organizations. The term of these partnership agreements with the municipalities, utilities and other organizations is typically three to five years, with mutual optional renewals. As of December 31, 2020, HOS had approximately 3 million customer contracts in 43 states.

Military Services Group

The Company’s Military Services Group operates on 17 military installations under 50-year contracts with the U.S. government as part of its Utilities Privatization Program. The scope of these contracts generally includes the operation and maintenance of the installation’s water and wastewater systems and a capital program focused on asset replacement and, in certain instances, systems expansion. The replacement of assets assumed when a contract is awarded to MSG is completed either through a discrete set of projects executed in the first five years of the contract or through the long term recapitalization program performed over the life of the contract. Traditionally, both of these programs are funded from the contract fee. At times, new assets are required to support the installation’s mission, and the construction of these assets is funded by the U.S. government as separate modifications or amendments to the contract. The capital for these assets historically has not been funded through the Company’s debt or equity issuances; rather, the Company has used limited working capital for short-term needs under these contracts. In April 2018, the U.S. Army instituted a requirement that a bidder must offer financing in its proposal for these new capital projects under existing contracts, but the U.S. Army’s implementation of this requirement on existing contracts has limited the need for such financing. However, recent U.S. Army and Navy Utilities Privatization solicitations have included requirements for the successful bidder to finance discrete initial capital projects over either a five- or ten-year period after project completion. Three of MSG’s current contracts require such capital project financing, which the Company is currently addressing through internal sources of liquidity.

The contract price for six of MSG’s contracts with the U.S. government is subject to redetermination two years after commencement of operations, and every three years thereafter. Price redetermination is a contract mechanism to periodically adjust the service fee in the next period, to reflect changes in contract obligations and anticipated market conditions. The remaining 11 contracts with the U.S. government are subject to annual price adjustments under a mechanism called “Economic Price Adjustment.” All 17 contracts could be terminated, in whole or in part, prior to the end of the 50-year term for convenience of the U.S. government, or as a result of default or non-performance by the MSG subsidiary performing the contract. In either event, pursuant to termination provisions applicable to all of these contracts, MSG would be entitled to recover allowable costs that it may have incurred under the contract, plus the contract profit margin on incurred costs. MSG’s backlog of revenue associated with its contracts with the U.S. government is approximately $6.2 billion, with an average remaining contract term of 41 years.

Competition

The Company’s Market-Based Businesses face competition from a number of service providers, including HomeServe USA and Cinch Home Services in HOS, and American States Water Company, Suez North America, and Veolia Environnement S.A. in MSG.

Environmental, Health and Safety, Water Quality and Other Regulation

The Company’s water and wastewater operations, including the services provided by both its Regulated Businesses and Market-Based Businesses, are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the protection of the environment, health and safety, the provision of water and wastewater services, particularly with respect to the quality of water the Company delivers to its customers, and the manner in which it collects, treats, discharges, recycles and disposes of wastewater. In the United States, these regulations are developed under federal legislation including the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, and under a variety of applicable state laws. Environmental, health and safety, and water quality regulations are complex and may vary from state to state in those instances where a state has adopted a standard that is more stringent than the federal standard. For example, while the EPA has issued a non-enforceable Health Advisory for the combined level of two perfluorinated compounds (perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was the first state agency to establish a standard for perfluorononanoic acid, or PFNA, in 2018 and has since established maximum containment levels for PFOA and PFOS, with implementation occurring in January 2021. The Company is also subject to various federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the storage of hazardous materials, the management and disposal of hazardous and solid wastes, discharges to air and water, the cleanup of contaminated sites, dam safety and other matters relating to the protection of the environment and health and safety. PUCs also set conditions and standards for the water and wastewater services the Company delivers.

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The Company maintains an environmental program that includes responsible business practices focused on compliance with environmental laws and regulations and the effective use of natural resources, recognizing that drinking water standards have generally, over time, increased in number and become increasingly more stringent. As newer or stricter standards are introduced, the Company’s capital and operating costs needed to comply with them will likely increase. The Company incurs substantial costs associated with compliance with the environmental, health and safety, and water quality standards to which its operations are subject and the Company invests in technology solutions for enhanced detection and monitoring of water quality issues. The Company estimates that it will make capital expenditures of approximately $725 million over the next five years, including $155 million in 2021, for environmental control facilities, which the Company defines for this purpose as any project (or portion thereof) that involves the preservation of air, water or land. The Company believes that its operations are materially in compliance with, and in many cases surpass, minimum standards required by applicable environmental laws and regulations.

The Company’s operations also involve the use, storage and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. For example, the Company’s water and wastewater treatment facilities store and use chlorine and other chemicals that generate wastes that require proper handling and disposal under applicable environmental requirements. The Company also could incur remedial costs in connection with any contamination relating to its operations or facilities or its off-site disposal of wastes. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), authorizes the EPA, and comparable state laws authorize state environmental authorities, to issue orders and bring enforcement actions to compel responsible parties to investigate and take remedial actions at any site that is determined to present an actual or potential threat to human health or the environment because of an actual or threatened release of one or more hazardous substances. Parties that generated or transported hazardous substances to such sites, as well as current and former owners and operators of such sites, may be deemed liable, without regard to fault, under CERCLA or comparable state laws. Although the Company is not aware of any material cleanup or decontamination obligations, the discovery of contamination or the imposition of such obligations in the future could result in additional costs to the Company. The Company’s facilities and operations are also subject to requirements under the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act and inspections thereunder.

Safe Drinking Water Act

The Safe Drinking Water Act and related regulations establish national quality standards for drinking water. The EPA has issued rules governing the levels of numerous, naturally occurring and man-made chemical and microbial contaminants and radionuclides allowable in drinking water, and continues to propose new rules. These rules also prescribe testing requirements for detecting regulated contaminants, the treatment systems that may be used for removing those contaminants, and other requirements. To date, the EPA has set standards for over 90 contaminants and water quality indicators for drinking water, and there is a process in place to make a regulatory determination on at least five additional compounds every five years.

To help formulate the basis for future regulations, the EPA has the authority to require monitoring for additional, unregulated contaminants under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (the “Monitoring Rule”). The Company’s facilities have participated in the data gathering effort for the Monitoring Rule in previous rounds, which occurs every five years, including the fourth round that concluded at the end of 2020. There are millions of other chemical compounds that are not regulated, many of which lack a testing methodology, occurrence data, health effects information and/or cost effective treatment options. The process of developing new drinking water standards is long and complex, but the Company actively participates with the EPA and other water industry groups by sharing research and water quality operational knowledge. See Research and Development—Contaminants of Emerging Concern for additional information.

To effect the removal or inactivation of microbial contaminants, the EPA has established various rules to improve the disinfection and filtration of drinking water and to reduce consumers’ exposure to disinfectants and/or the by-products of their use in the disinfection process. Examples of these rules are the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (the “Long-Term 2 Rule”), the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule, and the Ground Water Rule, which is applicable to systems providing water from underground sources. In 2016, the revised Total Coliform Rule implemented a “find and fix” process where exceeding bacterial trigger levels requires an assessment to correct any sanitary defects. The Company is within the EPA’s time frame for compliance with all of these standards, which includes sample collection, data analysis, and, in some instances engineering planning and implementation of treatment enhancements. Recent monitoring as required by the Long-Term 2 Rule has indicated that approximately 30 of the Company’s surface water systems have recently completed or need to implement additional disinfection protection mechanisms against Cryptosporidium. In many cases, this will involve installing ultraviolet light disinfection systems, and although several plants have already completed assessments and upgrades, an estimated $150 million to $250 million of investment will still be required to upgrade the remaining facilities for Cryptosporidium disinfection. Further, the EPA is actively considering regulations for a number of contaminants, including strontium, hexavalent chromium, fluoride, nitrosamines, some pharmaceuticals and certain volatile organic compounds. The Company does not anticipate that any such regulations, if enacted, will require implementation in 2021.

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The Company conducted over ten million water quality and turbidity tests in 2020 at its laboratory facilities and plant operations, including continuous online instrumentations such as monitoring turbidity levels, disinfectant residuals and adjustments to chemical treatment based on changes in incoming water. The Company participates in the Partnership for Safe Water, the EPA’s voluntary program to meet more stringent goals for reducing microbial contaminants. With 68 of the Company’s 79 surface water treatment plants receiving the EPA program’s prestigious “Director” award, which recognizes utilities that (i) have completed a comprehensive self-assessment report, (ii) created an action plan for continuous improvement, and (iii) produced high-quality drinking water, the Company accounts for approximately one-third of the plants receiving such awards nationwide. In addition, 66 of the Company’s surface water treatment plants have received the “Five-Year Phase III” award, 61 plants have received the “Ten-Year Phase III” award, 57 plants have received the “Fifteen-Year Phase III” award, and 26 plants have received the “Twenty-Year Phase III” award; these awards recognize plants that have met the Director award status for five, 10, 15 and 20 years, respectively. Further, nine of the Company’s surface water plants have received the “Presidents” award, which recognizes treatment plants that achieve the Partnership’s rigorous individual filter effluent turbidity standards.

Although it is difficult to project the ultimate costs of complying with the above or other pending or future requirements, the Company expects current cost requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act and other similar laws to be recoverable through the regulatory process and therefore compliance costs are not expected to have a material impact on its operations or financial condition. In addition, capital expenditures and operating costs to comply with environmental mandates have been traditionally recognized by PUCs as appropriate for inclusion in establishing rates. As a result, the Company expects to recover the operating and capital costs resulting from these pending or future requirements.

Lead and Copper Rule and Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act

In 1991, the EPA published the Lead and Copper Rule (“LCR”) to control lead and copper in drinking water and, since that time, has issued minor revisions in 2000, 2004 and 2007, enhancing monitoring, reporting and public education requirements. In 2011, Congress enacted the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act regarding the use and introduction into commerce of lead pipes, plumbing fittings for fixtures, solder and flux. While these advances have made an impact in reducing lead exposure in drinking water, legacy lead plumbing materials, primarily in building plumbing, still remain in many communities. The failure of certain water systems in the United States to comply with the requirements of the LCR has received recent media attention and scrutiny, and in certain cases, has led to a number of investigations and the imposition of significant penalties and sanctions against the operators of those systems and others. As part of its ongoing water main replacement and service line renewal projects, the Company has started to replace lead service lines (“LSLs”) in accordance with current scientific guidance. Also, the Company utilizes appropriate corrosion control techniques as necessary to comply with current water quality regulatory requirements. The EPA finalized revisions to the LCR (the “Revised LCR”) on January 15, 2021 that are designed to provide more effective protection of public health by reducing exposure to lead and copper in drinking water. The Company is in the process of reviewing the Revised LCR and will be developing an implementation strategy to comply with the new requirements, which are mandated by January 2024. Capital expenditures and operating costs associated with compliance with any of these rule revisions cannot be presently determined until the Company’s review of the new rule is completed, but, as previously noted, costs associated with compliance with federal water quality regulations have been traditionally recognized by PUCs as appropriate for inclusion in establishing rates.

The Company currently estimates that less than 5% of the service lines within its regulated service territories contain lead on either the Company or customer portion of the service line. The Company is replacing LSLs as part of its ongoing water main replacement and service line renewal projects. The Company’s goal is to work with the communities it currently serves to replace a significant majority of presently known LSLs in most of its service areas by the end of 2030, at an estimated cost ranging from $600 million to $1.2 billion. The Company believes this will be attainable for most of its service areas where public policy is supportive of this goal. With regard to future acquisitions, the Company will work with those communities as part of the acquisition process to set LSL removal goals appropriate for those systems. The prioritization of LSL removal is dependent on several factors, including the Company’s planned water main and service line renewal projects, adjacent projects by municipalities or other utilities, LCR compliance monitoring results, and cooperation with its customers with respect to replacing the customer-owned portion of the LSL as necessary. In certain cases, these and other factors may result in a shorter or longer time frame for replacement. Because replacing the external LSL in its entirety is advised by several water industry organizations including the U.S. National Drinking Water Advisory Council, the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative, and the American Water Works Association, the Company’s preferred approach is to replace the entire external LSL if lead is found on either the Company or customer portion of the service line; full LSL replacement is also consistent with the Revised LCR. The Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative is a diverse group of public health, water utility, environmental, labor, consumer and housing organizations from across the country working together to encourage communities to accelerate the full replacement of LSLs through collaborative efforts at the local level.

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Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act regulates discharges from drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities into lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater. In addition to requirements applicable to the Company’s wastewater collection systems, its operations require discharge permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permit program established under the Clean Water Act, which must be renewed every five years. Pursuant to the NPDES permit program, the EPA and implementing states set maximum discharge limits for wastewater effluents and overflows from wastewater collection systems. Discharges that exceed the limits specified under NPDES permits can lead to the imposition of fines and penalties, and persistent non-compliance could lead to significant fines and penalties and other compliance costs. In addition, the difficulty of obtaining and complying with NPDES permits, and renewing expiring permits, may impose time and cost burdens on the Company’s operations. From time to time, discharge violations occur at the Company’s facilities, some of which result in fines. The Company does not expect any such violations or fines to have a material impact on its results of operations or financial condition.

Research and Development

The Company’s Research and Development Program

The Company maintains an industry-leading research and development (“R&D”) program that is designed to enhance its services, support its compliance activities, improve service quality and operational effectiveness, and provide environmental leadership. For more than three decades from its inception, American Water’s R&D program has evolved into an industry-leading effort and has achieved numerous advancements in the science of drinking water, wastewater, and desalination. Through laboratory and industry resources and the team’s expertise, efforts are focused on contaminants of emerging concern, including but not limited to COVID-19, PFAS, Legionella, cyanotoxin-forming algal blooms, a variety of pathogens (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, enteric viruses, and various bacteria), microbial indicators and disinfection byproducts. The Company’s R&D personnel are located at the Company’s corporate headquarters and at two laboratory testing facilities in New Jersey and Illinois, the latter housing its quality control and testing laboratory, which supports the Company’s R&D activities through testing and analysis.

The Company continues to leverage its expertise and collaborates with the EPA and state agencies to help establish effective environmental, health and safety, and water quality standards and regulations. This relationship includes the sharing of the Company’s research, such as its treatment and distribution system optimization research and its national water quality monitoring data. The Company’s engagement with the EPA provides it with early insight into emerging regulatory issues and initiatives, thereby allowing the Company to anticipate and to accommodate its future compliance requirements. The Company also frequently engages with the Centers for Disease Control, other state environmental agencies, and national and international water research foundations. The Company believes that continued R&D activities are critical for providing safe, reliable and affordable services, as well as maintaining its leadership position in the industry, which provides the Company with a competitive advantage as it seeks business and operational growth.

Contaminants of Emerging Concern

Contaminants of emerging concern include numerous chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, herbicides, endocrine disrupting compounds and industrial chemicals, as well as certain naturally occurring microbes, such as bacteria, viruses and parasites, which have been detected in drinking water supplies, for which the risk to the public’s health is not fully understood and/or has not been assessed. Technological advances have only recently made it possible to detect many of these contaminants at trace levels. The ability to detect contaminants, even at trace levels, has invited discussion about these contaminants among regulators and government agencies, which in turn shapes the public’s perception of drinking water quality.

The Chemicals Abstract Service Registry contains over 173 million registered chemicals, with an estimated 1,400 species of disease-causing microbes that can affect humans. The Company is continually investigating new substances and contaminants, employing a team of scientists, engineers and public health professionals to identify threats to its water supply, to act on emerging regulations and new health advisories, and to evaluate the benefits of alternative or advanced treatment technologies. The Company utilizes water quality testing equipment and implements new and emerging technologies to help detect potential water supply contamination issues. Examples of the Company’s efforts include:

•monitoring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on environmental virus loads and removal efforts through wastewater systems;

•characterizing factors that contribute to the formation of potentially carcinogenic disinfection by-products to define best practices for their mitigation;

•using its research findings to communicate information to its customers regarding potential actions to limit occurrences of Legionella in their buildings; in this regard, the Centers for Disease Control statistics indicate that water-associated disease from Legionella is on the rise, with exposure typically associated with customer-owned plumbing systems in large buildings;

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•defining a framework to support management or possible future regulation of opportunistic pathogens;

•using innovative ultrasonic technologies to detect and manage algal blooms to help prevent taste and odor events and cyanotoxins before they get to the water treatment plant;

•monitoring of taste and odor issues that impact customer satisfaction using expanded analytical methods to detect compounds, and recommending treatment practices;

•implementing water source assessment tools, including sensors and data analytics, to evaluate and track chemical storage and aid in the identification of source water contamination events;

•developing methodology and measurement techniques for contaminants of emerging concern to investigate transport, occurrence and treatment; and

•implementing activated carbon, biofiltration and ion exchange mechanisms to seek to control contaminants of emerging concern.

