Arizona American Water President Paul Townsley Celebrates Grand Opening of White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility With ADEQ Director

SURPRISE, Ariz., April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona American Water president Paul Townsley and Director of Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Ben Grumbles, both members of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Water Sustainability, celebrated the Grand Opening of the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility today.

"In many parts of the world, nature adequately replenishes groundwater each year," Townsley said. "However, here in the desert, nature is not able to replenish groundwater as fast as it has been extracted and thus groundwater cannot be depended on forever as our only source of drinking water."

Grumbles agreed, saying, "Groundwater is Arizona's most precious liquid asset and it is very underappreciated. Today is a day that celebrates sustainability that will turn into billions of gallons of groundwater saved for the West Valley."

The White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility saves more than three billion gallons of groundwater per year. With future expansions, it could save significantly more. This also reduces our need to consume electricity, another Arizona American Water goal to protect our planet and minimize cost to customers.

The White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility was conceived by Arizona American Water and the West Valley planning group known as WESTCAPS. WESTCAPS is a ground of West Valley water providers working together to make the wisest use of CAP Water.

WESTCAPS members worked together, shared data and growth projections and subsequently created the 2001 Strategic Plan. This plan identified the need for West Valley water providers to reduce their reliance on groundwater and begin direct use of the renewable CAP water supply. Based on this visionary strategy, Arizona American Water purchased land in 2002 and began the first phase of the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility.

The White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility uses Colorado River water which is diverted into the CAP canal at Lake Havasu and transported across the state to the Maricopa Water District's (MWD) Beardsley Canal, then transported to the White Tanks Regional Water Treatment Facility.

Arizona American Water, a wholly owned 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 350,000 people.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.  With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE Arizona American Water