American Water Works 10-K 2025-12-31

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

OR

For the transition period from to

Commission file number: 001-34028

AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1 Water Street, Camden, NJ 08102-1658

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(856) 955-4001

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. Common Stock, $0.01 par value—$23,779,400,000 as of June 30, 2025 (solely for purposes of calculating this aggregate market value, American Water has defined its affiliates to include (i) those persons who were, as of June 30, 2025, its executive officers, directors or known beneficial owners of more than 10% of its common stock, and (ii) such other persons who were deemed, as of June 30, 2025, to be controlled by, or under common control with, American Water or any such persons in clause (i) above).

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock as of the latest practicable date: Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share—195,208,666 shares as of February 9, 2026.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the American Water Works Company, Inc. definitive proxy statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2025 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in Item 1—Business, Item 1A—Risk Factors, and Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and in other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, or incorporated by reference therein, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words with prospective meanings such as “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “predict,” “project,” “propose,” “assume,” “forecast,” “likely,” “uncertain,” “outlook,” “future,” “pending,” “goal,” “objective,” “potential,” “continue,” “seek to,” “may,” “can,” “should,” “will” and “could” or the negative of such terms or other variations or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements may relate to, among other things: the Company’s future financial performance, liquidity and cash flows; the timing and amount of rate and revenue adjustments, including through general rate case filings, filings for infrastructure surcharges and other governmental agency authorizations and proceedings, and filings to address regulatory lag; the Company’s ability to execute its current and long-term business, operational, capital expenditures and growth plans and strategies; the timing and outcome of pending or future acquisition activity (including, without limitation, the merger agreement with Essential Utilities, Inc. (“Essential”) and the proposed acquisition of systems owned indirectly by Nexus Water Group, Inc.), and the ability to achieve organic customer growth; the ability of the Company’s California subsidiary to obtain adequate alternative water supplies in lieu of diversions from the Carmel River; the amount, allocation and timing of projected capital expenditures and related funding requirements; the Company’s ability to repay or refinance debt; the future impacts of increased or increasing financing costs, inflation and interest rates; the Company’s ability to finance current and projected operations, capital expenditure needs and growth initiatives by accessing the debt and equity capital markets and sources of short-term liquidity; the future settlement or settlements of the Forward Sale Agreements described herein, adjustments to the forward sale price thereunder, and the amount of and the intended use of net proceeds from any such future settlement or settlements; the outcome and impact on the Company of governmental and regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, and other litigation and legal proceedings, and related potential fines, penalties and other sanctions; the ability to meet or exceed the Company’s stated environmental and sustainability goals, including its greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emission reduction, water delivery efficiency and water system resiliency goals; the ability to complete, and the timing and efficacy of, the design, development, implementation and improvement of technology and other strategic initiatives; the Company’s ability to comply with new and changing environmental regulations; the ability to capitalize on existing or future utility privatization opportunities; trends in the water and wastewater industries in which the Company operates, including macro trends with respect to the Company’s efforts and projects related to customer, technology and work efficiency and execution; regulatory, legislative, tax policy or legal developments; and impacts that future significant tax legislation, and the imposition, utilization or change in various economic tariffs (or any attempt or effort to do so), may have on the Company and on its business, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Forward-looking statements are predictions based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions regarding future events. They are not guarantees or assurances of any outcomes, financial results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon them. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company’s actual results may vary materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements included herein as a result of the factors discussed under Item 1A—Risk Factors, and the following important factors:

• the decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise or lower customer rates;

• the timeliness and outcome of regulatory commissions’ and other authorities’ actions concerning rates, capital structure, authorized return on equity, capital investment, system acquisitions and dispositions, taxes, permitting, water supply and management, and other decisions;

• changes in customer demand for, and patterns of use of, water and energy, such as may result from conservation efforts, or otherwise;

• limitations on the availability of the Company’s water supplies or sources of water, or restrictions on its use thereof, resulting from allocation rights, governmental or regulatory requirements and restrictions, drought, overuse or other factors;

• a loss of one or more large industrial or commercial customers due to adverse economic conditions, or other factors;

• present and future proposed changes in laws, governmental regulations and policies, including with respect to the environment (such as, for example, potential improvements to existing Federal regulations with respect to lead and copper service lines and galvanized steel pipe), health and safety, data and consumer privacy, security and protection, water quality and water quality accountability, contaminants of emerging concern (including without limitation per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively, “PFAS”)), public utility and tax regulations and policies, and impacts resulting from U.S., state and local elections and changes in federal, state and local executive administrations;

• the Company’s ability to collect, distribute, use, secure and store consumer data in compliance with current or future governmental laws, regulations and policies with respect to data and consumer privacy, security and protection;

• weather conditions and events, climate variability patterns, and natural disasters, including drought or abnormally high rainfall, prolonged and abnormal ice or freezing conditions, strong winds, coastal and intercoastal flooding, pandemics and epidemics, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, electrical storms, sinkholes and solar flares;

• the outcome of litigation and similar governmental and regulatory proceedings, investigations or actions;

• the risks associated with the Company’s aging infrastructure, and its ability to appropriately improve the resiliency of or maintain, update, redesign and/or replace, current or future infrastructure and systems, including its technology and other assets, and manage the expansion of its businesses;

• exposure or infiltration of the Company’s technology and critical infrastructure systems, including the disclosure of sensitive, personal or confidential information contained therein, through physical or cyber attacks or other means, and impacts from required or voluntary public and other disclosures, as well as civil class action and other litigation or legal, regulatory or administrative proceedings, related thereto;