Service Company and Security

American Water Works Service Company, Inc. (“Service Company”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company that provides support and operational services to the Company and its affiliates. These services are predominantly provided to the Company’s Regulated Businesses under contracts that have been approved by PUCs, where necessary, and are also provided to its Market-Based Businesses as requested or may otherwise be necessary. Services provided by Service Company may include accounting and finance, administration, business development, communications, compliance, education and training, engineering, health and safety, human resources, information systems, internal audit, investor relations, legal and governance, operations, procurement, R&D, rates and regulatory support, security, risk management and insurance, treasury, and water quality. Service Company also operates two national customer service centers located in Alton, Illinois and Pensacola, Florida, which provide customer relations, field service and operational support to the Company’s Regulated Businesses. Services are provided by Service Company at cost, enabling the Company’s operating subsidiaries to fulfill their responsibilities in a cost-effective manner, while providing them access to in-depth, functional expertise.

The Company’s security team provides oversight and policy guidance on physical, cyber and information security, as well as business continuity, throughout its operations. It is responsible for designing, implementing, monitoring and supporting effective physical and technical security controls for the Company’s physical assets, business systems and operational technologies. Risk assessments are conducted periodically to evaluate the effectiveness of existing security controls and serve as the basis for additional safeguards, security controls and measures. Operational and technical security controls are deployed and integrated as safeguards against unauthorized access to the Company’s information systems. These controls are aimed at (i) assuring the continuity of business processes that are dependent upon automation, (ii) maintaining the integrity of the Company’s data, (iii) supporting regulatory and legislative compliance requirements, and (iv) maintaining safe and reliable service to the Company’s customers. The Company engages in partnerships with U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to coordinate and improve the security of its water delivery systems and to safeguard its water supply and operations.

Environmental, Social Responsibility and Governance

The Company considers environmental, social responsibility and governance (“ESG”) fundamental to its corporate strategy and values. Integration of these principles into the Company’s daily operations emphasizes its belief that “how” a company operates is just as important as “what” a company does. This focus is derived from the Company’s core values: (i) safety; (ii) trust; (iii) environmental leadership; (iv) teamwork; and (v) high performance, which are the principles by which it operates. The Company’s vision and values drive its company strategy, which is centered on five central themes:

•Safety—The safety of the Company’s employees and customers is the number one focus for American Water.

•Customers—The Company’s customers are at the center of everything it does, helping the Company to shape its strategic priorities.

•People—Maintaining an environment which is open, transparent, diverse and inclusive, and where the Company’s people feel valued, included and accountable, is critical to the Company’s ability to serve its customers every day.

•Operational Excellence—The Company’s operational excellence strategy helps it to find better and more efficient ways to do business, and to provide safe, clean and affordable water services for its customers.

•Growth—The Company believes that when companies grow, they can invest more in creating stable jobs, training, benefits, infrastructure and their communities. The Company’s growth benefits all of its stakeholders, including its shareholders.

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In 2019, the Company issued its fifth biennial Sustainability Report, covering its sustainability performance for calendar years 2018 and 2017. This report can be accessed on the Company’s website at https://amwater.com. In 2020, the Company completed a goal setting process resulting in the establishment of two new ESG goals and the clarification of its existing energy and emissions goal. The Company’s sustainability practices have supported its inclusion in the Euronext Vigeo® U.S. 50 index, FTSE4Good index series, the 2020 Constituent MSCI ESG Leaders Indexes and the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. Moreover, the Company achieved a ranking of ninth on the Corporate Knights’ 2021 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World index, among various other recognitions.

The following highlights the Company’s commitment to its ESG policies and practices:

Environmental and Sustainability Practices

•Energy and Emissions

•The Company clarified its existing goal to reduce by more than 40% its greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by 2025, from a 2007 baseline as an absolute measurement of its scope 1 (direct) emissions, and scope 2 (indirect, derived from the Company’s purchases of energy) emissions.

•The Company lowered its GHG emissions through December 31, 2019 by approximately 32% since its base year of 2007.

•The Company has designed, constructed, operated and maintained its operational assets and facilities for efficiency in energy and resource use.

•Water Efficiency and Resiliency

•The Company established a water efficiency goal to meet customer needs while saving 15% in water volume delivered per customer by 2035, compared to a 2015 baseline. The Company lowered its water delivery per customer through December 31, 2020 by 4.3% since its base year of 2015.

•The Company has further utilized a uniform water system resiliency metric, the Utility Resilience Index (“URI”), to track enhancements in the Company’s ability to prepare for, respond to, remediate and effectively manage incidents impacting its operations. The Company plans to increase its URI weighted average by 10% by 2030 from a 2020 baseline. The URI is a part of the American Water Works Association’s J-100 voluntary consensus risk and resilience standard and focuses on a utility’s ability to manage incidents affecting its customers, employees and assets, and return to normal operations as quickly as possible.

•Policy Leadership

•Approximately 8% of the Company’s total projected capital investment over the next five years is dedicated to resiliency, accounting for more than $700 million allocated to renewing and improving assets of the Regulated Businesses through a long-term asset management perspective.

•The Company supports a team of R&D scientists dedicated to partnering with water research organizations on water quality and technology-based source water monitoring.

•The Company collaborates and partners with federal and state agencies to support effective environmental, health and safety and water quality standards and regulations.

Social Responsibility

•People

•During 2020, over 100,000 hours of safety training were completed by the Company’s employees.

•The Company has made significant progress toward its zero injuries goal, reducing workplace injuries by 67% since 2015, and the Company’s 2020 safety performance was the best in its recorded history. Through year end 2020, the Company has further reduced its OSHA recordable injury rate (“ORIR”) to 0.99, approximately 81% better than the water industry average.

•During 2020, approximately 84% of the Company’s job requisitions had a diverse candidate pool, with approximately 59% of transfers or promotions filled by diverse individuals.

•During 2020, the Company established a Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer position and function.

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•Customers

•For 2020, the Company achieved a customer satisfaction rating in the top quartile among the Company’s industry peer group.

•Communities

•More than $6.5 million has been donated over the past 10 years by the Company’s employees through workplace giving campaigns with the United Way and Water For People.

•In 2020, the American Water Charitable Foundation (the “AWCF”) launched a Giving Back is Beautifully Different campaign to support the Company’s employees in giving back to organizations important to them. The AWCF’s primary focus is to support disaster relief efforts and the Company’s employees in their charitable endeavors, and to fund initiatives related to clean water, conservation, education and community sustainability

•More than $500,000 was donated in 2020 to COVID-19 related relief and recovery efforts through Company-sponsored giving and the AWCF.

Governance

•Board and Committees

•The Board of Directors and each of its standing committees are led by an independent, non-executive chairperson.

•The Board of Directors met 13 times in 2020.

•The Board of Directors reflects gender, racial and experiential diversity. As of December 31, 2020, the percentage of members on the Board of Directors representing racial or gender diversity was 54.5%.

•The Company’s average director tenure was approximately 6.2 years as of December 31, 2020.

•Demonstrated and Representative Expertise

•The members of the Company’s Board of Directors have demonstrated expertise, including experience in utility and finance operations, customer service, cybersecurity, the military, financial services and capital markets, service as a public company CEO and board member, and management of global operations.

Human Capital Resources

Overview

The Company’s people are a critical part of its business, and the Company’s investment in its people begins with recruitment of diverse talent. The Company believes that representing the communities in which it serves plays a key role in its ability to serve its customers and improves its talent. The Company promotes an inclusive culture where its employees are given the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential and understand that they directly contribute to the Company’s ability to operate, grow and serve its customers. The Company believes that investing in the health, well-being and safety of its employees is a key component of its people and culture goals, and that these investments in its people allow employees to generate great ideas, provide quality customer service and make a difference in the lives of the Company’s customers.

Employee Safety

A longstanding value and strategy of the Company is safety. In this regard, the Company continues to focus on the safety of its employees and contractors so that they may return home from work in the same, or better, condition than when they arrived. At work, safety includes both physical and emotional well-being. The Company assesses occupational health and safety to measure performance across the entire organization, with the ultimate goal of achieving zero injuries or safety incidents.

To uphold this commitment, the Company’s employees completed over 100,000 hours of employee safety training during 2020. Additionally, through frequent labor-management meetings, the Company encourages open exchanges to explore new ways to further enhance safety on the job. All employees are empowered to support safety by taking the time they need to complete a task safely and to use “Stop Work Authority” — the power to stop working immediately whenever they believe a task is unsafe — to address the hazard or issue with management. This authority is stated on the back of every employee’s identification badge.

For 2020, while the number of injuries for purposes of the Company’s Days Away Restricted or Transferred (“DART“) rate increased by 5% compared to 2019, the Company had its lowest ORIR injury rate in its recorded history, achieving a 16% reduction compared to 2019. In 2020, the Company also experienced a 2.6% decrease in labor hours compared to 2019. For 2020, the Company’s ORIR was 0.99 (63 injuries) and its DART rate was 0.63 (40 injuries), compared to a DART rate of 0.57 in 2019.

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In 2020, American Water teams led by promoting safety indicator activities, including pre-job safety briefings and near miss reporting, and by achieving internal Certified Safe Worker designations. Near miss reports, where employees report potential hazards or incidents in a safe and secure manner, increased by 51% in 2020 over 2019, and 99% of near miss incident corrective actions were completed within 30 days, meeting the Company’s 2020 goal. The Company utilizes near miss reporting and timely corrective actions as leading indicators of measuring employee engagement and safety performance.

Supporting Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, American Water has remained committed to the health, well-being, and safety of its employees, as well as their families, and its customers and communities. The Company did not lay off any employees due to the pandemic. Also, American Water provided temporary medical and emotional health benefits, including paid time off and emergency leave. The Company also supported employees and their families during the uncertainty of the pandemic by providing additional resources, such as enhanced well-being support, workplace flexibility, back-up child/elder care, sitter database discounts and academic support.

As an essential business that must continue to provide water and wastewater services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company focused on the care and safety of its employees, contractors, vendors and others who work at or visit the Company’s worksites. Furthermore, the Company has supported employee health and safety by instituting work-from-home guidelines for all non-essential employees, providing safety training and resources, pausing most work-related travel that required air, train or overnight stays, implementing social distancing, requiring the use of face coverings at work, and encouraging good hygiene and frequent hand-washing and cleaning of work areas. The Company also provided essential employees and locations with appropriate personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, as well as additional COVID-19 guidance for employees entering customer homes and businesses.

Inclusion and Diversity

The Company promotes an environment where inclusion and diversity are embedded in its culture. At all levels, the Company strives to understand, respect, value and provide equal opportunity to each employee. The Company seeks to foster an environment where employees’ differences are embraced and celebrated. The Company holds as an essential concept the right of employees to proudly share their ideas and unique perspectives in an environment built on mutual respect, equity and inclusion. The Company is committed to diversity among its workforce, executive and senior management leadership teams, by reflecting the diversity of the communities in which the Company serves. The Company expects all of its leaders to lead with inclusion and diversity.

The following graphic highlights the Company’s principal employee inclusion and diversity metrics for 2020, which for each metric was based on responses from employees who voluntarily self-reported this information to the Company.

As reflected above, diversity in the Company’s hiring pools refers only to gender, minority, disability or veteran/military status, based on self-identified employee information.

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The Company maintains active memberships with groups such as American Corporate Partners (ACP), CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, Disability:IN, Paradigm for Parity, and Out and Equal, to further enhance its ability to recruit and retain diverse employees. Among this year’s recognitions, the Company was named a 2020 Noteworthy Company by DiversityInc, a leading U.S. ranker of companies by diversity, equity and inclusion. The Company was also a top scorer on the 2020 Disability Equality Index and was recognized by U.S. Veterans Magazine as a veteran-friendly company and as an organization with a veteran-friendly supplier diversity program.

In keeping with the Company’s values, the Company does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation by or toward any employee, vendor, customer or other person in its workplace. All employees are required to complete anti-harassment, workplace respect and dignity, unconscious bias and inclusion and diversity training. In addition, annual Code of Ethics training is provided to all employees, which includes education on using the Company’s anonymous hotline for reporting potential Code of Ethics violations.

To assist these efforts, the Company has established an Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council, which oversees the formation of employee business resource groups to support the Company’s inclusion and diversity efforts. In 2019, the Company’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council launched the Inclusion and Diversity Champions Network, where employees serve as liaisons with other local workforces. Furthermore, in October 2020, the Company named its first Chief Inclusion Officer, as well as its first Director, Inclusion and Diversity, reflecting the Company’s views on the importance of inclusion and diversity.

Talent Development

The Company provides learning opportunities and work experiences to equip its employees with the tools, skills, and competencies they need to operate safely and effectively and to grow professionally. To this end, the Company has established a Talent Management Center of Expertise to help develop and deploy programs that are designed to attract, motivate, develop and retain talented employees, and foster a learning culture. The Company requires every employee, including its union-represented employees, to complete a minimum of 20 hours of training each year. All active, full-time employees hired before October 1, 2020 met this requirement for 2020, with over 350,000 hours of total training completed during the year, including approximately 100,000 hours of safety training. In addition to required role-based training, managers assist employees to identify professional development opportunities to help them reach their full potential and grow their careers. Additionally, in 2020, approximately 59% of the Company’s internal employee transfers and promotions were diverse (defined as female, minority, disability, military, military spouse, and LGBTQ+ status, based on employee self-identification), which reflects the Company’s commitment to employee development and career growth as well as the Company’s focus on inclusion and reflecting the communities in which the Company operates.

Developing talent and ensuring a pipeline to executive leadership is a critical priority for the Company. During 2020, the Company engaged in succession planning activities for the Company’s critical positions and executive leaders. These succession plans seek to promote diversity, as well as retention and development, to assist in providing continued leadership for the growth and future of the Company’s business.

Workforce Data

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had approximately 7,000 employees. For 2020, the Company’s employee turnover rate, which the Company defines as the ratio of the number of separated employees during the year to all active employees as of December 31, 2020, was 7.4%, down from 9.7% in 2019. American Water continues to seek to reduce employee turnover by establishing an inclusive culture, developing its employees, and providing competitive compensation and benefits.

As of December 31, 2020, approximately 45% of the Company’s workforce was represented by unions, which include 72 collective bargaining agreements with 14 different unions. Additionally, as of December 31, 2020, the Company is in the initial stages of negotiating five new collective bargaining agreements, which would cover approximately 400 employees. During 2021, 17 of the Company’s collective bargaining agreements will be expiring in accordance with their terms and the Company expects to be able to negotiate these agreements during the course of the year. The Company collaborates with union leadership on topics such as safety, customer, technology and employee benefits in forums such as the Joint Healthcare Committee, National Labor Management Committee, and the annual Labor Management Conference.

Information About Our Executive Officers

Presented in the table below are the name, age, offices held and business experience for each of the Company’s executive officers, as of February 24, 2021:

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Name	Age	Office and Experience
Walter J. Lynch	58	President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lynch has over 20 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. Mr. Lynch has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and a director since April 1, 2020. Mr. Lynch served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from January 2016 to March 31, 2020, and as the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Regulated Operations from February 2010 through December 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Lynch served as President of Regulated Operations from July 2008 to February 2010. Mr. Lynch joined the Company in 2001. Mr. Lynch is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Water Companies and serves as a member of its Executive Committee.
Maureen Duffy	51	Senior Vice President, Communications and External Affairs. Ms. Duffy has served as Senior Vice President, Communications and External Affairs since January 1, 2020 and has been an executive officer of the Company since June 1, 2020. Prior to that, Ms. Duffy served as Vice President, Corporate Communications and Federal Affairs from May 2017 to December 31, 2019 and Vice President, Corporate Communications and External Affairs from September 2011 to May 2017. From July 2006 to September 2011, Ms. Duffy held various positions of increasing responsibility in the Company’s internal and external corporate communications function. From November 1999 to July 2006, she held various positions with the Company’s New Jersey subsidiary, including Government Affairs/Media Specialist, Communications Manager and Director of Corporate Communications. Prior to joining American Water, Ms. Duffy reported and produced news for WNJN/WNET-TV.
M. Susan Hardwick	58	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Hardwick joined the Company on June 3, 2019 as its Executive Vice President—Finance and became its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on July 1, 2019. Ms. Hardwick previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Vectren Corporation, which was sold to CenterPoint Energy, Inc., an electric and natural gas utility, on February 1, 2019. Ms. Hardwick joined Vectren Corporation in January 2000 and served in a variety of positions, including: Vice President, Controller and Assistant Treasurer; Senior Vice President, Finance; Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer; and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Vectren, Ms. Hardwick was Assistant Corporate Comptroller at Cinergy Corp. She began her career with Arthur Andersen & Co., leaving there as a senior manager to join Cinergy Corp. Ms. Hardwick is a Certified Public Accountant. On August 13, 2020, Ms. Hardwick was elected to the Board of Directors of New Jersey Resources Corporation, a diversified energy services company, where she is currently serving a three-year term expiring in 2024, and since January 1, 2021, serves as a member of its Audit Committee.
Bruce A. Hauk	50	President, Regulated Operations and Military Services Group. Mr. Hauk has served as the Company’s President, Regulated Operations and Military Services Group since March 1, 2020. Mr. Hauk served as the President of the Company’s Illinois subsidiary from January 2015 to January 2020 and as Senior Vice President, Midwest Division from May 2018 until March 1, 2020. Prior to that, he served as the Company’s Vice President, Financial Analysis and Decisional Support from February 2014 to January 2015 and as Vice President, Operations of the Company’s Indiana subsidiary from January 2011 to February 2014. Mr. Hauk has been appointed to serve as the Company's Deputy Chief Operating Officer, effective March 1, 2021.
Melanie M. Kennedy	47	Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. Ms. Kennedy was appointed as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, effective December 10, 2020. Previously, Ms. Kennedy had served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Human Resources since March 2017. From August 2014 through February 2017, Ms. Kennedy served as Vice President, Human Resources of the Company, and from August 2012 to August 2014, she served as Director, Human Resources in the Company’s Northeast Division. Ms. Kennedy initially joined the Company in 2007, and before that time, she practiced law for nine years.
Kevin B. Kirwan	62	Senior Vice President, Chief Operational Excellence and Safety Officer. Mr. Kirwan was appointed as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Operational Excellence and Safety Officer, effective March 1, 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Kirwan served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Environmental and Operational Excellence Officer since February 2019. From November 2017 to February 2019, he served as the Company’s Vice President of Operational Excellence. From July 2016 to November 2017, he served as Vice President, Operations for the Company’s New Jersey subsidiary, and prior to that, he held the role of Senior Director, Operations for the subsidiary’s Coastal Region. Mr. Kirwan initially joined the Company in 1985.

