April 21, 2014

Make Earth's Day

Ann Dettmer Communications Manager T - 314-996-2356

C - 314-623-3822

Ann.Dettmer@amwater.com

Missouri American Water recommends five easy household steps to protect local water resources St. Louis, MO., April 21, 2014 -- Earth Day is tomorrow. It's a good time to make simple changes to traditional springtime activities that will help protect local streams and rivers.

Earth Day begins by remembering that we all live in a watershed - an area of land where the runoff from rain drains to waterways. As water travels over the land's surface, it carries any pollutants on the land to nearby streams. Earth-friendly actions in homes and yards can make a difference in the Missouri and Meramec Rivers -- the sources of drinking water for about half of all Missourians.

Consider native plants for Spring gardening. Native plants support wildlife, preserve our natural diversity and require no fertilizer or herbicides.

Don't over-apply lawn chemicals and avoid application immediately before it rains.

Consider testing soil to better understand your lawn's needs before adding chemicals.

Remember that storm inlets drain to rivers. The water that washes down storm drains goes directly to streams and rivers. Don't dispose of trash, oil or chemicals in the street.

Dispose of unneeded medicines safely. On Saturday, April 26, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is sponsoring a prescription drug take-back program to help residents safely dispose of unneeded medicines. Dozens of police departments across the state are

accepting the medicines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location information is available at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback.
Stop by your local Earth Day celebration. A partial list of celebrations is on Missouri American Water's website at www.missouriamwater.com. The biggest is St. Louis Earth Day, on the Muny grounds of Forest Park, Sunday April 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You'll find hundreds of ideas for environmentally-friendly living. The Recycling Extravaganza accepts hard-to-recycle items at the nearby St. Louis County Community College, Forest Park campus. Visit www.stlouisearthday.org for more information.

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Make Earth's Day

Missouri American Water

Missouri 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 1.5 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 approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

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