Southwest Water (NASDAQ:SWWC)
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Shortly after Hurricane Katrina tore through the
Mississippi Gulf Coast, Southwest Water Company (NASDAQ:SWWC) launched
efforts to assist more than 300 of its employees and restore essential
water and wastewater services to a quarter of a million residents in
the region. Through its operating subsidiaries, Operations
Technologies and ECO Resources, Southwest Water provides contract
operation, maintenance and management services in D'Iberville,
Gulfport, Harrison County, Long Beach and Pascagoula, all of which
sustained catastrophic damage from Katrina.
Peter J. Moerbeek, Southwest Water president and chief operating
officer, said, "Our first priority was to assist our employees, many
of whom lost homes or sustained significant property damage."
Staff from outlying offices in Alabama, California, Colorado,
Georgia and Texas traveled to Mississippi as soon as access to the
affected areas was possible. They brought more than 15,000 pounds of
emergency supplies, including drinking water, food, clothing and other
essentials. Mechanics and electricians were also dispatched to assist
locally based crews in repairing damaged facilities.
"The entire water and wastewater infrastructure was virtually
disabled by the storm," said Moerbeek, "but within two weeks, our
people restored water supply and wastewater treatment services to more
than 95 percent of our clients' customers. We also cleared debris from
roadways to enable access for emergency vehicles and residents."
Southwest Water contributed $25,000 to the Red Cross hurricane
relief fund and established a matching fund program for employee
donations up to the same amount. The company is also helping its
Mississippi employees to apply for government assistance through the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
In its role as contract operator, Southwest Water does not own any
of the facilities, vehicles or equipment damaged or destroyed by
Katrina. For that reason, the company does not believe that the
hurricane or its aftermath will have a significant effect on quarterly
or year-end financial results.
"Katrina tested our employees' ability to respond to an emergency
unlike any other they have ever faced," concluded Moerbeek. "We are
extremely proud of their efforts, and we will continue working to
restore our clients' water and wastewater infrastructure to full
operating capacity."
Southwest Water Company provides a broad range of operation,
maintenance and management services, including water production,
treatment and distribution; wastewater collection and treatment;
customer service; and utility infrastructure construction management.
The company owns regulated public utilities and also serves cities,
utility districts and private companies under contract. Approximately
two million people from coast to coast depend on Southwest Water for
high-quality, reliable service. Additional information may be found on
the company's Web site: www.swwc.com.