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Name	Age	Office and Experience
James S. Merante	46	Vice President and Treasurer. Mr. Merante was appointed as the Company’s Vice President and Treasurer in February 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Merante was Vice President, Internal Audit from February 2018 to February 2019, and served as Divisional Chief Financial Officer for the Company’s Mid-Atlantic Division from July 2014 until February 2018. Mr. Merante is licensed as Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania.
Adam Noble	55	Chief Technology and Innovation Officer. Mr. Noble joined the Company effective August 31, 2020 as its Chief Technology and Innovation Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Noble served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Veritiv Corporation, a North American business-to-business distributor of packaging and facility solutions, since June 2019. Previously, Mr. Noble served as Senior Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at GAF Materials Corporation, a global manufacturing company, from May 2010 to March 2019, and as its Vice President and Chief Information Officer from May 2006 to April 2010. Mr. Noble has over 30 years of collective experience in the information technology sector.
Cheryl Norton	56	Senior Vice President, Chief Environmental Officer, and Senior Vice President, Eastern Division. Ms. Norton has over 30 years of employment with the Company serving in various roles, including operational leadership, environmental stewardship, laboratory management and research. She has served as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Chief Environmental Officer since March 1, 2020. She was also appointed as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Eastern Division and President of its New Jersey subsidiary in March 2019 and continues to serve in these roles. Prior to that, Ms. Norton served as President of the Company’s Missouri subsidiary from November 2015 to March 2019, and President of its Kentucky subsidiary from January 2011 until November 2015. In addition, Ms. Norton also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Water Research Foundation. Ms. Norton has been appointed to serve as the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective March 1, 2021.
Michael A. Sgro	62	Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Mr. Sgro has over 25 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. He has served as the Company’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel since January 2016 and as its Secretary from January 2015 to February 17, 2021. He served as the Company’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel from February 2015 until January 2016, as its Interim General Counsel from January 2015 until February 2015, and as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company’s Northeast Division from 2002 to 2015.
William Varley	63	Chief Growth Officer. Mr. Varley was appointed as the Company’s Chief Growth Officer and an executive officer effective June 1, 2020. Following a brief retirement from the Company in April 2019 after approximately 19 years of employment, Mr. Varley served as a consultant to the Company’s New York subsidiary for approximately three months beginning in March 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Varley held the Deputy Chief Operating Officer role from April 2018 until April 2019, where he developed and mentored the Company’s divisional leads and state presidents and led the customer service organization. Prior to that, from February 2017 to April 2018, Mr. Varley served as Senior Vice President of the Company’s Midwest Division. From January 2014 to February 2017, Mr. Varley served as Senior Vice President of the Company’s Northeast Division and President of its New Jersey subsidiary. Mr. Varley had also been President of the Company’s New York subsidiary, a position he held from 2007 until his transition to the Northeast Division.
Melissa K. Wikle	55	Vice President and Controller. Ms. Wikle joined the Company in July 2016 as its Vice President and Controller, and assumed the duties of the Company’s principal accounting officer in August 2016. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Wikle served as Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of Columbus McKinnon Corporation, a publicly-traded worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products, systems and services, since April 2011. Ms. Wikle is a Certified Public Accountant.

Each executive officer is elected annually by the Board of Directors and serves until his or her respective successor has been elected and qualified or his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

Available Information

The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company files or furnishes annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Readers may obtain a copy of the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or its current reports on Form 8-K, or any amendments to them, that are filed with or furnished to the SEC, free of charge, from the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, https://ir.amwater.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company files or furnishes the information to the SEC.

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The Company maintains a website at https://amwater.com. Information contained on the Company’s website shall not be deemed incorporated into, or to be a part of, this report, and any website references included herein are not intended to be made through active hyperlinks. The Company recognizes its website as a key channel of distribution to reach public investors and as a means of disclosing information to comply with SEC Regulation FD.

The American Water corporate governance guidelines and the charters for each of the standing committees of the Board of Directors, together with the American Water Code of Ethics and additional information regarding the Company’s corporate governance, are available on its Investor Relations website, https://ir.amwater.com, and will be made available, without charge, in print to any shareholder who requests such documents from its Investor Relations Department, American Water Works Company, Inc., 1 Water Street, Camden, NJ, 08102.

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ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

We operate in a market and regulatory environment that involves significant risks, many of which are beyond our control. In addition to the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K, the following material factors should be considered in evaluating our business and future prospects. Any of the following risks, either alone or taken together, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Risks Related to Our Industry and Business Operations

Our utility operations are subject to extensive regulation by state PUCs and other regulatory agencies, which significantly affects our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Our utility operations also may be subject to fines, penalties and other sanctions for an inability to meet these regulatory requirements.

Our Regulated Businesses provide water and wastewater services to our customers through subsidiaries that are subject to regulation by state PUCs. This regulation affects the rates we charge our customers and has a significant impact on our business and operations. Generally, the state PUCs authorize us to charge rates that they determine are sufficient to recover our prudently incurred operating expenses, including, but not limited to, operating and maintenance costs, depreciation, financing costs and taxes, and provide us with the opportunity to earn an appropriate rate of return on invested capital.

Our ability to successfully implement our business plan and strategy depends on the rates authorized by the various state PUCs. We periodically file rate increase applications with state PUCs. The ensuing administrative process may be lengthy and costly. Our rate increase requests may or may not be approved, or may be partially approved, and any approval may not occur in a timely manner. Moreover, a PUC may not approve a rate request to an extent that is sufficient to:

•cover our expenses, including purchased water and costs of chemicals, fuel and other commodities used in our operations;

•enable us to recover our investment; and

•provide us with an opportunity to earn an appropriate rate of return on our investment.

Approval of the PUCs is also required in connection with other aspects of our utilities’ operations. Some state PUCs are empowered to impose financial penalties, fines and other sanctions for non-compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Our utilities are also required to have numerous permits, approvals and certificates from the PUCs that regulate their businesses and authorize acquisitions, dispositions, debt and/or equity financing, and, in certain cases, affiliated transactions. Although we believe that each utility subsidiary has obtained or sought renewal of the material permits, approvals and certificates necessary for its existing operations, we are unable to predict the impact that future regulatory activities may have on our business.

The current COVID-19 pandemic may limit or curtail significantly or entirely the ability of PUCs to approve or authorize applications and other requests we may make with respect to our Regulated Businesses, including without limitation any or all types of approvals described above, as PUCs and their staffs seek to reduce, delay or streamline proceedings and other activities. PUCs and other governmental authorities have taken, and may continue to take, emergency or other actions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that may impact us, including prohibiting the termination of service for non-payment during the current COVID-19 pandemic and extending or delaying procedural schedules in our regulatory proceedings. At this time, we are unable to predict the range of impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic and other related events may have on our ability to obtain these approvals as needed or requested by the Regulated Businesses in the ordinary course or at all, or the nature of any further emergency or other action that may be taken by the PUCs or other governmental authorities.

In any of these cases, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity may be adversely affected. Even if the rates approved are sufficient, we face the risk that we will not achieve the rates of return on our invested capital to the extent permitted by state PUCs. This could occur if certain conditions exist, including, but not limited to, water usage less than the level anticipated in establishing rates, customers increase their conservation efforts, or we experience negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, or if our investments or expenses prove to be higher than the levels estimated in establishing rates.

Our operations and the quality of water we supply are subject to extensive and increasingly stringent environmental, water quality and health and safety laws and regulations, including with respect to contaminants of emerging concern, compliance with which could impact both our operating costs and capital expenditures, and violations of which could subject us to substantial liabilities and costs, as well as damage to our reputation.

Our regulated water and wastewater operations and the operations of our Market-Based Businesses are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations. These requirements include, among others, CERCLA, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the LCR, and other federal and state requirements. For example, state PUCs and environmental regulators set conditions and standards for the water and wastewater services we deliver. If we deliver water or wastewater services to our customers

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that do not comply with regulatory standards, or otherwise violate environmental laws, regulations or permits, or other health and safety and water quality regulations, we could incur substantial fines, penalties or other sanctions or costs, as well as damage to our reputation. In the most serious cases, regulators could reduce requested rate increases or force us to discontinue operations and sell our operating assets to another utility or to a municipality. Given the nature of our business which, in part, involves providing water service for human consumption, any potential non-compliance with, or violation of, environmental, water quality and health and safety laws or regulations would likely pose a more significant risk to us than to a company not similarly involved in the water and wastewater industry.

In addition, CERCLA authorizes the EPA to issue orders and bring enforcement actions to compel responsible parties to investigate and take remedial actions with respect to actual or threatened releases of hazardous substances, and can impose joint and several liability, without regard to fault, on responsible parties for the costs thereof. We are also required to obtain various environmental permits from regulatory agencies for our operations.

We incur substantial operating and capital costs on an ongoing basis to comply with environmental, water quality and health and safety laws and regulations. These laws and regulations and their enforcement, have become more stringent over time, and new or stricter requirements could increase our costs. Although we may seek to recover ongoing compliance costs in our Regulated Businesses through customer rates, there can be no guarantee that the various state PUCs or similar regulatory bodies that govern our Regulated Businesses would approve rate increases that would enable us to recover such costs or that such costs will not materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

We may also incur liabilities if, under environmental laws and regulations, we are required to investigate and clean up environmental contamination, including potential releases of hazardous chemicals, such as chlorine, which we use to treat water, or at off-site locations where we have disposed of waste or caused an adverse environmental impact. The discovery of previously unknown conditions, or the imposition of cleanup obligations in the future, could result in significant costs and could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity. Such remediation costs may not be covered by insurance and may make it difficult for us to secure insurance at acceptable rates in the future.

Attention is being given to contaminants of emerging concern, including, without limitation, chemicals and other substances that currently do not have any regulatory standard in drinking water or have been recently created or discovered (including by means of scientific achievements in the analysis and detection of trace amounts of substances). Examples of sources of contaminants include, but are not limited to, newly created chemical compounds (including, for example, manufactured nanomaterials); human and veterinary products; perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds; bacteria, microbes, viruses (including the current novel coronavirus), amoebae and other pathogens; and residual by-products of disinfection. We rely upon governmental agencies to set appropriate regulatory standards to protect the public from these and other contaminants, and our role is to provide service that meets these standards, if any. In some of our states, PUCs may disapprove of cost recovery, in whole or in part, for implementation of treatment infrastructure for a contaminant in the absence of a regulatory standard. Furthermore, given the rapid pace at which these contaminants are being created and/or discovered, we may not be able to detect and/or mitigate all such substances in our drinking water system or supplies, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and reputation. In addition, we believe these contaminants may form the basis for additional or increased federal or state regulatory initiatives and requirements in the future, which could significantly increase the cost of our operations.

Limitations on availability of water supplies or restrictions on our use of water supplies as a result of government regulation or action may adversely affect our access to sources of water, our ability to supply water to customers or the demand for our water services.

Our ability to meet the existing and future demand of our customers depends on the availability of an adequate supply of water. As a general rule, sources of public water supply, including rivers, lakes, streams, groundwater aquifers and recycled water sources, are held in the public trust and are not generally owned by private interests. As a result, we typically do not own the water that we use in our operations, and the availability of our water supply is established through allocation rights (determined by legislation or court decisions) and passing-flow requirements set by governmental entities or by entering into water purchase agreements. These requirements, which can change from time to time, and vary by state or region, may adversely impact our water supply. Supply issues, such as drought, overuse of sources of water, the protection of threatened species or habitats, contamination or other factors may limit the availability of ground and surface water. If we are unable to secure available or alternative sources of water, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.

For example, in our Monterey County, California operations, we are seeking to augment our sources of water supply, principally to comply with an October 2009 cease and desist order (the “2009 Order”), as amended by a July 2016 order (the “2016 Order”), of the SWRCB that requires our California subsidiary to significantly decrease its diversions from the Carmel River in accordance with a reduction schedule that terminates on December 31, 2021 (the “2021 Deadline”). See Item 3—Legal Proceedings—Alternative Water Supply in Lieu of Carmel River Diversions, which includes additional information regarding this matter. We are

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also required to augment our Monterey County sources of water supply to comply with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. We cannot predict whether our California subsidiary will be able to secure alternative sources of water, or if it will be able to meet the 2021 Deadline or the diversion reduction and other remaining requirements under the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order. Failure by our California subsidiary to comply with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order in whole or in part, or the 2021 Deadline, may result in material additional costs or obligations, including fines and penalties, which could have a material adverse effect upon us and our business, results of operations and cash flows.

Service disruptions caused by severe weather conditions, climate variability patterns or natural or other disasters may disrupt our operations or reduce the demand for our water services, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Service interruptions due to severe weather, climate variability patterns and natural or other events are possible across all our businesses. These include, among other things, storms, freezing conditions, high wind conditions, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, landslides, drought, wildfires, coastal and intercoastal floods or high water conditions, including those in or near designated flood plains, pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic) and epidemics, severe electrical storms, sinkholes and solar flares. Weather and other natural events such as these may affect the condition or operability of our facilities, limiting or preventing us from delivering water or wastewater services to our customers, or requiring us to make substantial capital expenditures to repair any damage. Tariffs in place or cost recovery proceedings with respect to our Regulated Businesses may not provide reimbursement to us, in whole or in part, for any of these impacts.

Government restrictions on water use may also result in decreased use of water services, even if our water supplies are sufficient to serve our customers, which may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Seasonal drought conditions that may impact our water services are possible across all of our service areas. Governmental restrictions imposed in response to a drought may apply to all systems within a region independent of the supply adequacy of any individual system. Responses may range from voluntary to mandatory water use restrictions, rationing restrictions, water conservation regulations, and requirements to minimize water system leaks. While expenses incurred in implementing water conservation and rationing plans may generally be recoverable provided the relevant PUC determines they were reasonable and prudent, we cannot assure that any such expenses incurred will, in fact, be fully recovered. Moreover, reductions in water consumption, including those resulting from installation of equipment or changed consumer behavior, may persist even after drought restrictions are repealed and the drought has ended, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Climate variability may cause increased volatility in weather and may impact water usage and related revenue or require additional expenditures, all of which may not be fully recoverable in rates or otherwise.

The issue of climate variability is receiving increasing attention nationally and worldwide. Some scientific experts are predicting a worsening of weather volatility in the future associated with climate variability. Many climate variability predictions, if true, present several potential challenges to water and wastewater utilities, including us, such as:

•increased frequency and duration of droughts;

•increased precipitation and flooding;

•increased frequency and severity of storms and other weather events;

•challenges associated with changes in temperature or increases in ocean levels;

•potential degradation of water quality;

•decreases in available water supply and changes in water usage patterns;

•increases in disruptions in service;

•increased costs to repair damaged facilities; or

•increased costs to reduce risks associated with the increasing frequency of natural events, including to improve the resiliency and reliability of our water and wastewater treatment and conveyance facilities and systems.

