Iowa American Water Accepting Applications for 2015 Environmental Grant Program

Iowa American Water announced today that it is accepting applications for its 2015 Environmental Grant Program to support innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds and community drinking water supplies.

The program is designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts.

"Our Environmental Grant Program has been very successful in helping local organizations carry out meaningful, sustainable initiatives that benefit our watersheds,” said Randy Moore, president of Iowa American Water, “"We encourage municipalities, schools, environmental organizations and civic groups to apply for a grant to support projects that will benefit a watershed in their community."

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
• 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 the Iowa American Water grant monies are utilized)
• Be located within one of Iowa American Water’s service areas in Clinton or the Iowa Quad Cities which includes Bettendorf, Davenport, LeClaire, Dixon, Panorama Park and Riverdale, Iowa.

In 2014, Iowa American Water awarded four grants totaling $7,700. Since the program began nine years ago, over $52,000 has been awarded to local projects that improve, restore or protect our local watersheds.

Criteria will be judged on the program innovation for the community, the partnership with other organizations and program sustainability.

Information and application requirements can be obtained directly from participating American Water state subsidiaries, or on the company website at http://www.amwater.com/corporate-responsibility/addressing-climate-variability/environmental-grant-program.html.

Applications must be postmarked by Friday, March 13, 2015 and mailed to Lisa Reisen, external affairs manager at Iowa American Water, 5201 Grand Avenue, Davenport, IA 52807. Applications can also be emailed to Lisa.Reisen@amwater.com.

Iowa American Water, a subsidiary of American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 195,000 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 40 states as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.