Challenges In The Water Industry:


Laura Jordan, External Affairs Manager Laura.Jordan@amwater.com Office: (304) 340-2089
Mobile: (304) 932-7158 www.westvirginiaamwater.com

West Virginia American Water Accepting Applications for 2015 Environmental Grant Program

Grants available for community-based environmental projects across company's

19-county service area

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (January 22, 2015) - West Virginia American Water announced today that applications are now being accepted for the company's 2015 Environmental Grant Program. The program offers funds for innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect the watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies through partnerships located within West Virginia American Water's service territory, which spans parts of 19 counties.

"West Virginia American Water is committed to ensuring water quality through testing and treatment, as well as through customer education and community programs," said Jeffrey McIntyre, president of West Virginia American Water. "We are all environmental stewards in protecting our water supplies, and this program is one way we help empower communities to play an active role in this important effort."
Watershed protection activities, biodiversity projects and hazardous waste collection efforts are just a few examples of eligible projects. The last grant cycle's awardees
included Coal River Group's Coal River Water Lab, Davis Creek Watershed Association's Celebration Day, Morris Creek Watershed Association's Water Monitoring Education Project, Mountain State Clean Streams' Elk River Clean Up, the National Committee for the New River's Storm Water Management Education Project, Southern Appalachian Labor School's "Keep Drugs Out of our Creek" event, and the West Virginia Rivers Coalition Watershed Learning Station.
To qualify, proposed projects must:
• Address a source water or watershed protection need in the community
• Be completed between May 1, 2015 and November 29, 2015

PRESS RELEASE www.westvirginiaamwater.com

• Be a new or innovative program for the community, or serve as a significant expansion to an existing program
• Be carried out by a formal or informal partnership between two or more organizations
• Provide evidence of sustainability (continued existence after grant monies are utilized)
• Be located within West Virginia American Water's service area
Communities or organizations launching or continuing an environmental initiative that focuses on watershed or water source protection are encouraged to apply by completing and submitting the application available at http://www.amwater.com/corporate-responsibility/addressing-climate-variability/environmental-grant-program.html.
Applications must be postmarked by March 13, 2015 and recipients will be notified in
April 2015. Program information denotes the maximum grant amount as $10,000, but West Virginia American Water encourages grant requests between $1,000 and $2,500 to better enable the company to support multiple initiatives.
In 2014, a total of 45 projects throughout American Water's service areas in 11 states were awarded grants totaling more than $185,000.

West Virginia American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 550,000 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 30 states as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.westvirginiaamwater.com.

Connect with us: Facebook.com/wvamwaterTwitter.com/wvamwater

YouTube.com/wvamwater

###


PRESS RELEASE www.westvirginiaamwater.com

distributed by