• the Company’s ability to obtain permits and other approvals for projects and construction, update, redesign and/or replacement of various water and wastewater facilities;

• changes in the Company’s capital requirements;

• the Company’s ability to control operating expenses and to achieve operating efficiencies, and the Company’s ability to create, maintain and promote initiatives and programs that support the affordability of the Company’s regulated utility services;

• the intentional or unintentional actions of a third party, including contamination of the Company’s water supplies or the water provided to its customers;

• the Company’s ability to obtain and have delivered adequate and cost-effective supplies of pipe, equipment (including personal protective equipment), chemicals, power and other fuel, water and other raw materials, and to address or mitigate supply chain constraints that may result in delays or shortages in, as well as increased costs of, supplies, products and materials that are critical to or used in the Company’s business operations;

• the Company’s ability to successfully meet its operational growth projections, either individually or in the aggregate, and capitalize on growth opportunities, including, among other things, with respect to:

• acquiring, closing and successfully integrating regulated operations, including without limitation the Company’s ability to (i) obtain all required regulatory and other consents and approvals for such acquisitions, (ii) prevail in litigation or other challenges related to such acquisitions, and (iii) recover in rates the fair value of assets of the acquired regulated operations;

• the Company’s Military Services Group (“MSG”) entering into new military installation contracts, price redeterminations, and other agreements and contracts, with the U.S. government; and

• realizing anticipated benefits and synergies from new acquisitions;

• in addition to the foregoing, various risks and other uncertainties associated with the Company’s merger agreement with Essential and the related proposed merger, including:

• a fixed exchange ratio that will not adjust or account for fluctuations in the Company’s or Essential’s stock price;

• limitations on the parties’ ability to pursue alternatives to the proposed merger;

• an event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement;

• a delay in the timing to consummate the proposed merger;

• each party’s ability to obtain required governmental and regulatory approvals required for the proposed merger (and/or that such approvals may result in the imposition of burdensome or commercially undesirable conditions, including required dispositions, that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed merger);

• financial impacts of the proposed merger on the Company and the combined company’s earnings, earnings per share, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and share price, and any related accounting impacts;

• any impact of the proposed merger on the Company’s and the combined company’s ability to declare and pay quarterly dividends on its common stock;

• the risk of litigation related to the proposed merger;

• changes in the parties’ key management and personnel;

• the amount and nature of incurred transaction costs associated with the proposed merger; and

• reduced ownership and voting interests for the Company’s and Essential’s shareholders upon completion of the proposed merger;

• in addition to the foregoing, various risks and other uncertainties associated with the agreement to acquire certain water and wastewater systems from a subsidiary of Nexus Water Group, Inc., including:

• the final amount of the rate base to be acquired, and the amount of post-closing adjustments to the purchase price, if any, as contemplated by the acquisition agreement;

• the various impacts and effects of (i) compliance, or attempted compliance, with the terms and conditions of the acquisition agreement, and/or (ii) the completion of, or actions taken by the Company to complete, the acquisition, on the Company’s operations, strategy, guidance, expectations and plans with respect to its Regulated Businesses (considered individually or together as a whole), its current or future capital expenditures, its current and future debt and equity capital needs, dividends, earnings (including earnings per share), growth, future regulatory outcomes, expectations with respect to rate base growth, and other financial and operational goals, plans, estimates and projections; and

• any requirement by the Company to pay a termination fee in the event the closing does not occur;

• risks and uncertainties following the completion of the sale of the Company’s Homeowner Services Group (“HOS”), including the ability of the Company to redeploy successfully and timely the net proceeds of this transaction into the Company’s Regulated Businesses;

• risks and uncertainties associated with contracting with the U.S. government, including ongoing compliance with applicable government procurement, security and cybersecurity regulations;

• cost overruns relating to improvements in or the expansion of the Company’s operations;

• the Company’s ability to successfully develop and implement new technologies and to protect related intellectual property;

• the Company’s ability to maintain safe work sites;

• the Company’s exposure to liabilities related to environmental laws and regulations, including those enacted or adopted and under consideration, and the substances related thereto, including without limitation copper, lead and galvanized steel, PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern, and similar matters resulting from, among other things, water and wastewater service provided to customers;

• the ability of energy providers, state governments and other third parties to achieve or fulfill their GHG emission reduction goals, including without limitation through stated renewable portfolio standards and carbon transition plans;

• with respect to any of the Forward Sale Agreements, as described herein: (i) the inability of the forward purchasers (or their affiliates) to perform their obligations thereunder, (ii) the timing and method of any settlement thereof, (iii) the amount and intended use of proceeds that may be received by the Company from any such settlement, and (iv) the timing and amount of any common stock dilution resulting therefrom;

• changes in general economic, political, business and financial market conditions;

• access to sufficient debt and/or equity capital on satisfactory terms and as needed to support operations and capital expenditures;

• fluctuations in inflation or interest rates, and the Company’s ability to address or mitigate the impacts thereof;

• the ability to comply with affirmative or negative covenants in the current or future indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or the issuance of new or modified credit ratings or outlooks by credit rating agencies with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or any current or future indebtedness thereof), which could increase financing costs or funding requirements and affect the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ ability to issue, repay or redeem debt, pay dividends or make distributions;

• fluctuations in the value of, or assumptions and estimates related to, its benefit plan assets and liabilities, including with respect to its pension and other post-retirement benefit plans, that could increase expenses and plan funding requirements;

