American Water participated in critical policy discussions during the U.S. Conference of Mayors Fall 2026 Mayors Water Council Meeting, held Oct. 8–9 in Livermore, California.
Hosted by Livermore Mayor John Marchand, the annual summit brought together city mayors, municipal leaders, regulatory officials, and industry experts to address pressing water infrastructure challenges, policy updates, and operational strategies facing American cities.
Sarah Leeper, President of California and Hawaii American Water, addressed attendees on strategic approaches to maintaining sustainable utility operations. Leeper highlighted American Water’s experience collaborating with local municipalities to navigate rate affordability, capital infrastructure investment, regulatory compliance, and long-term system climate resiliency.
During her address, Leeper emphasized regionalization as a viable mechanism for struggling utility systems requiring sustained capital investments, technical specialization, expanded customer support resources, and enhanced operational capacity.
Lacy Carothers, Senior Director of Engineering at California American Water, represented the organization on the PFAS – Regulatory, Operational, and Legal Landscape panel. Carothers shared operational insights on evaluating, testing, and deploying advanced treatment technologies designed to mitigate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water supplies.
As American Water marks its 140th anniversary in 2026, its participation at the Mayors Water Council underscores the utility’s broader commitment to public-private collaboration, industry research, and policy engagement across the 14 states and 19 military installations it serves.