Because of the uncertainty of weather volatility related to climate variability, we cannot predict its potential impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity. Furthermore, laws and regulations have been enacted that seek to reduce or limit GHG emissions and require additional reporting and monitoring, and these regulations may become more pervasive or stringent in light of changing governmental agendas and priorities, although the exact nature and timing of these changes is uncertain. Although some or all potential expenditures and costs associated with the impact of climate variability and related laws and regulations on our Regulated Businesses could be recovered through rates, infrastructure replacement surcharges or other regulatory mechanisms, there can be no assurance that state PUCs would authorize rate increases to enable us to recover such expenditures and costs, in whole or in part.

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The current regulatory rate setting process may result in a significant delay, also known as “regulatory lag,” from the time that we invest in infrastructure improvements, incur increased operating expenses or experience declining water usage, to the time at which we can seek to address these events in rate case applications; our inability to mitigate or minimize regulatory lag could adversely affect our business.

There is typically a delay, known as “regulatory lag,” between the time one of our regulated subsidiaries makes a capital investment or incurs an operating expense increase and the time when those costs are reflected in rates. In addition, billings permitted by state PUCs typically are, to a considerable extent, based on the volume of water usage in addition to a minimum base rate. Thus, we may experience regulatory lag between the time our revenues are affected by declining usage and the time we are able to adjust the rate per gallon of usage to address declining usage. Our inability to mitigate or reduce regulatory lag could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

We endeavor to mitigate or reduce regulatory lag by pursuing constructive regulatory practices. For example, three of our states have approved revenue stability mechanisms that adjust rates periodically to ensure that a utility’s revenue will be sufficient to cover its costs regardless of sales volume, including recognition of declining sales resulting from reduced consumption, while providing an incentive for customers to use water more efficiently. In addition, 11 of our state PUCs permit rates to be adjusted outside of the general rate case application process through surcharges that address certain capital investments, such as replacement of aging infrastructure. These surcharges are adjusted periodically based on factors such as project completion or future budgeted expenditures, and specific surcharges are eliminated once the related capital investment is incorporated in new PUC approved rates. Furthermore, in setting rates, ten of our state PUCs allow us to use future test years, which extend beyond the date a rate request is filed to allow for current or projected revenues, expenses and investments to be reflected in rates on a more timely basis. Other examples of such regulatory practices include expense mechanisms that allow us to increase rates for certain cost increases that are beyond our control, such as purchased water costs, property or other taxes, or power, conservation, chemical or other expenditures. These mechanisms enable us to adjust rates in less time after costs have been incurred than would be the case under a general rate case application process without the mechanisms.

While these mechanisms have mitigated or reduced regulatory lag in several of our regulated states, we continue to seek expansion of regulatory practices to mitigate or reduce regulatory lag in those jurisdictions that have not approved them. Furthermore, PUCs may fail to adopt new surcharges and existing mechanisms may not continue in their current form, or at all, or we may be unable or become ineligible to continue to utilize certain of these mechanisms in the future. Although we intend to continue our efforts to expand state PUC approval of surcharges to address issues of regulatory lag, our efforts may not be successful, or even if successful they may not completely address our regulatory lag, in which case our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity may be materially and adversely affected.

Changes in laws and regulations can significantly and materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

New legislation, regulations, government policies or court decisions, including, without limitation with respect to federal and state income and other tax laws, can materially affect our operations, results of operations and cash flows. Certain of the individuals who serve as regulators are elected or political appointees. Therefore, elections which result in a change of political administration or new appointments may also result in changes of certain of the individuals who serve as regulators and the policies of the regulatory agencies that they serve. New laws or regulations, new interpretations of existing laws or regulations, changes in agency policy, including those made in response to shifts in public opinion, or conditions imposed during the regulatory hearing process could have the following consequences, among others:

•making it more difficult for us to increase our rates and, as a consequence, to recover our costs or earn our expected rates of return;

•changing the determination of the costs, or the amount of costs, that would be considered recoverable in rate cases and other regulatory proceedings;

•restricting our ability to terminate our services to customers who owe us money for services previously provided or limiting our bill collection efforts;

•requiring us to provide water or wastewater services at reduced rates to certain customers;

•limiting or restricting our ability to acquire water or wastewater systems, purchase or dispose of assets, or issue long-term debt or equity, or making it less cost-effective for us to do so;

•negatively impacting, among other things: (i) tax rates or positions or the deductibility of expenses under federal or state tax laws, (ii) the availability or amount of, or our ability to comply with the terms and conditions of, tax credits or tax abatement benefit, (iii) the amount of taxes owed, (iv) the timing of tax effects on rates or (v) the ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards;

•changing regulations that affect the benefits we expected to receive when we began offering services in a particular area;

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•increasing the associated costs of, or difficulty complying with, environmental, health, safety, consumer privacy, water quality, and water quality accountability laws and regulations to which our operations are subject;

•changing or placing additional limitations on change in control requirements relating to any concentration of ownership of our common stock;

•making it easier for governmental entities to convert our assets to public ownership via condemnation, eminent domain or other similar process, or for governmental agencies or private plaintiffs to assess liability against us for damages under these or similar processes;

•placing limitations, prohibitions or other requirements with respect to the sharing of information and participation in transactions by or between a regulated subsidiary and us or our other affiliates, including Service Company and any of our other subsidiaries;

•restricting or prohibiting our extraction of water from rivers, streams, reservoirs or aquifers; and

•revoking or altering the terms of a CPCN issued to us by a state PUC or other governmental authority.

An example of an area in which laws and regulations are changing and increasing rapidly is with respect to data and consumer privacy, security and protection. We are becoming subject to an increasing number of data and consumer privacy, security and protection laws and regulations administered by various federal, state and local governments, including, for example, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018. Federal and state governments have also adopted or are proposing other limitations on, or requirements regarding, the collection, distribution, use, security and storage of personally identifiable information. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general are applying federal and state consumer protection laws to impose standards on the collection, use and dissemination of data. Moreover, we expect that current laws, regulations and industry standards concerning privacy, data protection and information security in the United States will continue to evolve and increase, and we cannot determine the impact that compliance with such future laws, regulations or standards will have on us or on our business. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with current or future federal, state, or local data or consumer privacy or security laws, regulations, policies, guidance, industry standards, or legal obligations, or any incident resulting in unauthorized access to, or acquisition, release, or transfer of personally identifiable information or other data relating to our customers, employees and others, may result in private or governmental enforcement actions, litigation, fines and penalties, or adverse perception or publicity about us and our businesses, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and business and could result in us incurring substantial costs. These events could also result in significant diversions of resources, distract management and divert the focus and attention of our security and technical personnel from other critical activities. Any of the foregoing consequences could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Regulatory and environmental risks associated with the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater may impose significant costs and liabilities.

The wastewater collection, treatment and disposal operations of our subsidiaries are subject to substantial regulation and involve environmental risks. If collection, treatment or disposal systems fail, overflow, or do not operate properly, untreated or inadequately treated wastewater or other contaminants could spill onto nearby properties or into nearby streams and rivers, causing damage to persons or property, injury to aquatic life and economic damages. This risk is most acute during periods of substantial rainfall or flooding, which are the main causes of sewer overflow and system failure. Liabilities resulting from such damage could adversely and materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Certain of our wastewater systems have commercial and industrial customers that are subject to specific limitations on the type, character and strength of the wastewater they are permitted to discharge into our systems. The failure by these commercial and industrial customers to comply with their respective discharge requirements could, in turn, negatively impact our operations, damage our facilities or cause us to exceed applicable discharge limitations and requirements. Liabilities resulting from such exceedance events could adversely and materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

A loss of one or more large industrial or commercial customers could have a material adverse impact upon the results of operations of one or more of our Regulated Businesses.

Adverse economic conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic or other factors may cause our customers, particularly industrial and large commercial customers, to curtail operations. A curtailment of operations by such a customer typically results in reduced water usage by that customer. For example, during 2020, the Company experienced a decrease in net customer demand related mainly to industrial and commercial customers, which the Company believes to be attributable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In more severe circumstances, the decline in usage could be permanent. Any decrease in demand resulting from difficult economic conditions or the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting these customers could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Tariffs in place with respect to our Regulated Businesses may not reimburse us, in whole or in part, for any of these impacts.

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Our Regulated Businesses require significant capital expenditures and may suffer if we fail to secure appropriate funding to make investments, or if we experience delays in completing major capital expenditure projects.

The water and wastewater utility business is capital intensive. We invest significant amounts of capital to add, replace and maintain property, plant and equipment, and to improve aging infrastructure. In 2020, we invested $1.8 billion in net Company-funded capital improvements. The level of capital expenditures necessary to maintain the integrity of our systems will continue into the future and may increase. We expect to fund capital improvement projects using cash generated from operations, borrowings under our revolving credit facility and commercial paper programs and issuances of long-term debt and equity. We may not be able to access our revolving credit facility or the commercial paper, long-term debt and equity capital markets, when necessary or desirable to fund capital improvements on favorable terms or at all. If we are not able to obtain sufficient financing, we may be unable to maintain our existing property, plant and equipment, fund our capital investment strategies, meet our growth targets and expand our rate base to enable us to earn satisfactory future returns on our investments. Even with adequate financial resources to make required capital expenditures, we face the additional risk that we will not complete our major capital projects on time, as a result of construction delays, permitting delays, labor shortages or other disruptions, environmental restrictions, or other obstacles. Each of these outcomes could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Aging infrastructure may lead to service disruptions, property damage and increased capital expenditures and O&M costs, all of which could negatively impact our financial results.

We have risks associated with aging infrastructure, including water and sewer mains, pumping stations and water and wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, we may have limited information regarding buried and newly acquired assets, which could challenge our ability to conduct efficient asset management and maintenance practices. Assets that have aged beyond their expected useful lives may experience a higher rate of failure. Failure of aging infrastructure could result in increased capital expenditures and O&M costs, and negatively impact our future O&M efficiency ratio. In addition, failure of aging infrastructure may result in property damage, and in safety, environmental and public health impacts. To the extent that any increased costs or expenditures are not fully recovered in rates, our results of operations, liquidity and cash flows could be negatively impacted.

Seasonality could adversely affect the volume of water sold and our revenues.

The volume of water we sell during the warmer months, typically in the summer, is generally greater than during other months, due primarily to increased water usage for irrigation systems, swimming pools, cooling systems and other applications. Throughout the year, and particularly during typically warmer months, the volume of water sold tends to vary with temperature, rainfall levels and rainfall frequency. In the event that temperatures during the typically warmer months are cooler than normal, or if there is more rainfall than normal, the amount of water we sell may decrease and adversely affect our revenues.

Three of our jurisdictions, California, Illinois and New York, have adopted revenue stability mechanisms that permit us to recover the revenues authorized in a general rate case, regardless of sales volume. Revenue stability mechanisms are designed to recognize declining sales resulting from reduced consumption, while providing an incentive for customers to use water more efficiently. In those jurisdictions that have not adopted a revenue stability mechanism, our operating results could continue to be affected by seasonality.

Contamination of water supplies or our water service provided to our customers could result in service limitations and interruptions and exposure to substances not typically found in potable water supplies, and could subject us and our subsidiaries to reductions in usage and other responsive obligations, government enforcement actions, damage to our reputation and private litigation.

The water supplies that flow into our treatment plants or are delivered through our distribution system, or the water service that is provided to our customers, may be subject to contamination, including, among other items, contamination from naturally-occurring compounds, chemicals in groundwater systems, pollution resulting from man-made sources (such as perchlorate, methyl tertiary butyl ether, 1,4-dioxane, lead and other materials, or chemical spills or other incidents that result in contaminants entering the water source), and possible terrorist attacks or other similar incidents. In addition, new categories of contaminants continue to emerge in the water industry. If one of our water supplies or the water service provided to our customers is contaminated, depending on the nature of the contamination, we may have to take responsive actions that could include, among other things (1) limiting use of the water supply under a “Do Not Use” protective order that enables continuation of basic sanitation and essential fire protection, or (2) interrupting the use of that water supply. If service is disrupted, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and reputation may be adversely affected. In addition, we may incur significant costs in order to treat the contaminated source through the expansion of our current treatment facilities or the development of new sources of supply or new treatment methods. We may be unable to recover costs associated with treating or decontaminating water supplies through insurance, customer rates, tariffs or contract terms, and any recovery of these costs that we are able to obtain through regulatory proceedings or otherwise may not occur in a timely manner. Moreover, we could be subject to claims for damages arising from government enforcement actions or toxic tort or other lawsuits arising out of an interruption of service or human exposure to hazardous substances in our drinking water and water supplies. See Item 3—Legal Proceedings for information on certain pending lawsuits related to interruptions of water service.

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Since we are engaged in the business of providing water service to our customers, contamination of the water supply, or the water service provided to our customers, could result in substantial injury or damage to our customers, employees or others and we could be exposed to substantial claims and litigation. Such claims could relate to, among other things, personal injury, loss of life, business interruption, property damage, pollution, and environmental damage and may be brought by our customers or third parties. Litigation and regulatory proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties and unfavorable rulings can and do occur. We may not be protected from these claims or negative impacts of these claims in whole or in part by tariffs or other contract terms. Negative impacts to our reputation may occur even if we are not liable for any contamination or other environmental damage or the consequences arising out of human exposure to contamination or hazardous substances in the water or water supplies. In addition, insurance coverage may not cover all or a portion of these losses, and are subject to deductibles and other limitations. Pending or future claims against us could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are subject to adverse publicity and reputational risks, which make us vulnerable to negative customer perception and could lead to increased regulatory oversight or sanctions.

Our business and operations have a large direct and indirect customer base and, as a result, we are exposed to public criticism regarding, among other things, the reliability of water service, wastewater and related or ancillary services, the quality of water provided, and the amount, timeliness, accuracy and format of bills that are provided for such services. For example, our New York subsidiary experienced increased customer and regulatory scrutiny related to an investigation by the New York State Public Service Commission (the “NYSPSC”) of the unintentional provision by our New York subsidiary of incorrect data to a taxing authority and the failure of a few employees of that subsidiary to properly disclose these issues in a rate case. A settlement of this investigation was approved by the Supreme Court of the State of New York in September 2018. Adverse publicity and negative consumer sentiment arising out of these and other incidents may render legislatures and other governing bodies, state PUCs and other regulatory authorities, and government officials less likely to view us in a favorable light, and may cause us to be susceptible to less favorable legislative, regulatory and economic outcomes, as well as increased regulatory or other oversight and more stringent regulatory or economic requirements. Unfavorable regulatory and economic outcomes may include the enactment of more stringent laws and regulations governing our operations and less favorable economic terms in our agreements related to our Market-Based Businesses, as well as fines, penalties or other sanctions or requirements. The imposition of any of the foregoing could have a material negative impact on us and our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The failure of, or the requirement to repair, upgrade or dismantle, any of our dams may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

The properties of our Regulated Businesses segment include 75 dams, the majority of which are earthen dams. The failure of any of these dams could result in personal injury and property damage, including without limitation downstream property damage, for which we may be liable. The failure of a dam would also adversely affect our ability to supply water in sufficient quantities to our customers and could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Any losses or liabilities incurred due to a failure of one of our dams might not be covered by insurance policies or be recoverable in rates, and such losses may make it difficult for us to secure insurance at acceptable rates in the future.

We also are required from time to time to decommission, repair or upgrade the dams that we own. The cost of such repairs or upgrades can be and has been material. The federal and state agencies that regulate our operations may adopt rules and regulations requiring us to dismantle our dams, which also could entail material costs. Although in most cases the PUC has permitted recovery of expenses and capital investment related to dam rehabilitation, we might not be able to recover costs of repairs, upgrades or dismantling through rates in the future. The inability to recover these costs or delayed recovery of the costs as a result of regulatory lag can affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Any failure of our network of water and wastewater pipes and water reservoirs could result in losses and damages that may affect our financial condition and reputation.

Our operating subsidiaries distribute water and collect wastewater through an extensive network of pipes and storage systems located across the United States. A failure of major pipes or reservoirs could result in injuries, property and other damage for which we may be liable. The failure of major pipes and reservoirs may also result in the need to shut down some facilities or parts of our network in order to conduct repairs. Such failures and shutdowns may limit our ability to supply water in sufficient quantities to our customers and to meet the water and wastewater delivery requirements prescribed by government regulators, including state PUCs with jurisdiction over our operations, and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and reputation. Any business interruption or other losses might not be covered by insurance policies or be recoverable in rates, and such losses may make it difficult for us to secure insurance at acceptable rates in the future. Moreover, to the extent such business interruptions or other losses are not covered by insurance, they may not be recovered through rate adjustments.

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An important part of our growth strategy is the acquisition of water and wastewater systems, which involves risks, including competition for acquisition opportunities from other regulated utilities, governmental entities and other buyers, which may hinder or limit our ability to grow our business.