• changes in federal or state general, income and other tax laws, and the imposition, utilization or change in economic tariffs (or any attempt or effort to do so), including (i) future significant tax legislation or regulations (including without limitation impacts related to the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (“CAMT”)), and (ii) the availability of, or the Company’s compliance with, the terms of applicable tax credits and tax abatement programs;

• migration of customers into or out of the Company’s service territories and changes in water and energy consumption resulting therefrom;

• the use by municipalities of the power of eminent domain or other authority to condemn the systems of one or more of the Company’s utility subsidiaries, including without limitation litigation and other proceedings with respect to the water system assets of the Company’s California subsidiary (“Cal Am”) located in Monterey, California (the “Monterey system assets”), or the assertion by private landowners of similar rights against such utility subsidiaries;

• any difficulty or inability to obtain insurance for the Company, its inability to obtain insurance at acceptable rates and on acceptable terms and conditions, or its inability to obtain reimbursement under existing or future insurance programs and coverages for any losses sustained;

• the incurrence of impairment charges, changes in fair value and other adjustments related to the Company’s goodwill or the value of its other assets;

• labor actions, including work stoppages and strikes;

• the Company’s ability to retain and attract highly qualified and skilled employees and talent;

• civil disturbances or unrest, or terrorist threats or acts, or public apprehension about future disturbances, unrest, or terrorist threats or acts; and

• the impact of new, and changes to existing, accounting standards.

These forward-looking statements are qualified by, and should be read together with, the risks and uncertainties set forth above and the risk factors included in Item 1A—Risk Factors and other statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and readers should refer to such risks, uncertainties and risk factors in evaluating such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements the Company makes shall speak only as of the date this Annual Report on Form 10-K was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Except as required by the federal securities laws, the Company does not have any obligation, and it specifically disclaims any undertaking or intention, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors. Furthermore, it may not be possible to assess the impact of any such factor on the Company’s businesses, either viewed independently or together, or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

PART I

The Company

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse, publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company in the United States, as measured by both operating revenues and population served. A holding company originally incorporated in Delaware in 1936, the Company employs approximately 7,000 professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 14 million people in 24 states. The Company conducts the majority of its business through regulated utilities that provide water and wastewater services, collectively presented as one reportable segment, referred to as the “Regulated Businesses.” The Company also operates other businesses that provide water and wastewater services to the U.S. government on military installations, as well as municipalities. Individually, these other businesses do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), and are collectively presented throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K within “Other,” which is consistent with how management assesses the results of these businesses.

On October 26, 2025, parent company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Essential Merger Agreement”) with Essential to combine the two companies in a stock-for-stock transaction. The Essential Merger Agreement provides that, upon the completion of the proposed merger, Essential’s shareholders will receive 0.305 shares of parent company common stock in exchange for each share of Essential common stock eligible for exchange in the merger. Upon completion of the proposed merger, Essential will be a wholly owned subsidiary of parent company, and parent company will retain its existing name and remain headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. The completion of the proposed merger is subject to certain customary conditions. The Company currently estimates that the closing of the proposed merger will occur by the end of the first quarter of 2027. See Note 5—Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures—Agreement and Plan of Merger with Essential Utilities, Inc., in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless the context otherwise requires, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” and “American Water” mean American Water Works Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries as of the date hereof, taken together as a whole. References to “parent company” mean American Water Works Company, Inc., without its subsidiaries.

Regulated Businesses

The Company’s primary business involves the ownership of utilities that provide water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service and sale for resale customers. The Company’s utilities operate in 14 states in the United States, with 3.6 million active customers in its water and wastewater networks. Services provided by the Company’s utilities are subject to regulation by multiple state utility commissions or other entities engaged in utility regulation, collectively referred to as public utility commissions (“PUCs”). Federal, state and local governments also regulate environmental, health and safety, and water quality and water accountability matters. The Company reports the results of the services provided by its utilities in the Regulated Businesses segment. Operating revenues for the Regulated Businesses were $4,723 million for 2025, $4,296 million for 2024 and $3,920 million for 2023, accounting for 92%, 92% and 93%, respectively, of the Company’s total operating revenues for the same periods.

Presented in the table below is a geographic summary of the Regulated Businesses’ operating revenues and the number of customers the Company serves, by type of service, for and as of the year ended December 31, 2025:

(a)Includes other operating revenues consisting primarily of alternative revenue programs, miscellaneous utility charges, fees and rents. Customers associated with other operating revenues are not applicable.

(b)The Company’s “Top Five States” are determined based upon operating revenues.

(c)Includes the Company’s utility operations in the following states: Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia and other revenue attributable collectively to the Regulated Businesses.

Customers

The Company’s Regulated Businesses have a large and geographically diverse customer base. A customer is defined as a person, business, municipality or any other entity that purchases the Company’s water or wastewater services as of the last business day of a reporting period. One single customer may purchase the Company’s services for use by multiple individuals or businesses. Examples of these customers are homes, apartment complexes, businesses and governmental entities.

The vast majority of the Company’s regulated water customers are metered, which allows the Company to measure and bill for its customers’ water usage, typically on a monthly basis. The Company employs a variety of methods of customer meter reading to monitor consumption. These methods range from meters with mechanical registers where consumption is manually recorded b

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We operate in a market and regulatory environment that involves significant risks, many of which are beyond our control. In addition to the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the following material factors should be considered in evaluating our business and future prospects. Any of the following risks, either alone or taken together, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

Risk Factors Summary

The following summary is intended to enhance the readability and accessibility of our risk factor disclosures. We encourage you to carefully review the full risk factors discussed below in their entirety for additional information. A number of the factors that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations include:

Risks Related to Our Industry and Business Operations

• Our Regulated Businesses are subject to regulation by PUCs and other regulatory agencies, which affects our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, and may be subject to fines, penalties and other sanctions for an inability to meet these regulatory requirements.

