American Water Joines U.S. Desalination Coalition
American is the first investor owned utility to join group
Washington, D.C. May 5, 2003 .... American Water, Western Region has become the first investor owned utility in the United States to join the U.S. Desalination Coalition a group recently formed to advocate for an increased federal role in the development of seawater and brackish groundwater desalination projects. American's Western Region includes regulated utility operations in the States of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Hawaii.
American Water is contemplating the development of a seawater desalination project near Monterey. The Company is also considering the development of brackish groundwater projects in other states.
"The U.S. Desalination Coalition is pleased to welcome American Water as our newest member. As an investor owned utility with operations in five states, American's membership broadens the Coalition both geographically and institutionally and it will give us an even bigger voice on Capitol Hill," said Hal Furman the Coalition's Executive Director.
The U.S. Desalination Coalition was formed in March of this year by five large southern California water agencies to raise the visibility of desalination as a viable tool for addressing the long term challenges posed by drought, increasing population, and growing business and agricultural demands. The Coalition intends shortly to spell out a package of federal financial incentives to encourage the development of desalination facilities that it hopes to convince Congress to approve.
"American Water is supportive of the goals and objectives of the U.S. Desalination Coalition and our company is delighted to be the initial investor owned utility to join the group," said Kent Turner, American's Vice President. "We view desalination as critical to meeting the long term water supply problems facing our customers and the Nation."