An important element of our growth strategy is the acquisition and optimization of water and wastewater systems in order to broaden our current, and move into new, service areas. We may not be able to acquire other systems or businesses if we cannot identify suitable acquisition opportunities or reach mutually agreeable terms with acquisition candidates. Further, competition for acquisition opportunities from other regulated utilities, governmental entities and other buyers may hinder our ability to expand our business.

The negotiation and execution of potential acquisitions as well as the integration of acquired systems or businesses with our existing operations could require us to incur significant costs and cause diversion of our management’s time and resources. Future acquisitions by us could result in, among other things:

•incurrence or assumption of debt, contingent liabilities and environmental liabilities and obligations, including liabilities that were unknown or undisclosed at the time of acquisition;

•failure to recover acquisition premiums;

•unanticipated capital expenditures;

•failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting;

•the need to successfully integrate the acquired systems’ operations and water quality, cybersecurity and infrastructure protection measures;

•recording goodwill and other intangible assets at values that ultimately may be subject to impairment charges;

•fluctuations in quarterly results;

•unanticipated acquisition-related expenses;

•failure to realize anticipated benefits and synergies, such as cost savings and revenue enhancements; and

•difficulties in integrating or assimilating personnel, benefits, services and systems.

Some or all of these items could have a material adverse effect on our business. The systems and businesses we acquire in the future may not achieve anticipated revenue, return on equity or profitability, or other perceived synergies, and any difficulties we encounter in the integration process could interfere with our operations, reduce our net income and profitability or adversely affect our internal control over financial reporting.

We compete with governmental entities, other regulated utilities, and strategic and financial buyers for acquisition opportunities. If consolidation becomes more prevalent in the water and wastewater industries and competition for acquisitions increases, the prices for suitable acquisition candidates may increase and limit our ability to expand through acquisitions.

Our Regulated Businesses are subject to condemnation and other proceedings through eminent domain or other similar authorized process, which could materially and adversely affect their results of operations and financial condition.

Municipalities and other government subdivisions have historically been involved in the provision of water and wastewater services in the United States, and organized efforts may arise from time to time in one or more of the service areas in which our Regulated Businesses operate to convert our assets to public ownership and operation through exercise of the governmental power of eminent domain, or another similar authorized process. A municipality, other government subdivision or a citizen group may seek to acquire our assets through eminent domain or such other process, either directly or indirectly as a result of a citizen petition.

For example, in November 2018, Monterey, California ballot Measure J, which was added by a citizens group, was certified as having been approved by a public vote, requiring the MPWMD to conduct a study and submit a written plan concerning the feasibility of a potential purchase of the Monterey system assets without an additional public vote. The public vote led to the issuance by the MPWMD in November 2019 of a preliminary report finding, among other things, that the acquisition of the Monterey system assets by the MPWMD would be economically feasible. In November 2020, the MPWMD certified an FEIR with respect to a proposed acquisition and operation of this system by the MPWMD, and our California subsidiary has filed a petition in court challenging this certification. Also, five municipalities in the Chicago, Illinois area formed a water agency that filed an eminent domain lawsuit against our Illinois subsidiary in January 2013, seeking to condemn a water pipeline that serves those five municipalities. This lawsuit remains pending, and a valuation trial is scheduled for the second quarter of 2021. See Item 1—Business—Regulated Businesses—Condemnation and Eminent Domain, which includes additional information regarding these matters.

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Furthermore, the law in certain jurisdictions in which our Regulated Businesses operate provides for eminent domain rights allowing private property owners to file a lawsuit to seek just compensation against a public utility, if the public utility’s infrastructure has been determined to be a substantial cause of damage to that property. In these actions, the plaintiff would not have to prove that the public utility acted negligently. In California, lawsuits have been filed in connection with large-scale natural events such as wildfires. Some of these lawsuits have included allegations that infrastructure of certain utilities triggered the natural event that resulted in damage to the property. In some cases, the PUC has disallowed recovery in rates of losses incurred by these utilities as a result of such lawsuits.

Contesting an exercise of condemnation, eminent domain or other similar process, or responding to a citizen petition, may result in costly legal proceedings and may divert the attention of management. Moreover, our efforts to resist the condemnation, eminent domain or other process may not be successful, which may require us to sell the operations at issue in a condemnation proceeding or to pay a private property owner compensation for the property damage suffered. If a municipality or other government subdivision succeeds in acquiring the assets of one or more of our Regulated Businesses through eminent domain or other process, there is a risk that we will not receive adequate compensation for the business, that we will not be able to keep the compensation, or that we will not be able to divest the business without incurring significant charges. Any of these outcomes may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and liquidity.

We may be subject to physical and cyber attacks.

As operators of critical infrastructure, we may face a heightened risk of physical and cyber attacks from internal or external sources. Our water and wastewater systems may be vulnerable to disability or failures as a result of physical or cyber attacks, acts of war or terrorism, vandalism or other causes. Our operational and technology systems throughout our businesses may be vulnerable to unauthorized external or internal access, due to hacking, viruses, acts of war or terrorism, and other causes. Unauthorized access to confidential information located or stored on these systems could negatively and materially impact our customers, employees, suppliers and other third parties. Further, third parties, including vendors, suppliers and contractors, who perform certain services for us or administer and maintain our sensitive information, could also be targets of cyber attacks and unauthorized access. While we have instituted safeguards to protect our operational and technology systems, those safeguards may not always be effective due to the evolving nature of cyber attacks and cyber vulnerabilities. We cannot guarantee that such protections will be completely successful in the event of a cyber attack.

If, despite our security measures, a significant physical attack or cyber breach occurred, our operations could be disrupted, property damaged, and customer and other confidential information lost or stolen; we could experience substantial loss of revenues, response costs and other financial loss; we could suffer a loss of management time, attention and resources from our regular business operations; and we may be subject to increased regulation, litigation and damage to our reputation, any of which could have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and cash flows. Experiencing a cyber security incident could also cause us to be non-compliant with applicable laws and regulations or contracts that require us to securely maintain confidential data, causing us to incur costs related to legal claims or proceedings and regulatory fines or penalties. These types of events, either impacting our facilities or the industry in general, could also cause us to incur additional security and insurance related costs.

In addition, in the ordinary course of business, we collect and retain sensitive information, including personally identifiable information, about our customers and employees. In many cases, we outsource administration of certain functions to vendors that could be targets of cyber attacks. Any theft, loss or fraudulent use of customer, employee or proprietary data as a result of a cyber attack could subject us to significant litigation, liability and costs, as well as adversely impact our reputation with customers and regulators, among others.

We have obtained cyber insurance to provide coverage for a portion of the losses and damages that may result from a security breach, but such insurance is subject to a number of exclusions and may not cover the total loss or damage caused by a breach. The market for cybersecurity insurance is relatively new and coverage available for cybersecurity events may evolve as the industry matures. In the future, adequate insurance may not be available at rates that we believe are reasonable, and the costs of responding to and recovering from a cyber incident may not be covered by insurance or recoverable in rates.

We may sustain losses that exceed or are excluded from our insurance coverage or for which we are self-insured.

We maintain insurance coverage as part of our overall legal and risk management strategy to minimize potential liabilities arising from our utility operations, as well as the operations of our Market-Based Businesses. Our insurance programs have varying coverage limits, exclusions and maximums, and insurance companies may seek to deny claims we might make. Generally, our insurance policies cover property damage, worker’s compensation, employer’s liability, general liability, cybersecurity, terrorism risks and automobile liability. Each policy includes deductibles or self-insured retentions and policy limits for covered claims. As a result, we may sustain losses that exceed or that are excluded from our insurance coverage or for which we are self-insured.

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Although in the past we have been generally able to obtain insurance coverage related to our business, there can be no assurance that we can secure all necessary or appropriate insurance in the future, or that such insurance can be economically secured. For example, catastrophic events can result in decreased coverage limits, more limited coverage, increased premium costs or deductibles.

We rely on technology to facilitate the management of our business as well as our customer and supplier relationships, and a failure or disruption of implemented technology could materially and adversely affect our business.

Technology is an integral part of our business and operations, and any failure or disruption of the technology or related systems we implement could significantly limit our ability to manage and operate our business effectively and efficiently, which, in turn, could cause our business and competitive position to suffer and adversely affect our results of operations. We use technology systems to, among other things, bill customers, process orders, provide customer service, manage certain plant operations and construction projects, manage our financial records, track assets, remotely monitor our plants and facilities, and manage human resources, supply chain, inventory, and accounts receivable collections. As a specific example, we depend on water meters to record and communicate the amount of water our customers use, and in recent years, we have experienced greater than expected performance failures with certain water meters used in the Regulated Businesses. When these occur, we work with meter manufacturers to determine and address the cause of such failures. While these and other failures that we have experienced have not to date had a material adverse effect on our operations, there can be no assurance that efforts to address performance failures or other issues we may experience with water meters will be successful and that these or future failures of water meters or other issues will not have a material adverse effect on us.

Although we do not believe that the technology we have implemented or may in the future implement is at a materially greater risk of failure than that used by other similar organizations, our technology and operations that use or rely on technology remain vulnerable to damage or interruption from, among other things: failure or interruption of the technology or its related systems; loss or failure of power, internet, telecommunications or data network systems; and operator error or improper operation by, the negligent or improper supervision of, or the intentional acts of, employees, contractors and other third parties. Any or all of these events could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

An inability to successfully develop and implement new technologies poses substantial risks to our business and operational excellence strategies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

A significant part of our long-term strategic focus on safety, operational excellence, O&M expense efficiency, water quality, asset and capital management and the customer experience includes implementing new technologies for, among other things: customer service and support; environmental compliance; water metering; water quality and source monitoring; cybersecurity; business development and growth; data analysis; employee development and training; and other initiatives. For example, we have made and plan to continue to make significant investments in developing, deploying and maintaining customer-facing technologies, applications to support field service and customer service operations, water source sensor and evaluation technologies, and data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies. Where appropriate, we also seek to align these new technologies with existing technology infrastructure and systems. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in designing, developing, deploying, integrating or maintaining these new technologies. Because these efforts can be long-term in nature, these new technologies may be more costly or time-consuming than expected to design, develop, integrate and complete and may not ultimately deliver the expected or desired benefits upon completion. While we have and will continue to seek to recover costs and earn a return on capital expenditures with respect to the costs and expenses of development and deployment of these new technologies in our Regulated Businesses, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so in every instance or at all, and our inability to do so may adversely affect our ability to achieve intended O&M expense efficiencies or other key performance results and, ultimately, could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our inability to efficiently upgrade and improve our operational and technology systems, or implement new systems, could result in higher than expected costs or otherwise adversely impact our internal controls environment, operations and profitability.

Upgrades and improvements to computer systems and networks, or the implementation of new systems, may require substantial amounts of management’s time and financial resources to complete, and may also result in system or network defects or operational errors due to multiple factors, including employees’ ability to effectively use the new or upgraded system. We continue to implement technology to improve our business processes and customer interactions, and have installed new, and upgraded existing, technology systems. Any technical or other difficulties in upgrading and improving existing or implementing new technology systems may increase costs beyond those anticipated and have an adverse or disruptive effect on our operations and reporting processes, including our internal control over financial reporting. We may also experience difficulties integrating current systems with new or upgraded systems, which may impact our ability to serve our customers effectively or efficiently. Although we make efforts to minimize any adverse impact on our controls, business and operations, we cannot assure that all such impacts have been or will be mitigated, and any such impacts could harm our business (individually or collectively) and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Our business has inherently dangerous work sites. If we fail to maintain safe work sites, we may experience workforce or customer injuries or loss of life, and be exposed to financial losses, including penalties and other liabilities.

Safety is a core value and a strategy at American Water. Our safety performance and progress to our ultimate desired goal of zero injuries is critical to our reputation. We maintain health and safety standards to protect our employees, customers, contractors, vendors and the public. Eliminating all hazards all of the time is extremely challenging, but through strict adherence to our health and safety standards and empowering employees to stop work if deemed “unsafe,” we believe we can achieve an injury-free workplace.

At our business sites, including construction and maintenance sites, our employees, contractors and others are often in close proximity to large mechanical operating equipment, moving vehicles, pressurized water, electric and gas utility lines, below grade trenches and vaults, electrical and pneumatic hazards, fall from height hazards, suspended loads, hazardous chemicals and other regulated materials. On many sites, we are responsible for safety and, accordingly, must implement important safety procedures and practices above governmental regulatory requirements. As an essential business that must continue to provide water and wastewater services during the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are focused on the care and safety of our employees, contractors, vendors, customers and others who work at or visit our worksites. If the procedures we implement are ineffective or are not followed by our employees or others, or we fail to implement procedures, our employees, contractors and others may experience illness, or minor, serious or fatal injuries. Unsafe work sites have the potential to increase employee turnover, expose us to litigation and raise our operating costs. Any of the foregoing could result in financial losses, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, our operations can involve the delivery, handling and storage of hazardous chemicals, which, if improperly delivered, handled, stored or disposed of, could result in serious injury, death, environmental damage or property damage, and could subject us to penalties or other liabilities. We are also subject to various environmental, transportation and occupational health and safety regulations. Although we maintain functional employee groups whose primary purpose is to implement effective health and safety work procedures and practices throughout our organization, including construction sites and operating facilities, the failure to comply with these regulations or procedures could subject us to liability.

Work stoppages and other labor relations matters could adversely affect our results of operations and the ability to serve our customers.

As of December 31, 2020, approximately 45% of our workforce was represented by unions, and we had 72 collective bargaining agreements in place with 14 different unions representing our unionized employees. These collective bargaining agreements, 17 of which will expire during 2021, are subject to periodic renewal and renegotiation. We may not be able to successfully renew or renegotiate these labor contracts, or enter into new agreements, on terms that are acceptable to us. Any negotiations or dispute resolution processes undertaken in connection with our labor contracts could be delayed or affected by labor actions or work stoppages. Labor actions, work stoppages or the threat of work stoppages, and our failure to obtain favorable labor contract terms during renegotiations, may disrupt our operations, negatively impact the ability to serve our customers, and result in higher labor costs, which could adversely affect our reputation, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity. While we have developed contingency plans to be implemented as necessary if a work stoppage or strike does occur, a strike or work stoppage may have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Financial, Economic and Market-Related Risks

Our indebtedness could adversely affect our business and limit our ability to plan for or respond to changes in our business, and we may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our liquidity needs.

As of December 31, 2020, our aggregate long-term and short-term debt balance (including preferred stock with mandatory redemption requirements) was $10.9 billion, and our working capital (defined as current assets less current liabilities) was in a deficit position. Our indebtedness could have important consequences, including:

•limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital requirements or capital expenditures;

•exposing us to interest rate risk with respect to the portion of our indebtedness that bears interest at variable rates;

•limiting our ability to pay dividends on our common stock or make payments in connection with our other obligations;

•impairing our access to the capital markets for debt and equity;

•requiring that an increasing portion of our cash flows from operations be dedicated to the payment of the principal and interest on our debt, thereby reducing funds available for future operations, dividends on our common stock or capital expenditures;

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•limiting our ability to take advantage of significant business opportunities, such as acquisition opportunities, and to react to changes in market or industry conditions; and

•placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to those of our competitors that have less debt.

In order to meet our capital expenditure needs, we may be required to borrow additional funds under the revolving credit facility or issue a combination of new short-term and long-term debt securities and/or equity. We continue to assess our short- and long-term liquidity needs in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial and capital markets, especially with respect to the market for corporate commercial paper, which experienced volatility and shortages of liquidity in March 2020. In response to these events, in March 2020, we entered into a $750 million 364-day term loan facility and immediately executed a $500 million draw thereunder to support our short-term liquidity by retaining that amount in cash. No further borrowings may be made under the term loan facility. During 2020, we utilized other existing sources of liquidity, such as our current cash balances, cash flows from operations and borrowings under the revolving credit facility as necessary or desirable to meet our short-term liquidity requirements. We believe that existing sources of liquidity will be sufficient to meet our cash requirements for the foreseeable future. However, as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, the financial and capital markets and our operations evolve, we will continue to assess our liquidity needs. In the event of a sustained market deterioration, we may need to obtain additional sources of liquidity, which would require us to evaluate available alternatives and take appropriate actions.

Moreover, additional borrowings may be required to repay or refinance outstanding indebtedness. Other than debt with respect to the term loan facility, debt maturities and sinking fund payments in 2021, 2022 and 2023 will be $329 million, $14 million and $356 million, respectively. We can provide no assurance that we will be able to access the debt or equity capital markets on favorable terms, if at all, to repay or refinance this debt. Moreover, as new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks we now face could intensify, limiting our ability to repay or refinance existing debt on favorable terms.