• Our operations and the water we supply are subject to environmental, water quality and health and safety laws and regulations, including contaminants of emerging concern, compliance with which could impact our operating costs and capital expenditures, and violations of which could subject us to costs, damage to our reputation or regulatory action, and contamination events may lead to service limitations, reduced usage or litigation.

• Limitations or restrictions on water supplies may adversely affect our access to sources of water, our ability to supply water to customers and, together with climate variability, severe weather, natural disasters and seasonality, may cause service disruptions, reduced demand or increased costs.

• The current regulatory rate setting process may result in a significant delay, also known as “regulatory lag,” from the time that we invest in infrastructure improvements, incur increased operating expenses, incur increased cost of capital or experience declining water usage, to the time at which we can seek to address these events in general rate cases. Our inability to mitigate or minimize regulatory lag could adversely affect our business.

• Changes in laws and regulations can significantly and materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

• Regulatory and environmental risks associated with the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater may impose significant costs and liabilities, and aging infrastructure may require increased capital and O&M spending.

• Our Regulated Businesses require significant capital expenditures and may suffer if we fail to secure appropriate funding or experience increases in short- and long-term interest rates or delays in completing major capital expenditure projects.

• Aging infrastructure may lead to service disruptions, property damage and increased capital expenditures and O&M expenses and other costs, all of which could negatively impact our financial results.

• Contamination of water supplies or our water service provided to our customers could result in service limitations and interruptions and exposure to substances not typically found in potable water supplies, and could subject us and our subsidiaries to reductions in usage and other responsive obligations, government enforcement actions, damage to our reputation and private litigation.

• We are subject to adverse publicity and reputational risks, which make us vulnerable to negative customer perception and could lead to increased regulatory oversight or sanctions.

• The failure of, or the requirement to repair, upgrade or dismantle, any of our dams may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

• Any failure of our network of water and wastewater pipes, water mains and water reservoirs could result in losses and damages that may affect our financial condition and reputation.

• An important part of our growth strategy is the acquisition of water and wastewater systems, which involves risks, including competition for acquisition opportunities from other regulated utilities, governmental entities and other buyers, which may hinder or limit our ability to grow our business.

• We face technology, cybersecurity and data privacy risks, including failures, cyber attacks, unauthorized access and evolving privacy requirements, any of which may result in operational disruption, regulatory actions or reputational harm.

• An inability to successfully develop and implement new technologies poses substantial risks to our business and operational excellence strategies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

• Our inability to efficiently upgrade and improve our operational and technology systems, or implement new systems, could result in higher than expected costs or otherwise adversely impact our internal controls environment, operations and profitability.

• Disruptions in our supply chain related to goods, such as pipe, chemicals, power and other fuel, equipment, water and other raw materials and services, could adversely impact our operations and our ability to serve our customers, as well as our financial results.

Financial, Economic and Market-Related Risks

• Our indebtedness could adversely affect our business and limit our ability to plan for or respond to changes in our business, and we may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our liquidity needs.

• Our inability to access the debt or equity capital or financial markets or other events could affect our ability to meet our long-term commitments or liquidity needs at reasonable cost, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

• Our forward sale agreements may adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition, the share price of our common stock and our liquidity, and may potentially cause shareholder dilution.

• The conditional exchange feature of the 3.625% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Exchangeable Notes”), if triggered, may adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and may dilute the ownership interest of our shareholders or may otherwise depress the price of parent company’s common stock.

• Parent company may be unable to meet its ongoing and future financial obligations and to pay dividends on its common stock if its subsidiaries are unable to pay upstream dividends or repay funds.

• We have a significant amount of goodwill and other assets measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, and we may be required to record impairments or changes in fair value to these assets, which may negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to the Proposed Merger with Essential

• The proposed merger is subject to various closing conditions, including the receipt of consents and approvals from various governmental and regulatory entities and third parties, and a failure to obtain all such consents or approvals or to satisfy such other closing conditions could prevent or delay the completion of the proposed merger or impose conditions that could have a material adverse effect on us or the combined company.

• The proposed merger may cause suppliers, strategic partners, certain customers or others to delay or defer decisions regarding our business, and may adversely affect our ability to effectively manage our business.

• The Essential Merger Agreement contains provisions that limit our ability to pursue certain alternatives to the proposed merger, which could discourage a potential acquirer from making an alternative transaction proposal an

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None.

The Company’s Cybersecurity Program

The Company’s cybersecurity program is an integral part of the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Company’s operational and technology environment. To protect the integrity of its data and operational and technology systems, the Company employs a “Zero Trust” strategy that uses multiple security measures. This strategy aligns with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber Security Framework and provides preventative, detective, and responsive measures to identify and manage risks. The Company periodically reviews and modifies the implementation of its cybersecurity strategy based on threat trends, program maturity, the results of assessments, and the advice of third-party security consultants.

