Company: AWK
Filing Date: 2025-02-19
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001410636-25-000022
Chunk: 86

Company: American Water Works Company, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-19
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 86
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 On many sites, we are responsible for safety and, accordingly, must implement important safety procedures and practices above governmental regulatory requirements. As an essential business that provides water and wastewater services, we are focused on the health and safety of our employees, contractors, vendors, customers and others who work at or visit our worksites. If the procedures we implement are ineffective or are not followed by our employees, contractors or others, or we fail to implement procedures, our employees, contractors and others may experience illness, or minor, serious or fatal injuries. Even when employees implement all appropriate and effective safety measures and precautions, accidents, injuries and even fatalities can and do occur. See Item 1—Business—Human Capital Resources—Safety First. Unsafe work sites have the potential to increase employee turnover, expose us to litigation and raise our operating costs. Any of the foregoing could result in financial losses, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, our operations can involve the delivery, handling, storage, use and disposal of hazardous chemicals, which, if improperly delivered, handled, stored, used or disposed of, or if the location and identification of these chemicals are not reported accurately or timely, serious injury, death, environmental damage or property damage could result, and we could be subjected to fines, penalties or other liabilities. We are also subject to various environmental, transportation and occupational health and safety regulations. Although we maintain functional employee groups whose primary purpose is to implement effective environmental health and safety work procedures and practices throughout our organization, including construction sites and operating facilities, the failure to comply with these regulations or procedures could subject us to liability.

Work stoppages and other labor relations matters could adversely affect our results of operations and the ability to serve our customers.

As of December 31, 2024, approximately 46% of our workforce was represented by unions, and we had 75 collective bargaining agreements in place with 14 different unions representing our unionized employees. These collective bargaining agreements, 25 of which are scheduled to expire during 2025, are subject to periodic renewal and renegotiation. We may not be able to successfully renew or renegotiate these labor contracts, or enter into new agreements, on terms that are acceptable to us. Any negotiations or dispute resolution processes undertaken in connection with our labor contracts could be delayed or affected by labor actions or work stoppages and by external political, economic and social factors. Labor actions, work stoppages or the threat of work stoppages, and our