We have in the past entered into, and in the future may enter into, financial derivative instruments, including without limitation, interest rate swaps, forward starting swaps, swaptions and U.S. Treasury lock agreements. See Item 7A—Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. However, these efforts may not be effective to fully mitigate interest rate risk, and may expose us to other risks and uncertainties, including quarterly “mark to market” valuation risk associated with these instruments, that could negatively and materially affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our ability to pay our expenses and satisfy our debt service obligations depends in significant part on our future performance, which will be affected by the financial, business, economic, competitive, legislative (including tax initiatives and reforms, and other similar legislation or regulation), regulatory and other risk factors described in this section, many of which are beyond our control. If we do not have sufficient cash flows to pay the principal and interest on our outstanding debt, we may be required to refinance all or part of our existing debt, reduce capital investments, sell assets, borrow additional funds or sell additional equity. In addition, if our business does not generate sufficient cash flows from operations, or if we are unable to incur indebtedness sufficient to enable us to fund our liquidity needs, we may be unable to plan for or respond to changes in our business, which could cause our financial condition, operating results and prospects to be affected materially and adversely.

Our inability to access the debt or equity capital or financial markets or other events could affect our ability to meet our liquidity needs at reasonable cost and our ability to meet long-term commitments, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

In addition to cash from operations, during 2020, we generally relied primarily on a $2.25 billion revolving credit facility, a $2.10 billion commercial paper program, our $750 million 364-day term loan facility and the capital markets, to satisfy our liquidity needs. The revolving credit facility currently expires in accordance with its terms in March 2025, and the 364-day term loan facility will expire in March 2021. Historically, we have regularly used our commercial paper program rather than the revolving credit facility as a principal source of short-term borrowing due to the generally more attractive rates we generally could obtain in the commercial paper market. As of December 31, 2020, there were no outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, $786 million of commercial paper outstanding, $76 million in outstanding letters of credit and $500 million outstanding under the 364-day term loan facility. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to access this commercial paper program or revolving credit facility, when, as and if desired, or that the amount of capital available thereunder will be sufficient to meet all of our liquidity needs at a reasonable, or any, cost.

Under the terms of the revolving credit facility and the 364-day term loan facility, our consolidated debt cannot exceed 70% of our consolidated capitalization, as determined under the terms of the those facilities. If our equity were to decline or debt were to increase to a level that causes us to exceed this limit, lenders under those facilities would be entitled to refuse any further extension of credit under the revolving credit facility and to declare all of the outstanding debt under the revolving credit facility and/or the term loan facility immediately due and payable. To avoid such a default, a waiver or renegotiation of this covenant would be required, which would likely increase funding costs and could result in additional covenants that would restrict our operational and financing flexibility. Our ability to comply with this and other covenants contained in the revolving credit facility, the term loan facility and our

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other consolidated indebtedness is subject to various risks and uncertainties, including events beyond our control. For example, events that could cause a reduction in equity include, without limitation, a significant write-down of our goodwill. Even if we are able to comply with this or other covenants, the limitations on our operational and financial flexibility could harm our business by, among other things, limiting our ability to incur indebtedness or reduce equity in connection with financings or other corporate opportunities that we may believe would be in our best interests or the interests of our shareholders to complete.

Disruptions in the capital markets or changes in our credit ratings could also limit our ability to access capital on terms favorable to us or at all. While the lending banks that participate in the revolving credit facility have to date honored their commitments under those facilities, disruptions in the credit markets, changes in our credit ratings, or deterioration of the banking industry’s financial condition could discourage or prevent lenders from meeting their existing lending commitments, extending the terms of such commitments, or agreeing to new commitments. In such a case, we may not be able to access the commercial paper or debt or capital markets, or other sources of potential liquidity, in the future on terms acceptable to us or at all. Furthermore, our inability to maintain, renew or replace commitments under our revolving credit facility could materially increase our cost of capital and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. Short- or long-term disruptions in the capital and credit markets as a result of economic, legislative, political or other uncertainty, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, changes in U.S. tax and other laws, reduced financing alternatives, or failures of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to the liquidity needed for our business. Any significant disruption in the capital, debt or credit markets, or financial institution failures could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the market stabilizes or until alternative financing can be arranged. Such measures could include delaying or deferring capital expenditures, reducing or suspending dividend payments, and reducing other discretionary expenditures. Finally, there is no assurance that we will be able to access the equity markets to obtain capital or financing when necessary or desirable and on terms that are reasonable or acceptable to us.

Any of the foregoing events that impede our access to the debt or equity capital markets, or the failure of any of our lenders to meet their commitments that result from financial market disruptions, could expose us to increased interest expense, require us to institute cash conservation measures or otherwise adversely and materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Parent company may be unable to meet its ongoing and future financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock if its subsidiaries are unable to pay upstream dividends or repay funds.

Parent company is a holding company and, as such, it has no substantive operations of its own. Substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by subsidiaries. Parent company’s ability to meet its financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock is primarily dependent on the net income and cash flows of its subsidiaries and their ability to pay upstream dividends or repay indebtedness to parent company. Prior to paying dividends to parent company, our regulated subsidiaries must comply with applicable regulatory restrictions and financial obligations, including, for example, debt service and preferred and preference stock dividends, as well as applicable corporate, tax and other laws and regulations and agreements, and our covenants and other agreements. Our subsidiaries are separate legal entities and have no obligation to pay or upstream dividends to parent company. A failure or inability of any of these subsidiaries to pay such dividends or repay intercompany obligations could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity and parent company’s ability to pay dividends on its common stock and meet its other obligations.

We may not be able to fully utilize our U.S. and state net operating loss carryforwards.

As of December 31, 2020, we had U.S. federal and state NOL carryforwards of approximately $366 million and $357 million, respectively, and management believes it is more likely than not that these NOL carryforwards will be recovered in the future. With the enactment in December 2017 of the TCJA, we analyzed the impacts of the reduction in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% on our deferred tax assets and liabilities, including our NOL carryforwards, and as a result, remeasured those NOL carryforwards as of the date of enactment of the TCJA based on this tax rate change.

Our federal NOL carryforwards will begin to expire in 2029, and our state NOL carryforwards began to expire in 2020 and will continue to expire through 2040. We expect to fully utilize our federal NOL balance before it expires, and our ability to do so is primarily dependent upon our ability to generate sufficient taxable income. We have, in the past, been unable to utilize certain of our state NOL carryforwards, and the establishment or increase of a valuation allowance in the future would reduce our deferred income tax assets and our net income.

Our actual results may differ from those estimated by management in making its assessment as to our ability to use the NOL carryforwards. Moreover, adoption of Related Interpretations with respect to the TCJA and other changes in income tax laws, the economy and the general business environment could affect the future utilization of our NOL carryforwards. If we are unable to fully utilize our NOL carryforwards to offset taxable income generated in the future, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

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We have recorded a significant amount of goodwill, and we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets, causing us to record impairments that may negatively affect our results of operations.

Our total assets include $1.5 billion of goodwill at December 31, 2020. The goodwill is primarily associated with the acquisition of American Water by an affiliate of our previous owner in 2003, the acquisition of E’town Corporation by a predecessor to our previous owner in 2001 and our acquisition of Pivotal in 2018. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price the purchaser paid over the fair value of the net tangible and other intangible assets acquired. Goodwill is recorded at fair value on the date of an acquisition and is reviewed annually or more frequently if changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. As required by the applicable accounting rules, we have taken significant non-cash charges to operating results for goodwill impairments in the past.

We may be required to recognize an impairment of goodwill in the future due to market conditions or other factors related to our performance or the performance of an acquired business. These market conditions could include a decline over a period of time of our stock price, a decline over a period of time in valuation multiples of comparable water utilities, market price performance of our common stock that compares unfavorably to our peer companies, decreases in control premiums, or other circumstances. For example, in the third quarter of 2018, prior to our sale of our former Keystone Clearwater Solutions (“Keystone”) operations, we strategically narrowed the scope of that business and, as a result, we recorded a non-cash, pre-tax impairment charge of $57 million.

A decline in the results forecasted in our business plan due to events such as changes in rate case results, capital investment budgets or interest rates, could also result in an impairment charge. Recognition of impairments of goodwill would result in a charge to income in the period in which the impairment occurred, which may negatively affect our financial condition, results of operations and total capitalization. The effects of any such impairment could be material and could make it more difficult to maintain our credit ratings, secure financing on attractive terms, maintain compliance with debt covenants and meet the expectations of our regulators.

Market volatility and other conditions may impact the value of benefit plan assets and liabilities, as well as assumptions related to the benefit plans, which may require us to provide significant additional funding.

The performance of the capital markets affects the values of the assets that are held in trust to satisfy significant future obligations under our pension and postretirement benefit plans. The value of these assets is subject to market fluctuations and volatility, which may cause investment returns to fall below our projected return rates. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued throughout 2020, the stock market would often experience significant day-to-day fluctuations in market prices. We are currently unable to predict the effect, if any, of the COVID-19 pandemic or other events on the valuation of our pension assets and liabilities. A decline in the market value of our pension and postretirement benefit plan assets as of the measurement date can increase the funding requirements under our pension and postretirement benefit plans. Additionally, our pension and postretirement benefit plan liabilities are sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates have experienced volatility and are subject to potential further adjustments based on the actions of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and others. If interest rates are lower at the measurement date, our liabilities would increase, potentially increasing benefit expense and funding requirements. Further, changes in demographics, such as increases in life expectancy assumptions and increasing trends in health care costs may also increase our funding requirements. Future increases in pension and other postretirement costs as a result of reduced plan assets may not be fully recoverable in rates, in which case our results of operations and financial position could be negatively affected. In addition, market factors can affect assumptions we use in determining funding requirements with respect to our pension and postretirement plans. For example, a relatively modest change in our assumptions regarding discount rates can materially affect our calculation of funding requirements. To the extent that market data compels us to reduce the discount rate used in our assumptions, our benefit obligations could be materially increased, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Additional Risks Related to Our Market-Based Businesses

Parent company provides performance guarantees with respect to certain of the obligations of our Market-Based Businesses, including financial guarantees or deposits, which may adversely affect parent company if the guarantees are successfully enforced.

Under the terms of certain agreements under which our Market-Based Businesses, primarily MSG, provide water and wastewater services to municipalities, other governmental entities and other customers, parent company provides guarantees of specified performance obligations of our Market-Based Businesses, including financial guarantees or deposits. In the event our Market-Based Businesses fail to perform these obligations, the entity holding the guarantees may seek to enforce the performance commitments against parent company or proceed against the deposit. In that event, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity could be adversely affected. At December 31, 2020, we had remaining performance commitments as measured by remaining contract revenue totaling approximately $6.2 billion related to MSG’s contracts, and this amount is likely to increase if the number of bases served by MSG increases. The presence of these commitments may adversely affect our financial condition and make it more difficult for us to secure financing on attractive terms.

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MSG’s operations are subject to various risks associated with doing business with the U.S. government.

MSG enters into contracts with the U.S. government for the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems, which contracts may be terminated, in whole or in part, prior to the end of the 50-year term for convenience of the U.S. government or as a result of default or non-performance by the subsidiary performing the contract. In addition, the contract price for each of these military contracts is typically subject to either an annual economic price adjustment, or a redetermination two years after commencement of operations and every three years thereafter. Annual economic price adjustment is an inflation index-based contract price increase mechanism. Price redetermination is a contract mechanism to periodically adjust the service fee in the next period to reflect changes in contract obligations and anticipated market conditions. Any early contract termination or unfavorable annual economic price adjustment or price redetermination could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Moreover, entering into contracts with the U.S. government subjects us to a number of operational and compliance risks, including dependence on the level of government spending and compliance with and changes in governmental procurement and security regulations. We are subject to potential government investigations of our business practices and compliance with government procurement and security regulations, which are complex, and compliance with these regulations can be expensive and burdensome. If we were charged with wrongdoing as a result of an investigation, we could be suspended or debarred from bidding on or receiving awards of new contracts with the U.S. government or our existing contracts could be terminated, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

General Risk Factors

New accounting standards or changes to existing accounting standards could materially impact how we report our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. The SEC, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other authoritative bodies or governmental entities may issue new pronouncements or new interpretations of existing accounting standards that may require us to change our accounting policies. These changes are beyond our control, can be difficult to predict and could materially impact how we report our results of operations, cash flow and financial condition. We could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, which could also adversely affect our previously reported results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

Undetected errors in internal controls and information reporting could result in the disallowance of cost recovery and noncompliant disclosure.

Our internal controls, accounting policies and practices and internal information systems are designed to enable us to capture and process transactions and information in a timely and accurate manner in compliance with GAAP, taxation requirements, federal securities laws and regulations and other laws and regulations applicable to us. We have also implemented corporate governance, internal control and accounting policies and procedures in connection with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and relevant SEC rules, as well as other applicable regulations. Such internal controls and policies have been and continue to be closely monitored by our management and Board of Directors to ensure continued compliance with these laws, rules and regulations. Management is also responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting and is required to assess annually the effectiveness of these controls. While we believe these controls, policies, practices and systems are adequate to verify data integrity, unanticipated and unauthorized actions of employees or temporary lapses in internal controls due to shortfalls in oversight or resource constraints could lead to undetected errors that could result in the disallowance of cost recovery and non-compliant disclosure and reporting. The consequences of these events could have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition. The inability of management to certify as to the effectiveness of these controls due to the identification of one or more material weaknesses in these controls could also harm our reputation, increase financing costs or adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets.

Our continued success is dependent upon our ability to hire, retain and utilize qualified personnel.

The success of our business is dependent upon our ability to hire, retain and utilize qualified personnel, including engineers, licensed operators, water quality and other operating and craft personnel, and management professionals who have the required experience and expertise. From time to time, it may be difficult to attract and retain qualified individuals with the expertise and in the timeframe demanded for our business needs. In certain geographic areas, for example, we may not be able to satisfy the demand for our services because of our inability to successfully hire and retain qualified personnel.

In addition, as key personnel approach retirement age, we need to have appropriate succession plans in place and to successfully implement such plans. If we cannot attract and retain qualified personnel or effectively implement appropriate succession plans, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be materially and adversely impacted.

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ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES

The Company’s properties consist primarily of (i) water and wastewater treatment plants, (ii) mains and pipes used for transmission, distribution and collection of water and wastewater, (iii) wells and other sources of water supply, such as reservoirs, (iv) water and wastewater pumping stations, (v) meters and fire hydrants, (vi) general structures, including buildings, dams and treated water storage facilities, (vii) land and easements, (viii) vehicles, (ix) software rights, and (x) other equipment and facilities, the majority of which are used directly in the operation of its systems. Substantially all of the Company’s properties are owned by its subsidiaries, with a large percentage subject to liens of its mortgage bonds. A wholly owned subsidiary of parent company owns the Company’s corporate headquarters, located in Camden, New Jersey, and the Company and its operating subsidiaries lease office space, equipment and furniture from certain of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries. These properties are utilized by the Company’s directors, officers and staff in the conduct of the business.

The properties of the Company’s Regulated Businesses consist mainly of approximately:

•79 surface water treatment plants;

•530 groundwater treatment plants;

•150 wastewater treatment plants;

•53,200 miles of transmission, distribution and collection mains and pipes;

•1,100 groundwater wells;

•1,600 water and wastewater pumping stations;

•1,300 treated water storage facilities; and

•75 dams.

The Company has ongoing infrastructure renewal programs in all states in which its Regulated Businesses operate. These programs consist of both the rehabilitation of existing mains and equipment, and the replacement of mains and equipment that have been damaged or have reached, or are near, the end of their useful service lives. The properties of its Market-Based Businesses consist mainly of office furniture and IT equipment. Approximately 52% of all properties that the Company owns are located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The Company maintains property insurance against loss or damage to its properties by fire or other perils, subject to certain exceptions. For insured losses, the Company is self-insured to the extent that any losses are within the policy deductible or exceed the amount of insurance maintained.

The Company believes that its properties are generally maintained in good operating condition and in accordance with current standards of good water and wastewater industry practice.

ITEM 3.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Alternative Water Supply in Lieu of Carmel River Diversions

Compliance with SWRCB Orders to Reduce Carmel River Diversions

Under the 2009 Order, California-American Water Company, the Company’s California subsidiary (“Cal Am”) is required, among other things, to decrease significantly its yearly diversions of water from the Carmel River according to a set reduction schedule. See Item 1—Business—Regulated Businesses—Water Supply and Wastewater Services and Item 1A—Risk Factors. The 2009 Order responded to claims that Cal Am had not sufficiently implemented actions to terminate its unpermitted diversions of water from the Carmel River as required by a 1995 order of the SWRCB. In July 2016, at the request of Cal Am and several Monterey County government agencies, the SWRCB issued the 2016 Order approving the 2021 Deadline.