The Company’s cybersecurity program includes the following areas of focus:

• Technology that includes, among other things, encryption, threat management, monitoring, investigation support and backups for physical devices, such as mobile phones and computers, connected to the Company network;

• Identity and access management controls that include, among other things, multi-factor authentication and safeguards associated with granting elevated privileges;

• Proactive cybersecurity processes, including vulnerability scanning, penetration testing and periodic program assessments by outside security consultants and assessors;

• Reactive cybersecurity processes that are regularly evaluated using various incident response and disaster recovery exercises;

• Employee cyber risk awareness and training, including regular simulation exercises with employees, that covers cybersecurity threats and actions to prevent and report attacks; and

• Third-party risk management and security standards, including due diligence, continuous monitoring, cyber risk scoring and contractual obligations, and periodic review of third-party control environments to align the Company’s risk exposure with its business requirements and risk tolerances.

Third-Party Relationships

The Company utilizes partners and third-party service providers to help deliver safe and reliable water and wastewater services across its regulated operations and has implemented a third-party risk management program to understand the cybersecurity risks to the Company that may arise out of these third-party relationships. The Company categorizes third-party relationships by risk level, which is determined primarily by the service provided by the third-party and its level of access to the Company’s data. Each category has specific cybersecurity controls, data privacy and documentation requirements, which are outlined in the agreement between the Company and the third-party service provider. In addition, the Company evaluates the online security footprint for its service providers at the time of agreement, and on a regular basis, thereafter, depending on the provider’s risk level. The Company reviews its agreements with third-party service providers periodically related to terms and conditions governing cybersecurity controls and data privacy. The Company also monitors, as appropriate, risks relating to potential compromises of sensitive Company information through third parties and reevaluates these risks periodically. In addition, the Company obtains annual attestation reports related to data security and privacy from certain third-party providers to further support compliance with industry-standard cybersecurity protocols.

Cybersecurity Risks

Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving and have and will continue to become more frequent and sophisticated. Although the Company has implemented measures that it believes are reasonable to safeguard its operational and information technology systems and has sought to establish a culture of continuous monitoring and improvement, the evolving and increasingly complex nature of cybersecurity attacks and vulnerabilities means that these protections may not always be effective. To date, the Company has determined that it has not experienced a cybersecurity incident that has resulted in a material impact to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, or business strategy. For additional information concerning cybersecurity-related risks, see Item 1A—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Industry and Business Operations—We have been, and may in the future be, subject to physical and cyber attacks, and —We may sustain losses that exceed or are excluded from our insurance coverage or for which we are self-insured.

Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy

The Company has established an enterprise-wide cybersecurity program designed to prevent disruption to critical information systems, minimize the loss or manipulation of sensitive information, and to timely identify, escalate and promptly remediate and recover from cybersecurity incidents and facilitate compliance with regulatory and disclosure requirements. To oversee cybersecurity risk management, the Company employs a dedicated unit, led by the Company’s Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), to implement cybersecurity controls, assess and report on cybersecurity risks and consult with the Company’s internal Enterprise Risk Management Committee, a decision-making body which supports and oversees the identification, assessment, prioritization, and mitigation strategies for enterprise-level risks, including cybersecurity risks. The CISO has over 25 years of work experience in the information technology, physical security and cybersecurity fields, including previously serving as the Company’s Chief Security Officer, and holds the Certified Information Systems Security Professionals from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium. The CISO serves on several working groups within the Water Information Sharing & Analysis Center and across the water industry. The CISO reports directly to the Company’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, who is responsible for the Company’s information technology program.

The Company’s cybersecurity unit conducts annual and ongoing cybersecurity awareness training and education for the Company’s employees. In 2025, 100% of the Company’s active workforce completed mandatory cybersecurity training. By equipping employees with knowledge and skills, the Company strives to cultivate and maintain a cybersecurity-conscious culture within its workforce.

The Company’s cybersecurity risk assessment process involves considering risks associated with the nature of its business, receiving and processing inputs from internal and external stakeholders, monitoring industry trends and risks and engaging external advisors, to assist in aligning the Company’s cybersecurity processes with industry best practices. Risk assessments are conducted quarterly and annually to evaluate the effectiveness of the Company’s existing security controls and serve as the basis for additional safeguards, security controls and measures. Operational and technical security controls are deployed and integrated as safeguards against unauthorized access to the Company’s information systems. These controls are aimed at (i) assuring the continuity of business processes that are dependent upon automation, (ii) maintaining the integrity of the Company’s data, (iii) supporting regulatory and legislative compliance requirements, and (iv) maintaining safe and reliable service to the Company’s customers.

The Company has also implemented a vulnerability assessment program that is reviewed at least annually and more frequently, depending on changes to the risk environment. This process serves as a guiding enterprise-wide framework to outline the scope and procedures of the Company’s cybersecurity risk management processes. By prioritizing vulnerability management and continuously evaluating the Company’s internal and external environments for vulnerabilities, the Company aims to implement preventative measures to protect its information assets and technology-based infrastructure from cybersecurity threats. This approach helps to reduce the Company’s exposure to material cybersecurity threat risks.

Incident Response

The Company utilizes an established internal framework based on industry standards and designed to assess promptly the severity and materiality of cybersecurity incidents based on predefined quantitative and qualitative criteria and to determine the appropriate level of response. Incidents are escalated to the relevant management teams based on their severity and materiality for prompt response and mitigation. The Company maintains a crisis response team comprised of individuals from various functional units, including without limitation Information Technology, Legal, Finance, Enterprise Risk Management, Operations and Communications, to respond to cybersecurity and physical security incidents, environmental incidents and health and safety emergencies, among others.

