Kentucky American Water Awards $20,000 in Environmental Grants to Three Organizations

Kentucky American Water has awarded nearly $20,000 to three Fayette County organizations through the 2011 American Water Environmental Grant Program in Kentucky. The Friends of McConnell Springs, the Living Arts and Science Center and the North Limestone Neighborhood Association were each recognized as grant recipients today during a presentation hosted by Kentucky American Water at The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, in Lexington.

The Friends of McConnell Springs received a $2,730 grant to fund a watershed and water quality resource education program for participants ranging from school-aged children to adults. The program will provide real-life, hands-on experience for participants so that they can learn more about watersheds and how to protect them.

The Living Arts and Science Center received a $6,890 grant for the East End Rain Garden and Rain Barrel Project. The project will assist neighborhood residents with learning about and installing 30 rain gardens and 30 rain barrels in the Martin Luther King and William Wells Brown neighborhoods. The project will help raise awareness about watershed protection and water conservation, help residents reduce the amount of contaminated runoff and assist them in a special photography exhibit to document their rain gardens.

The North Limestone Neighborhood Association received a $9,970 grant for the North Limestone Community Garden, which will provide the residents of the North Limestone Community. The garden will produce a healthy food source for community residents and improve the environmental quality of the Cane Run Watershed by addressing a storm water flooding issue on the proposed garden site.

All of the organizations receiving grant funds are working in partnership with other community entities to complete their projects.

American Water, parent company of Kentucky American Water, launched its Environmental Grant Program in Pennsylvania in 2005 to assist community organizations with environmental projects aimed at protecting watersheds. Kentucky American Water initiated the program in 2006. Since that time Kentucky American Water, through the support of American Water shareholders, has provided nearly $95,000 for environmental projects to community organizations in its service area. This program is in addition to the company’s other ongoing corporate giving efforts.

“The preservation of water, our most precious natural resource, is critical,” said Cheryl Norton, president of Kentucky American Water. “The protection and preservation of healthy watersheds and water supplies must truly be a collaborative effort by all of us. I am truly gratified to see such wonderful, collaborative projects being conducted here in the Bluegrass, and it is our distinct pleasure to support their efforts.”

Kentucky American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately half a million people.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125^th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.