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The 2009 Order includes a condition prohibiting Cal Am from diverting water from the Carmel River for new service connections or for any increased use of water at existing service addresses resulting from a change in zoning or use. In 2011, the California Public Utilities Commission (the “CPUC”) issued a decision directing modifications in Cal Am’s tariffs to recognize the moratorium mandated by the 2009 Order, and directing Cal Am to seek written guidance from the SWRCB with respect to any unresolved issues of interpretation or implementation of this condition. In 2012, the Deputy Director of the SWRCB sent a letter to Cal Am providing an interpretation as to the calculation of a baseline to determine increases in use of water at existing service addresses. In March 2018, the MPWMD adopted a resolution directing Cal Am to interpret the baseline in a manner that conflicts with the SWRCB’s written interpretation. In May 2018, Cal Am notified the MPWMD and the SWRCB that it intends to seek declaratory relief concerning the conflicting regulatory interpretations under the 2009 Order. In an attempt to resolve these conflicting interpretations prior to seeking judicial intervention, Cal Am has met with the MPWMD and the SWRCB several times. The SWRCB agreed to circulate revisions to its 2012 interpretive letter, which would be subject to a public comment period. Any failure to follow the MPWMD’s resolution or the SWRCB’s written interpretation, despite these conflicting interpretations, could potentially result in fines, penalties and other actions against Cal Am.

The 2016 Order provides that if the CPUC authorizes Cal Am to acquire more than 1,000 acre-feet per year of water from a source other than the Water Supply Project, proponents of the alternative water source could submit revised milestones to the SWRCB for consideration. See Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project below. In May 2018, certain parties to the Water Supply Project proceeding submitted a petition to the SWRCB to add parallel milestones to the 2009 Order for 2019, 2020, and 2021, based on the proposed expansion of the Pure Water Monterey project, another groundwater replenishment project under construction on the Monterey peninsula. Petitioners claim that compliance with the alternate milestones would still provide for cessation of Cal Am’s unauthorized diversions from the Carmel River by 2021. A preliminary report on feasibility concluded that the expanded Pure Water Monterey project could provide an additional 2,250 acre-feet of water per year. Cal Am believes that (i) the petition is premature, (ii) the expanded Pure Water Monterey project is not yet a sufficiently certain or reliable water supply and, even if construction is successfully completed, would provide an insufficient quantity of water to allow full compliance with the 2009 Order, and (iii) the imposition of parallel milestones would distract from completion of the Water Supply Project. In December 2019, the SWRCB dismissed the petition without prejudice.

The 2016 Order imposes yearly milestones related to construction of the Water Supply Project’s desalination plant facilities. If any milestone is missed, the SWRCB may impose reductions of up to 1,000 acre-feet per year in the amount of water Cal Am is able to divert from the Carmel River. If a milestone is missed for reasons that are beyond Cal Am’s control, the SWRCB may waive the diversion reduction. On October 21, 2020, Cal Am reported to the SWRCB that, due to circumstances beyond its control, it will be unable to meet the 2020 milestones requiring intake well drilling and plant construction due to (i) delays by the California Coastal Commission (the “Coastal Commission”) in considering Cal Am’s application for a permit for the desalination facility’s intake wells, and (ii) a stay issued by the Monterey Superior Court on physical construction of the desalination plant in pending litigation over the plant’s construction permit. Nevertheless, Cal Am reported that even with a 1,000 acre-foot reduction in Carmel River water supplies, it believed that customer demand could be met without additional rationing in the 2020-2021 water year. On November 17, 2020, the SWRCB provided its view to Cal Am that the milestone reductions were imposed to ensure a staggered approach to ending unauthorized diversions, and that regardless of fault a 1,000 acre-foot reduction was an appropriate and intended consequence of missing the milestone.

Cal Am continues to work constructively with all appropriate agencies to provide necessary information in connection with obtaining required approvals for the Water Supply Project. However, based on the matters discussed above and below in Item 3—Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project, there can be no assurance that the Water Supply Project in its current configuration will be completed on a timely basis, if ever. Due to the delay in the approval schedule, Cal Am currently does not believe that it will be able to fully comply with the diversion reduction requirements and other remaining requirements under the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order, including the 2021 Deadline. While the Company cannot currently predict the likelihood or result of any adverse outcome associated with these matters, further attempts to comply with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order, or the 2021 Deadline, may result in material additional costs and obligations to Cal Am, including fines and penalties against Cal Am in the event of noncompliance with the 2009 Order or the 2016 Order.

Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project

CPUC Final Approval of Water Supply Project

Cal Am’s ability to move forward on the Water Supply Project is and has been subject to extensive administrative review by the CPUC and other government agencies, obtaining necessary permits, and intervention from other parties. In September 2016, the CPUC unanimously approved a final decision to authorize Cal Am to enter into a water purchase agreement for the GWR Project and to construct a pipeline and pump station facilities and recover up to the incurred $50 million in associated costs plus AFUDC, subject to meeting certain criteria.

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In September 2018, the CPUC unanimously approved another final decision finding that (i) the Water Supply Project meets the CPUC’s requirements for a CPCN, (ii) the issuance of the final decision should not be delayed, and (iii) an additional procedural phase was not necessary to consider alternative projects. The CPUC’s 2018 decision concludes that the Water Supply Project is the best project to address estimated future water demands in Monterey, and, in addition to the cost recovery approved in its 2016 decision, adopts Cal Am’s cost estimates for the Water Supply Project, which amounted to an aggregate of $279 million plus AFUDC at a rate representative of Cal Am’s actual financing costs. The 2018 final decision specifies the procedures for recovery of all of Cal Am’s prudently incurred costs associated with the Water Supply Project upon its completion, subject to the frameworks included in the final decision related to cost caps, O&M costs, financing, ratemaking and contingency matters. The reasonableness of the Water Supply Project costs will be reviewed in the first general rate case filed by Cal Am after it becomes operational. Cal Am is also required to implement mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or offset significant environmental impacts from the construction and operation of the Water Supply Project and comply with a mitigation monitoring and reporting program, a reimbursement agreement for CPUC costs associated with that program, and reporting requirements on plant operations following placement of the Water Supply Project in service. Cal Am has incurred $154 million in aggregate costs as of December 31, 2020 related to the Water Supply Project, which includes $36 million in AFUDC. While Cal Am believes that its expenditures to date have been prudent and necessary to comply with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order, as well as the CPUC’s 2016 and 2018 final decisions, Cal Am cannot currently predict its ability to recover all of its costs and expenses associated with the Water Supply Project and there can be no assurance that Cal Am will be able to recover all of such costs and expenses in excess of the $50 million in construction costs previously approved by the CPUC in its 2016 final decision. See Note 17—Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.

On July 2, 2019, Cal Am notified the MPWMD and Monterey One Water (collectively, the “Agencies”) that an event of default occurred under the water purchase agreement for the GWR Project because the Agencies failed to deliver to Cal Am by July 1, 2019 advanced treated recycled water produced by the GWR Project. Under the water purchase agreement, upon the occurrence of this event of default, Cal Am had the right to terminate the water purchase agreement immediately. Cal Am has elected not to exercise its right to terminate the water purchase agreement at this time, but in its notification to the Agencies, Cal Am expressly reserved its right to terminate the water purchase agreement until such time as the Agencies commence their required delivery of water from the GWR Project. On July 16, 2019, the MPWMD and Monterey One Water responded to Cal Am’s event of default notice and estimated that water delivery would begin by mid-October 2019. On December 12, 2019, Cal Am sent a letter to the Agencies requesting a status update with respect to the event of default. On January 2, 2020, Cal Am notified the Agencies that a second event of default occurred under the water purchase agreement because the Agencies failed to achieve the Performance Start Date (the date upon which the MPWMD’s performance obligations under the water purchase agreement were to commence) by January 1, 2020. Under the water purchase agreement, upon the occurrence of this event of default, Cal Am had the right to terminate the water purchase agreement immediately. Cal Am has elected not to exercise its right to terminate the water purchase agreement at this time, but in its notification to the Agencies, Cal Am expressly reserved its right to terminate the water purchase agreement until such time as the Performance Start Date has occurred. On July 30, 2020, the Agencies advised Cal Am that the Performance Start Date under the water purchase agreement for the GWR Project is September 1, 2020. After June 30, 2021, Cal Am will determine the amount of advanced treated recycled water produced by the GWR Project and delivered to Cal Am during the first fiscal year of the water purchase agreement, to determine the Agencies’ compliance with their performance obligations thereunder.

On April 17, 2019, Water Ratepayers Association of the Monterey Peninsula (“WRAMP”), a citizens’ advocacy group, filed an amended complaint in Monterey County Superior Court asserting a “qui tam” claim under the California False Claims Act on behalf of itself and the State of California against Cal Am and certain environmental consultants who worked on the CPUC’s environmental analysis of the MPWSP. The State Attorney General declined to proceed with this action after it was originally filed in 2016. On July 10, 2019, defendants filed a joint demurrer challenging the legal sufficiency of the allegations of the amended complaint. At an August 27, 2019 hearing on the demurrer, the court dismissed the petition without leave to amend. On October 17, 2019, WRAMP filed motions seeking clarification and a reconsideration of the court’s ruling. A hearing on these motions was set for December 3, 2019, but on November 26, 2019, WRAMP abandoned its motions and instead filed an appeal of the court’s dismissal. On November 17, 2020, WRAMP dismissed its appeal in exchange for a waiver of costs.

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Coastal Development Permit Application

In June 2018, Cal Am submitted a coastal development permit application to the City of Marina (the “City”) for those project components of the Water Supply Project located within the City’s coastal zone. Members of the City’s Planning Commission, as well as City councilpersons, have publicly expressed opposition to the Water Supply Project. In May 2019, the City issued a notice of final local action based upon the denial by the Planning Commission of Cal Am’s coastal development permit application. Thereafter, Cal Am appealed this decision to the Coastal Commission, as permitted under the City’s code and the California Coastal Act. At the same time, Cal Am submitted an application to the Coastal Commission for a coastal development permit for those project components located within the Coastal Commission’s original jurisdiction. In October 2019, staff of the Coastal Commission issued a report recommending a denial of Cal Am’s application for a coastal development permit with respect to the Water Supply Project, largely based on a memorandum prepared by the general manager of the MPWMD that contradicted findings made by the CPUC in its final decision approving the Water Supply Project. In November 2019, discussions between staffs of the Coastal Commission and the CPUC took place regarding the Coastal Commission staff recommendation, at which time the CPUC raised questions about the Coastal Commission staff’s findings on water supply and demand, groundwater impacts and the viability of a project that the Coastal Commission staff believes may be a possible alternative to the Water Supply Project.

On August 25, 2020, the staff of the Coastal Commission released a report again recommending denial of Cal Am’s application for a coastal development permit. Although the report concluded that the Water Supply Project would have a negligible impact on groundwater resources, the report also concluded it would impact other coastal resources, such as environmentally sensitive habitat areas and wetlands, and that the Coastal Commission staff believes that a feasible alternative project exists that would avoid those impacts. The staff’s report also noted disproportionate impacts to communities of concern. On September 16, 2020, Cal Am withdrew its original jurisdiction application to allow additional time to address the Coastal Commission staff’s environmental justice concerns. The withdrawal of the original jurisdiction application did not impact Cal Am’s appeal of the City’s denial, which remains pending before the Coastal Commission. Cal Am refiled the original jurisdiction application on November 6, 2020. On December 3, 2020, the Coastal Commission sent to Cal Am a notice of incomplete application, identifying certain additional information needed to consider the application complete. Cal Am is preparing a response to the Coastal Commission’s notice.

Desalination Plant Development Permit

The proposed desalination plant for the Water Supply Project is to be located in an unincorporated portion of Monterey County, California on a site owned by CEMEX, Inc. (“CEMEX”), and requires a combined development permit from the County of Monterey prior to commencement of construction. On April 24, 2019, the County’s Planning Commission voted to approve the permit. In July 2019, the Board of Supervisors heard appeals filed by MCWD and a public advocacy group, at which time it denied the appeals and approved the permit. In August 2019, MCWD filed a petition in Monterey County Superior Court challenging Monterey County’s approval of Cal Am’s combined development permit application and seeking injunctive relief to enjoin Monterey County and Cal Am from commencing construction of the desalination plant. In October 2019, after a hearing, the court denied, without prejudice, MCWD’s motion for a preliminary injunction, but issued a stay of the County’s approval of the combined development permit, precluding commencement of physical construction of the desalination plant, but allowing Cal Am to continue to obtain permits needed for the desalination plant’s construction. On January 21, 2021, the court issued its decision granting in part and denying in part MCWD’s petition. The court found that the County of Monterey did not completely comply with all of the requirements necessary to approve the combined development permit and set aside its approval so that the County could come into compliance. The court denied all of MCWD’s other claims. The court also lifted its stay on physical construction at the plant site.

Proposed Zoning Changes at CEMEX Site for Slant Wells

In August 2018, the City circulated a public review draft of proposed amendments to its local coastal program and zoning ordinance, and placed the matter for consideration on the Planning Commission’s agenda for its September 2018 meeting. The proposed amendments would change zoning at the CEMEX site to open space and restrict future uses, including with respect to Cal Am’s planned use of the site for the slant wells for the Water Supply Project. Any change to the City's local coastal program must ultimately be approved by the Coastal Commission. Cal Am, CEMEX and the Coastal Commission each submitted letters opposing the proposed amendments. At its November 2018 meeting, the Planning Commission adopted a resolution recommending that the Marina City Council consider approving the amendments.

In December 2018, the Marina City Council considered the proposed amendments. Cal Am, CEMEX and the Coastal Commission again submitted letters opposing the proposed changes, but the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution amending its local coastal plan and a draft amendment to its zoning ordinance. Changes to the ordinance require a second reading before becoming final, which occurred at the City’s December 2018 meeting. The changes to the local coastal plan must be submitted to the Coastal Commission for approval and are not effective until such approval is obtained.

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Test Slant Well Permitting

A preliminary step to building the Water Supply Project desalination plant is the construction and operation of a test slant well to confirm the suitability of the property on which intake wells will be located to draw water from under Monterey Bay. In November 2014, the Coastal Commission approved coastal development permits for the test slant well, enabling Cal Am to construct and operate the test slant well. Because Cal Am may use the test slant well as one of the slant wells for the Water Supply Project, Cal Am sought and obtained from the Coastal Commission permit amendments to allow the test slant well to remain in place and be maintained until February 28, 2022. A required lease obtained from the California State Lands Commission, as amended, will expire on December 16, 2022. Effective February 28, 2018, test slant well pumping ceased, except for minimal maintenance pumping activities, in accordance with Cal Am’s coastal development permits.

Water Supply Project Land Acquisition and Slant Well Site Use

In July 2017, the Coastal Commission adopted a consent agreement and cease and desist order requiring sand mining operations on the property owned by CEMEX on which intake wells for the Water Supply Project will be located, to cease by the end of 2020 and the property to be sold to either a non-profit or governmental entity. The consent agreement strictly limits future use of the property but preserves Cal Am’s existing property rights and allows uses consistent with existing easements and other rights of record. A permanent easement granted by CEMEX to Cal Am was recorded in June 2018 to allow Cal Am access to the property and to construct, operate and maintain the Water Supply Project intake wells. On November 26, 2019, the City notified CEMEX that, based on this permanent easement and Cal Am’s proposed use of the site for the intake wells, CEMEX has breached or will soon breach a prior 1996 annexation agreement (to which Cal Am was not a party). The City states that it intends to seek declaratory relief from CEMEX and Cal Am ordering that Cal Am’s extraction is limited to 500 acre-feet per year of groundwater, that Cal Am cannot export extracted water out of the basin, and that the permanent easement granted by CEMEX to Cal Am is void. The City has requested a meeting with CEMEX as part of a mandatory dispute resolution process under the annexation agreement prior to filing a lawsuit. CEMEX has denied the City’s claims and requested indemnification from Cal Am under the terms of the permanent easement. Cal Am and CEMEX believe that there is no valid limitation under the annexation agreement on Cal Am’s right to pump brackish groundwater and seawater at the site for desalination and use by Cal Am’s customers.

On May 8, 2020, the City filed a lawsuit, which it amended on June 29, 2020 and October 15, 2020, in Monterey County Superior Court, naming Cal Am and CEMEX as defendants, and MCWRA and MCWD as real parties in interest. The lawsuit alleges a claim for breach of contract against CEMEX and seeks declaratory relief to void the permanent easement and prohibiting extraction of water by Cal Am’s slant wells at the CEMEX site in excess of 500 acre-feet per year and the export of such water outside the groundwater basin. On November 17, 2020, Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA filed demurrers, which were overruled by the court at a hearing held on February 9, 2021.