When a cybersecurity incident occurs, the Company establishes a cross-functional incident response team to respond to the specific cybersecurity incident. The incident response team consists of a subset of members from the standing crisis response team, including personnel with the most relevant experience related to the specific incident. This collaborative approach is intended to enable the Company to leverage expertise throughout the business to address cybersecurity events and to evaluate the potential financial, legal, operational and reputational implications of an incident, or series of related incidents. In considering the materiality of an event, related attacks, whether in terms of quantity or impact, are reviewed individually and in the aggregate to determine whether they may have a significant impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or business strategy, either quantitatively or qualitatively.

Cybersecurity Governance

The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the Company’s cybersecurity program and the Company’s responses to cybersecurity risk. The Board of Directors has delegated to its SETO Committee responsibility for the oversight and review of technology policy, strategy and governance, and cybersecurity issues that could impact the Company’s operational performance or risk profile. The SETO Committee meets at least quarterly and receives reports related to cybersecurity threats, trends and risks, and related mitigation activities. In addition, the SETO Committee and the Board of Directors receive reports of periodic external assessments and internal testing of the effectiveness of the Company’s cybersecurity program. The SETO Committee coordinates with the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee, as appropriate, on matters related to cybersecurity risk. The Audit, Finance and Risk Committee is responsible for, among other things, overseeing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s system of internal controls and the Company’s risk assessment and management strategy, including with respect to cybersecurity risks.

The Company’s properties consist primarily of (i) water and wastewater treatment plants, (ii) mains and pipes used for transmission, distribution and collection of water and wastewater, (iii) wells and other sources of water supply, such as reservoirs, (iv) water and wastewater pumping stations, (v) meters and fire hydrants, (vi) general structures, including buildings, dams and treated water storage facilities, (vii) land and easements, (viii) vehicles, (ix) software rights, and (x) other equipment and facilities, the majority of which are used directly in the operation of its systems. Substantially all of the Company’s properties are owned by its subsidiaries, with a large percentage subject to liens of its mortgage bonds. A wholly owned subsidiary of parent company owns the Company’s corporate headquarters, located in Camden, New Jersey, and the Company and its operating subsidiaries lease office space from certain of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries. These properties are utilized by the Company’s directors, officers and staff in the conduct of the business.

The properties of the Company’s Regulated Businesses consist mainly of approximately:

• 80 surface water treatment plants;

• 520 groundwater treatment plants;

• 170 wastewater treatment plants;

• 55,000 miles of transmission, distribution and collection mains and pipes;

• 1,200 groundwater wells;

• 1,800 water and wastewater pumping stations;

• 1,100 treated water storage facilities; and

• 75 dams.

The Company has ongoing infrastructure renewal programs in all states in which its Regulated Businesses operate. These programs consist of both the rehabilitation of existing mains and equipment, and the replacement of mains and equipment that have been damaged or have reached, or are near, the end of their useful service lives. The properties within Other consist mainly of office furniture and IT equipment. Approximately 49% of all properties that the Company owns are located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The Company maintains property insurance against loss or damage to its properties by fire or other perils, subject to certain exceptions. For insured losses, the Company is self-insured to the extent that any losses are within the policy deductible or exceed the amount of insurance maintained.

The Company believes that its properties are generally maintained in good operating condition and in accordance with current standards of good water and wastewater industry practice.

Set forth below is information related to the Company’s material pending legal proceedings as of February 18, 2026, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, required to be disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The information below should be read together with Note 16—Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In accordance with the SEC’s disclosure rules, the Company has elected to disclose environmental proceedings involving the Company and a governmental authority if the amount of potential monetary sanctions, exclusive of interest and costs, that the Company reasonably believes will result from such proceeding is $1 million or more**.**

Alternative Water Supply in Lieu of Carmel River Diversions

Compliance with SWRCB Orders to Reduce Carmel River Diversions

Under the 2009 Order, Cal Am is required to decrease significantly its yearly diversions of water from the Carmel River according to a set reduction schedule. See Item 1—Business—Regulated Businesses—Water Supply and Wastewater Services and Item 1A—Risk Factors. The 2009 Order responded to claims that Cal Am had not sufficiently implemented actions to terminate its unpermitted diversions of water from the Carmel River as required by the 1995 Order issued by the SWRCB. In July 2016, at the request of Cal Am and several Monterey County government agencies, the SWRCB issued the 2016 Order approving a deadline of December 31, 2021, for Cal Am’s compliance with the 2009 Order.

The 2009 Order includes a condition prohibiting Cal Am from diverting water from the Carmel River for new service connections or for any increased use of water at existing service addresses resulting from a change in zoning or use. In 2011, the California Public Utilities Commission (the “CPUC”) issued a decision directing modifications in Cal Am’s utility tariffs to recognize the moratorium mandated by the 2009 Order, and directing Cal Am to seek written guidance from the SWRCB with respect to any unresolved issues of interpretation or implementation of this condition. In 2012, the Deputy Director of the SWRCB sent a letter to Cal Am providing an interpretation as to the calculation of a baseline to determine increases in use of water at existing service addresses. In March 2018, the MPWMD adopted a resolution directing Cal Am to interpret the baseline in a manner that conflicts with the SWRCB’s written interpretation. In May 2018, Cal Am notified the MPWMD and the SWRCB that it intends to seek declaratory relief concerning the conflicting regulatory interpretations under the 2009 Order. In an attempt to resolve these conflicting interpretations prior to seeking judicial intervention, Cal Am has met with the MPWMD and the SWRCB several times. The SWRCB agreed to circulate revisions to its 2012 interpretive letter, which would be subject to a public comment period. Any failure to follow the MPWMD’s resolution or the SWRCB’s written interpretation, despite these conflicting interpretations, could potentially result in fines, penalties and other actions against Cal Am.

