Illinois American Water’s Lincoln District Celebrates Nine Years of Excellence in Safety

Illinois American Water’s Lincoln District reached a significant safety milestone this month. According to Gabe Bowden, Operations Superintendent, the Lincoln District has gone nine years without experiencing any lost-time accidents.

Illinois American Water employees work around the clock to provide an essential service critical for daily life, public health and fire protection. The work performed can include daily hazards like working in confined spaces, among motorists and in extreme weather. Employees also handle chemicals, conduct excavation, operate equipment and complete heavy lifting.

Bowden said, “Safety is on our minds every minute of every day. There is nothing more important than ensuring our employees go home in the same condition they arrived at work, if not better. We owe that to our coworkers and their families. There is no room for shortcuts when it comes to safety.”

Illinois American Water conducts both classroom and hands-on training on a regular basis. Employees also participate in facility and job site audits to ensure compliance with established workplace safety practices.

Bowden said, “Our safety record means a lot to our team. Safety is a daily focus. We continuously evaluate and act to remove hazards to prevent injuries.”

Illinois American Water’s Lincoln District has over 5,140 customer connections. Total population served is approximately 18,000 people.

About Illinois American Water

Illinois American Water, a 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 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

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Illinois American WaterKaren Cotton, [e-mail]