On August 4, 2020, MCWD filed a cross-complaint in the May 8, 2020 lawsuit against Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA, alleging claims for specific performance of certain provisions of the 1996 annexation agreement related to the property owned by CEMEX on which intake wells for the Water Supply Project will be located, water rights, nuisance, unreasonable water use, and declaratory relief. On September 9, 2020, Cal Am filed a demurrer and motion to strike challenging the claims asserted by MCWD. On October 14, 2020, the court sustained, with leave to amend, the demurrers as to the claims for specific performance, enjoinment of invasion of water rights, nuisance and unreasonable water use, and the court overruled the demurrers as to the claim for declaratory relief. MCWD filed a first amended complaint on November 13, 2020. On December 7, 2020, Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA filed demurrers to the amended claims. On February 23, 2021, the court sustained, without leave to amend, the demurrer to MCWD’s nuisance claim and overruled the remainder of the demurrers.

Under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) enacted in 2015, groundwater basins designated by the state as critically overdrafted must be managed by a groundwater sustainability agency (“GSA”) by 2020 in accordance with an approved groundwater sustainability plan (“GSP”) designed to achieve sustainability by 2040. Under the SGMA, GSAs have broad powers to achieve sustainability including, but not limited to, regulating groundwater extraction by imposing fees on groundwater extractions and controlling groundwater extractions by regulating, limiting or suspending extractions from wells. The 400-acre CEMEX site overlies a small portion of the 180/400 Subbasin of the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin; the 84,000-acre 180/400 Subbasin has been designated by the state as critically overdrafted, mainly due to seawater intrusion into the subbasin.

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In late 2016, the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (the “SVBGSA”) was formed as a joint powers authority to become the GSA for the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin and prepare a GSP. In April 2018, the City filed a notice to become the GSA for the CEMEX site, creating an overlap with the SVBGSA’s filing for the 180/400 Subbasin. In 2016, the SVBGSA commenced preparation of a GSP covering the entire 180/400 subbasin, including the CEMEX site, but in August 2019 the City filed a notice that it intends to prepare its own GSP for the CEMEX site with the intent to severely limit or prohibit groundwater pumping at that site. The State Department of Water Resources (“SDWR”) has taken the position that until the overlap is resolved, it will not accept the GSP from either agency, placing the subbasin at risk of being placed in a probationary status and subject to state management. In December 2019, the County of Monterey filed its own notice to become the exclusive GSA at the CEMEX site in order to resolve the overlap, which is permitted under SGMA. SDWR accepted the County’s filing on December 18, 2019, and now lists the County as the exclusive GSA for the site.

On December 30, 2019, the City filed a lawsuit in Monterey County Superior Court challenging the County’s filing, and SDWR’s acceptance of the filing, as the exclusive GSA for the CEMEX site. The City has named the County and its Board of Supervisors, the County GSA, and SDWR and its director as defendants, and the SVBGSA and its Board of Directors as real parties. The City seeks to invalidate the County’s filing, as well as injunctive relief to preserve the City’s status as a GSA for the site. To protect its interest in the matter, Cal Am filed an application to intervene in this lawsuit, which was granted. A hearing has been scheduled for May 17, 2021.

On September 14, 2020, Cal Am filed a separate but related complaint in Monterey County Superior Court challenging the validity of actions taken by the City and its GSA in adopting a groundwater sustainability plan for the CEMEX site, and the validity of the provisions of such plan. Due to the overlap of issues in the City’s lawsuit with those in the validation action, the parties stipulated to a stay of the validation action pending determination of the claims in the City’s action. On December 21, 2020, the court stayed the validation action.

Challenge of Certification — Proposed Monterey System Acquisition Final Environmental Impact Report

In November 2018, voters in Monterey, California passed “Measure J,” which decided that the MPWMD should conduct a feasibility study concerning the potential purchase of Cal Am’s Monterey system assets, and, if feasible, to proceed with a purchase of those assets without an additional public vote. This service territory represents approximately 40,000 customers. See Item 1—Business—Regulated Businesses—Condemnation and Eminent Domain for more information on this matter. In August 2019, the MPWMD’s General Manager issued a report that recommends that the MPWMD board, among other things, (1) evaluate whether the acquisition of the Monterey system assets by the MPWMD is in the public interest and sufficiently satisfies the criterion of “feasible” as provided in Measure J, (2) ensure there is significant potential for cost savings before agreeing to commence an acquisition, and (3) develop more fully alternate operating plans before deciding whether to consider a Resolution of Necessity.

On October 7, 2020, the MPWMD issued a FEIR for the potential acquisition of the Monterey system assets, and on November 4, 2020, the MPWMD certified the FEIR, which purports to analyze the environmental impacts of the MPWMD’s project to (1) acquire the Monterey system assets through the power of eminent domain, if necessary, and (2) expand its geographic boundaries to include all parts of this system. On November 25, 2020, Cal Am filed a petition for writ of mandate in Monterey County Superior Court challenging certification of the FEIR, alleging that the MPWMD’s analysis of environmental impacts was inadequate and that certification was improper. This petition remains pending.

West Virginia Elk River Freedom Industries Chemical Spill

See Note 17—Commitments and Contingencies—Contingencies—West Virginia Elk River Freedom Industries Chemical Spill in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the final court approval of the global settlement with respect to the January 2014 Freedom Industries, Inc. chemical spill.

Dunbar, West Virginia Water Main Break Class Action Litigation

On the evening of June 23, 2015, a 36-inch pre-stressed concrete transmission water main, installed in the early 1970s, failed. The water main is part of the West Relay pumping station located in the City of Dunbar, West Virginia and owned by West Virginia-American Water Company, the Company’s West Virginia subsidiary (“WVAWC”). The failure of the main caused water outages and low pressure for up to approximately 25,000 WVAWC customers. In the early morning hours of June 25, 2015, crews completed a repair, but that same day, the repair developed a leak. On June 26, 2015, a second repair was completed and service was restored that day to approximately 80% of the impacted customers, and to the remaining approximately 20% by the next morning. The second repair showed signs of leaking but the water main was usable until June 29, 2015 to allow tanks to refill. The system was reconfigured to maintain service to all but approximately 3,000 customers while a final repair was completed safely on June 30, 2015. Water service was fully restored on July 1, 2015 to all customers affected by this event.

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On June 2, 2017, a complaint captioned Jeffries, et al. v. West Virginia-American Water Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County on behalf of an alleged class of residents and business owners who lost water service or pressure as a result of the Dunbar main break. The complaint alleges breach of contract by WVAWC for failure to supply water, violation of West Virginia law regarding the sufficiency of WVAWC’s facilities and negligence by WVAWC in the design, maintenance and operation of the water system. The Jeffries plaintiffs seek unspecified alleged damages on behalf of the class for lost profits, annoyance and inconvenience, and loss of use, as well as punitive damages for willful, reckless and wanton behavior in not addressing the risk of pipe failure and a large outage.

On February 4, 2020, the Jeffries plaintiffs filed a motion seeking class certification on the issues of breach of contract and negligence, and to determine the applicability of punitive damages and a multiplier for those damages if imposed. On July 14, 2020, the Circuit Court entered an order granting the Jeffries plaintiffs’ motion for certification of a class regarding certain liability issues but denying certification of a class to determine a punitive damages multiplier. On August 31, 2020, WVAWC filed a Petition for Writ of Prohibition in the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia seeking to vacate or remand the Circuit Court’s order certifying the issues class. At the request of the parties, on September 10, 2020, the Circuit Court ordered the stay of all matters in the class proceeding pending consideration of this petition. On December 3, 2020, the Supreme Court of Appeals issued an order to show cause stating that there are sufficient grounds for oral argument to consider prohibiting the class certification order. On January 28, 2021, the Supreme Court of Appeals granted a motion by the Jeffries plaintiffs to remand the case back to the Circuit Court for further consideration in light of a recent Supreme Court of Appeals decision issued in another case relating to the class certification issues raised.

The Company and WVAWC believe that WVAWC has meritorious defenses to the claims raised in this class action complaint and WVAWC will continue to vigorously defend itself against these allegations.

Chattanooga, Tennessee Class Action Litigation

On September 12, 2019, Tennessee-American Water Company, the Company’s Tennessee subsidiary (“TAWC”), experienced a leak in a 36-inch water transmission main, which caused service fluctuations or interruptions to TAWC customers and the issuance of a boil water notice. TAWC repaired the main by early morning on September 14, 2019, and restored full water service by the afternoon of September 15, 2019, with the boil water notice lifted for all customers on September 16, 2019.

On September 17, 2019, a complaint captioned Bruce, et al. v. American Water Works Company, Inc., et al. was filed in the Circuit Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee against TAWC, the Company and Service Company (collectively, the “Tennessee-American Water Defendants”), on behalf of a proposed class of individuals or entities who lost water service or suffered monetary losses as a result of the Chattanooga incident (the “Tennessee Plaintiffs”). The complaint alleged breach of contract and negligence against the Tennessee-American Water Defendants, as well as an equitable remedy of piercing the corporate veil. In the complaint as filed, the Tennessee Plaintiffs were seeking an award of unspecified alleged damages for wage losses, business and economic losses, out-of-pocket expenses, loss of use and enjoyment of property and annoyance and inconvenience, as well as punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and pre- and post-judgment interest.

On November 22, 2019, the Tennessee-American Water Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, and, with respect to the Company, a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. After oral argument on the motion to dismiss, on September 18, 2020, the court (i) granted the motion to dismiss the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ negligence claim against all Tennessee-American Water Defendants, (ii) denied the motion to dismiss the breach of contract claim against TAWC, (iii) held in abeyance the motion to dismiss the breach of contract claims against the Company and Service Company pending a further hearing and (iv) held in abeyance the Company’s motion to dismiss the complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction. On September 24, 2020, at the request of the Tennessee Plaintiffs, the court dismissed without prejudice all claims in the Bruce complaint against the Company and Service Company. The collective impact of the September 2020 court orders was that all of the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ claims in this complaint were dismissed, other than the breach of contract claims against TAWC. On October 16, 2020, TAWC answered the complaint, and the parties are commencing with discovery.

TAWC and the Company believe that TAWC has meritorious defenses to the claims raised in this class action complaint, and TAWC is vigorously defending itself against these allegations.

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General

Periodically, the Company is involved in other proceedings or litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Other than those proceedings described in this Item 3—Legal Proceedings, the Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will materially affect its financial position or results of operations. However, litigation and other proceedings are subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable with assurance. It is possible that some litigation and other proceedings could be decided unfavorably to the Company, and that any such unfavorable decisions could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

ITEM 4.    MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Since April 23, 2008, the Company’s common stock has traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “AWK.” As of February 19, 2021, there were 181,439,255 shares of common stock outstanding held by approximately 2,427 record holders. Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive dividends when they are declared by its Board of Directors. See Note 10—Shareholders’ Equity in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the Company’s dividends.

In February 2015, the Board of Directors authorized an anti-dilutive stock repurchase program to mitigate the dilutive effect of shares issued through the Company’s dividend reinvestment, employee stock purchase and executive compensation activities. The program allows the Company to purchase up to 10 million shares of its outstanding common stock over an unrestricted period of time in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. The program is conducted in accordance with Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act, and, to facilitate these repurchases, the Company enters into Rule 10b5-1 stock repurchase plans with a third-party broker, which allow the Company to repurchase shares of its common stock at times when it otherwise might be prevented from doing so under insider trading laws or because of self-imposed trading blackout periods. Subject to applicable regulations, the Company may elect to amend or cancel the program or the stock repurchase parameters at its discretion to manage dilution.

From April 1, 2015, the date repurchases under the anti-dilutive stock repurchase program commenced, through December 31, 2020, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 4,860,000 shares of its common stock under the program, leaving an aggregate of 5,140,000 shares available for repurchase under this program. There were no repurchases of common stock in 2020.

ITEM 6.    SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

	For the Years Ended December 31,
(In millions, except per share data)	2020		2019		2018		2017		2016
Statement of Operations data:
Operating revenues	$	3,777	$	3,610	$	3,440	$	3,357	$	3,302
Net income attributable to common shareholders	709		621		567		426		468
Net income attributable to common shareholders per basic common share	$	3.91	$	3.44	$	3.16	$	2.39	$	2.63
Net income attributable to common shareholders per diluted common share	3.91		3.43		3.15		2.38		2.62
Balance Sheet data:
Total assets	$	24,766	$	22,682	$	21,223	$	19,482	$	18,482
Long-term debt and redeemable preferred stock at redemption value	9,333		8,644		7,576		6,498		5,759
Other data:
Cash dividends declared per common share	$	2.20	$	2.00	$	1.82	$	1.66	$	1.50
Net cash provided by operating activities (a) (b)	1,426		1,383		1,386		1,449		1,289
Net cash used in investing activities (b)	(2,061)		(1,945)		(2,036)		(1,672)		(1,590)
Net cash provided by financing activities (a) (b)	1,120		494		726		207		328
Capital expenditures included in net cash used in investing activities	(1,822)		(1,654)		(1,586)		(1,434)		(1,311)

(a)    The information for the year ended December 31, 2016 has been revised to reflect the retrospective application of Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which was adopted by the Company as of January 1, 2017.

(b)    The information for the year ended December 31, 2016 has been revised to reflect the retrospective application of Accounting Standards Update 2016-18, Restricted Cash, which was adopted by the Company as of December 31, 2017.

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ITEM 7.    MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion should be read together with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s business, operations and financial performance. The cautionary statements made in this Form 10-K should be read as applying to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this Form 10-K. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated and expressed in such forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those that are discussed under “Forward-Looking Statements,” Item 1A—Risk Factors and elsewhere in this Form 10-K. The Company has a disclosure committee consisting of members of senior management and other key employees involved in the preparation of the Company’s SEC reports. The committee is actively involved in the review and discussion of the Company’s SEC filings. For a discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial statements for fiscal 2019 compared to fiscal 2018, please refer to Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on February 18, 2020.

Overview

American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse, publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company in the United States, as measured by both operating revenues and population served. The Company employs approximately 7,000 professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to over 15 million people in 46 states. The Company’s primary business involves the ownership of utilities that provide water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service and sale for resale customers, collectively presented as the “Regulated Businesses.” The Company’s utilities operate in over 1,700 communities in 16 states in the United States, with 3.5 million active customers with services provided by its water and wastewater networks. Services provided by the Company’s utilities are subject to regulation by PUCs. The Company also operates market-based businesses that provide water, wastewater and other services to residential and smaller commercial customers, the U.S. government on military installations, as well as municipalities and utility customers, collectively presented as the “Market-Based Businesses.” These Market-Based Businesses are not subject to economic regulation by state PUCs. See Item 1—Business for additional information.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Update

American Water has been monitoring the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic and has taken steps to mitigate adverse impacts to the Company. The Company has three main areas of focus as part of its response to COVID-19: the care and safety of its employees; the safety of its customers and the communities it serves; and the execution of its business continuity plan. American Water continues to work with its vendors to prevent disruptions in its supply chain, and, at this time, has not experienced, and does not anticipate, any material negative impacts. The Company has also been monitoring the impacts of the pandemic on its access to the capital markets, and to the extent such access is adversely affected, American Water may need to consider alternative sources of funding for its operations and for working capital, any of which could increase its cost of capital.

This pandemic continues to evolve, and American Water continues to monitor developments affecting its employees, customers, contractors and vendors and will take additional actions as warranted. To date, the Company has experienced COVID-19 financial impacts, including an increase in uncollectible accounts expense, additional debt costs, and certain incremental operation and maintenance (“O&M”) expenses. The Company has also experienced decreased revenues as a result of the suspension of late fees and foregone reconnect fees. These impacts are collectively referred to as “financial impacts.” See Note 3—Impact of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. The extent to which COVID-19 may further impact American Water, including without limitation, its liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations, will depend on future developments, which presently cannot be predicted.

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As of February 24, 2021, American Water has commission orders authorizing deferred accounting for COVID-19 financial impacts in 11 of 14 jurisdictions, with proceedings in two jurisdictions pending. In addition to approving deferred accounting, to date, two regulatory jurisdictions have also approved cost recovery mechanisms for specified COVID-19 financial impacts. Regulatory actions to date are presented in the table below:

Commission Actions	Description	States
Orders issued	Allows the Company to establish regulatory assets to record certain financial impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.	CA, HI, IA, IL, IN, MD, MO, NJ, PA, VA, WV
Cost recovery mechanisms	California’s Catastrophic Event Memorandum Account allows the Company to track and recover certain financial impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Illinois has authorized cost recovery of COVID-19 financial impacts through a special purpose rider over a 24-month period, which was implemented by the Company’s Illinois subsidiary effective October 1, 2020. Additionally, Illinois approved a bad debt rider tariff on December 16, 2020. This rider will allow the Company to collect actual bad debt expense over last authorized beginning March 2021 over a 24-month period.	CA, IL
Proceedings pending