During the fourth quarter of 2025, the MPWMD filed an application with the SWRCB seeking to modify the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order to rescind a condition included therein that prohibits (i) new service connections and (ii) increased water use at existing service connections resulting from a change in zoning or use, throughout Cal Am’s Monterey service territory. The MPWMD’s stated rationale for seeking to rescind this condition is a lack of threatened violation for the foreseeable future given a sufficient water supply to serve demand, and the current prohibitions restrict local housing construction needed to meet state affordable housing mandates. On December 19, 2025, Cal Am filed a response, requesting that the SWRCB deny the application or hold it in abeyance to permit Cal Am to meet with appropriate stakeholders and to develop a proposal for relief from the prohibitions.

Following issuance by the California Coastal Commission (the “Coastal Commission”) in November 2022, of a coastal development permit, as described below, Cal Am continues to work constructively with all appropriate agencies to obtain the remaining required permits for the Water Supply Project. However, there can be no assurance that the Water Supply Project in its current configuration will be completed on a timely basis, if ever. For the year ended December 31, 2025, Cal Am has complied with the diversion limitations contained in the 2016 Order. Continued compliance with the diversion limitations in 2026 and future years may be impacted by a number of factors, including without limitation potential recurrence of drought conditions in California and the reduction or exhaustion of water supply reserves, and will require successful development of alternate water supply sources sufficient to meet customer demand. The 2009 Order and the 2016 Order remain in effect until Cal Am certifies to the SWRCB, and the SWRCB concurs, that Cal Am has obtained a permanent supply of water to substitute for past unauthorized Carmel River diversions. While the Company cannot currently predict the likelihood or result of any adverse outcome associated with these matters, further attempts to comply with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order in the future may result in material additional costs and obligations to Cal Am, including fines and penalties against Cal Am in the event of noncompliance with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order.

Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project

CPUC Final Approval of Water Supply Project

Cal Am’s ability to move forward on the Water Supply Project is and has been subject to extensive administrative review by the CPUC and other government agencies, obtaining necessary permits, and intervention from other parties. In 2016, the CPUC unanimously approved a final decision to authorize Cal Am to enter into a water purchase agreement for the GWR Project and to construct a pipeline and pump station facilities and recover up to $50 million in associated incurred costs plus AFUDC, subject to meeting certain criteria.

In 2018, the CPUC unanimously approved another final decision finding that the Water Supply Project meets the CPUC’s requirements for a CPCN and an additional procedural phase was not necessary to consider alternative projects. The CPUC’s 2018 decision concludes that the Water Supply Project is the best project to address estimated future water demands in Monterey, and, in addition to the cost recovery approved in its 2016 decision, adopts Cal Am’s cost estimates for the Water Supply Project, which amounted to an aggregate of $279 million plus AFUDC at a rate representative of Cal Am’s actual financing costs. The 2018 final decision specifies the procedures for recovery of all of Cal Am’s prudently incurred costs associated with the Water Supply Project upon its completion, subject to the frameworks included in the final decision related to cost caps, O&M costs, financing, ratemaking and contingency matters. The reasonableness of the Water Supply Project costs will be reviewed by the CPUC when Cal Am seeks cost recovery for the Water Supply Project. Cal Am is also required to implement mitigation measures to avoid, minimize or offset significant environmental impacts from the construction and operation of the Water Supply Project and comply with a mitigation monitoring and reporting program, a reimbursement agreement for CPUC costs associated with that program, and reporting requirements on plant operations following placement of the Water Supply Project in service. Cal Am has incurred $324 million in aggregate costs as of December 31, 2025, related to the Water Supply Project, which includes $107 million in AFUDC.

In September 2021, Cal Am, Monterey One Water and the MPWMD reached an agreement on Cal Am’s purchase of additional water from an expansion to the GWR Project. On December 5, 2022, the CPUC issued a final decision that authorized Cal Am to enter into the amended water purchase agreement, and specifically to increase pumping capacity and reliability of groundwater extraction from the Seaside Groundwater Basin. The final decision sets the cost cap for the proposed facilities at approximately $62 million. Cal Am may seek recovery of amounts above the cost cap in a subsequent rate filing or general rate case. Additionally, the final decision authorizes AFUDC at Cal Am’s actual weighted average cost of debt for most of the facilities.

On December 30, 2022, Cal Am filed with the CPUC an application for rehearing of the CPUC’s December 5, 2022 final decision, and in March 2023, the CPUC issued a decision denying Cal Am’s application for rehearing but adopting its proposed AFUDC for already incurred and future costs. The decision also provided Cal Am the opportunity to serve supplemental testimony to increase its cost cap for certain of the Water Supply Project’s extraction wells. On May 21, 2025, the CPUC issued a decision authorizing an increase to the cost cap of $11 million for the specified extraction wells.

The amended water purchase agreement and a memorandum of understanding to negotiate certain milestones related to the expansion of the GWR Project have been signed by the relevant parties. Further hearings were scheduled in a Phase 2 to this CPUC proceeding to focus on updated supply and demand estimates for the Water Supply Project. On August 14, 2025, the CPUC approved a final decision, which was updated on October 9, 2025, finding that, as to the supply and demand estimates for the Water Supply Project, projected demand will outstrip supply by approximately 2,500 acre-feet per year as of 2050. On September 17, 2025, the City of Marina (the “City”), the Marina Coast Water District (“MCWD”) and the MPWMD filed applications for rehearing of the final decision. On September 22, 2025, these parties also filed a motion to stay the final decision. The CPUC has not yet ruled on these motions.

