From running the tap to having a shower, there is a whole network of utility services working behind the scenes to make clean, safe water an everyday reality. In Missouri, water and wastewater services are provided by Missouri American Water, which is the largest regulated water utility company in the state, serving 1.7 million people across the state. Missouri American Water works every day to develop the state’s water infrastructure, ensuring that its water systems can meet Missouri’s water and wastewater needs today and for many years to come.
Check out the article in the magazine below:
Missouri American Water is the leading water and wastewater service provider in Missouri, providing 1 in 3 Missourians with water utility services. Serving these customers is the company’s team of 700 industry professionals, who serve vital areas such as St. Louis, Warrensburg, St. Joseph, Joplin, Jefferson City and several other communities across the state. Across its services, Missouri American Water brings a wealth of experience, largely from its parent company, American Water. American Water is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States of America, with a history extending back to the 1880s. Across America, American Water serves 14 million people with utility services in 14 states and 18 military installations. Therefore, as a subsidiary of the nationwide American Water, Missouri American Water brings the global company’s experience into the state, offering clean, safe, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services that are critical to community health and prosperity.
For Missouri American Water, it is committed to ensuring that every drop of water it delivers is safe, clean and regulated. It achieves this by ensuring that every aspect of its operations complies with strict federal regulations. In fact, the Company has consistently scored among the highest of all water companies in the state due to its compliance with water quality regulations. This is something seen across American Water’s national operations, as the company continues to work closely with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to ensure that high water standards are maintained across the country. Researchers from American Water have even worked with the USEPA to help develop its standards and regulations.
Therefore, the Company takes such regulation very seriously, and as a result, American Water has received more than 150 awards for superior water quality from state regulators, as well as industry organisations, individual communities, government agencies and environmental agencies. Thus, for American Water and its subsidiary Missouri American Water, water quality remains one of the core pillars of its services to ensure that every drop of water is clean and safe. To achieve such goals, Missouri American Water consistently performs water quality tests across the state to ensure that its water is of the highest quality, while monitoring any issues such as lead or PFAs.
One of the most vital aspects of any water and wastewater utility company is the infrastructure that supports its operations. In Missouri, the water infrastructure is ageing, with many aspects in need of vital repairs or replacements. Therefore, Missouri American Water is working to identify problem areas across the state in cooperation with its communities. Once issues are raised, it then works to put plans in place to upgrade these systems and implement vital infrastructural developments in these areas. At present, Missouri American Water manages 80 surface water treatment plants, 540 groundwater treatment plants, 175 wastewater treatment plants, and 53,7000 miles of transmission, distribution and collection mains and pipes. In addition to this, the Company also manages 1,200 groundwater wells, 1,700 water and wastewater pumping stations, 1,100 treated well storage facilities and 74 dams. As we can see, Missouri has an extensive network of water infrastructure, and so Missouri American Water are working to keep all of these systems running at the highest of standards to keep water flowing freely across the state.
A key infrastructural development project currently taking place is the North Berry Road Water Main Replacement Project. Here, Missouri American Water is working to improve the overall water system’s reliability to help reduce the risk of main breaks and support the growth of the state’s utility infrastructure in line with community growth. The project spans the replacement of ageing water mains with new, more durable materials which are designed to serve customers for many decades to come. This includes the replacement of an estimated 2900 foot (ft) of 20-inch cast-iron water main with a 24-inch ductile-iron water main. The project is currently under construction, with the entire project expected to take 5-6 months to complete in 2026/2027.
Another vital infrastructure project is the Joplin Water Supply Reservoir Project, which outlines a construction project to build a new dam, reservoir and pumping facilities to help provide a more reliable water supply source for the Joplin area. The proposed plan will aim to deliver a 1,000-1,500-acre water supply reservoir that can hold around 12 billion gallons of water. Once completed, the project will help address the critical and growing water supply shortages for the Joplin region and relieve regional water supply challenges by taking pressure off the Ozark Aquifer. The project finalised its site selection in 2019, with late-stage regulatory and permitting currently in process.
In May, Missouri American Water’s commitment to infrastructure development was highlighted with the announcement of statewide infrastructural upgrades costing over $1.1 billion. Announced as part of its 2023-2025 summary of investments for system improvements, Missouri American Water announced a range of critical upgrades, including treatment plants, tanks, pump stations, pipelines and metering equipment. These include replacing the intake pump station at the South Water Treatment Plant in St. Louis County, the construction of a new filter and chemical feed building at the water treatment plant in Jefferson City, and a wastewater treatment plant upgrade, including the construction of a new lift station and UV disinfection facility in Eureka. Alongside this, Missouri American Water plans to replace 250 miles of ageing water and wastewater pipes across the state to help cut down on breaks and sewer overflows.
Speaking on the announcement, Rich Svindland, President of Missouri American Water, said: “Delivering safe, clean and reliable water and wastewater service requires consistent, proactive investments in our systems”. Svindland continues, “These investments are focused on strengthening reliability, modernizing aging infrastructure, and minimizing service disruptions for our customers across the state. By continuing to invest in our systems today, we are helping deliver resilient, high-quality service for the communities we serve well into the future”. Swindland’s comments highlight Missouri American Water’s keen focus on delivering vital infrastructure to support the long-term health and prosperity of its local communities, by ensuring that its system can handle the water and wastewater demands of today and for many years to come.
With all water-related services, the environment is always a key priority, and so Missouri American Water is working to deliver clean and reliable water and wastewater services, whilst preventing pollution, promoting sustainability and enhancing the natural environment throughout its operations. Missouri American Water has a consistent history of complying with and often surpassing the standards set by environmental laws and regulations. Thus, Missouri American Water’s commitment to the environment extends beyond the quality of its water and instead spans every operation it sets out to deliver. Therefore, today the company is a key steward of the community in Missouri, playing a key role in protecting the environment.
In line with its environmental stewardship, Missouri American Water works closely with the local community to deliver the state as a vibrant place to live, work and play, supported by vital water and wastewater services. Furthermore, as a corporate citizen, Missouri American Water participates in community giving, in-kind donations, partnerships and volunteering schemes that address specific community needs. Today, Missouri American Water works closely with several community-based partners to have a positive impact on the local community, set on improving the overall quality of life where its employees and neighbours live and work.
As Missouri American Water looks towards the future, it will continue vital development and upgrading projects, including the commencement of its annual hydrant maintenance program in April. The water main and fire hydrant maintenance and flushing program is located in St. Joseph and Stewartsville and is designed to enhance water service, water quality and fire protection in the community. Speaking on this, John Hontz, Senior Manager of Operations for Missouri American Water, outlined “This flushing program helps us maintain high-quality water throughout St. Joseph’s distribution system, while our crews inspect and operate fire hydrants to ensure they’re working properly”. Therefore, the annual project is just one of many vital operations delivered by Missouri American water to help keep the county’s water systems operating well.
Overall, Missouri American Water play a valuable and essential role to support everyday lives of those across the state of Missouri. From vital water and wastewater services to infrastructural development, Missouri American Water is committed to keeping clean, safe, reliable and affordable water accessible across the state whilst developing the systems to help maintain these services for many years to come in partnership with the local community.
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