While Cal Am believes that its expenditures to date have been prudent and necessary to comply with the 2009 Order and the 2016 Order, as well as relevant final decisions of the CPUC related thereto, Cal Am cannot currently predict its ability to recover all of its costs and expenses associated with the Water Supply Project and there can be no assurance that Cal Am will be able to recover all of such costs and expenses in accordance with the CPUC’s prior decisions. See Note 16—Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion. Subject to the impacts, outcomes or resolution of applicable litigation and other proceedings, construction of the desalination plant for the Water Supply Project is expected to begin in 2026, and the desalination plant is currently anticipated to be in service by the end of 2029.

Coastal Development Permit Application

In 2018, Cal Am submitted a coastal development permit application (the “Marina Application”) to the City for those project components of the Water Supply Project located within the City’s coastal zone. Members of the City’s Planning Commission, as well as City councilpersons, have publicly expressed opposition to the Water Supply Project. In May 2019, the City issued a notice of final local action based upon the denial by the Planning Commission of the Marina Application. Thereafter, Cal Am appealed this decision to the Coastal Commission, as permitted under the City’s code and the California Coastal Act. At the same time, Cal Am submitted an application (the “Original Jurisdiction Application”) to the Coastal Commission for a coastal development permit for those project components located within the Coastal Commission’s original jurisdiction. After Coastal Commission staff issued reports recommending denial of the Original Jurisdiction Application, noting potential impacts on environmentally sensitive habitat areas and wetlands and possible disproportionate impacts to communities of concern, in September 2020, Cal Am withdrew the Original Jurisdiction Application in order to address the staff’s environmental justice concerns. In November 2020, Cal Am refiled the Original Jurisdiction Application.

In October 2022, Cal Am announced a phasing plan for the proposed desalination plant component of the Water Supply Project. The desalination plant and slant wells originally approved by the CPUC would produce up to 6.4 million gallons of desalinated water per day. Under the phased approach, the facilities would initially be constructed to produce up to 4.8 million gallons per day of desalinated water, enough to meet anticipated demand through about 2030, and would limit the number of slant wells initially constructed. As demand increases in the future, desalination facilities would be expanded to meet the additional demand. The phased approach seeks to meet near-term demand by allowing for additional supply as it becomes needed, while also providing an opportunity for regional future public participation and was developed by Cal Am based on feedback received from the community.

In November 2022, the Coastal Commission approved the Marina Application and the Original Jurisdiction Application with respect to the phased development of the proposed desalination plant, subject to compliance with a number of conditions, all of which Cal Am expects to satisfy. Cal Am continues to seek the remaining permits necessary to construct the Water Supply Project.

In December 2022, the City, MCWD, MCWD’s groundwater sustainability agency (“GSA”), and the MPWMD jointly filed a petition for writ of mandate in Monterey County Superior Court against the Coastal Commission, alleging that the Coastal Commission violated the California Coastal Act and the California Environmental Quality Act in issuing a coastal development permit to Cal Am for construction of slant wells for the Water Supply Project. Cal Am is named as a real party in interest. In April 2024, the court granted defendants’ motion for judgment on the pleadings and dismissed one of MCWD’s causes of action in its petition. After trial and subsequent proceedings ending in the first quarter of 2025, on May 12, 2025, the court entered its final decision denying the petition in full. On July 24, 2025, a notice of appeal was filed. This matter remains pending.

Proposed Zoning Changes at CEMEX, Inc. Site for Slant Wells

In August 2018, the City circulated a public review draft of proposed amendments to its local coastal program and zoning ordinance, and placed the matter for consideration on the Planning Commission’s agenda for its September 2018 meeting. The proposed amendments would change zoning at a site owned by CEMEX, Inc. (“CEMEX”) to open space and restrict future uses, including with respect to Cal Am’s planned use of the site for the slant wells for the Water Supply Project. Any change to the City’s local coastal program must ultimately be approved by the Coastal Commission. Cal Am, CEMEX and the Coastal Commission each submitted letters opposing the proposed amendments. At its November 2018 meeting, the Planning Commission adopted a resolution recommending that the Marina City Council consider approving the amendments.

In December 2018, the Marina City Council considered the proposed amendments. Cal Am, CEMEX and the Coastal Commission again submitted letters opposing the proposed changes, but the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution amending its local coastal plan and a draft amendment to its zoning ordinance. Changes to the ordinance require a second reading before becoming final, which occurred at the City’s December 2018 meeting. The changes to the local coastal plan would need to be submitted to the Coastal Commission for approval; however, the Coastal Commission’s November 2022 approval of Cal Am’s coastal development permit application has rendered moot the impact of these proposed local coastal program and zoning changes on the issuance of the coastal development permit.

Test Slant Well Permitting

A preliminary step to building the Water Supply Project desalination plant is the construction and operation of a test slant well to confirm the suitability of the property on which intake wells will be located to draw water from under Monterey Bay. In November 2014, the Coastal Commission approved coastal development permits for the test slant well, enabling Cal Am to construct and operate the test slant well. Effective February 28, 2018, test slant well pumping ceased, except for minimal maintenance pumping activities, in accordance with Cal Am’s coastal development permits. Because Cal Am may use the test slant well as one of the slant wells for the Water Supply Project, Cal Am sought and obtained from the Coastal Commission permit amendments to allow the test slant well to remain in place and be maintained until February 28, 2027. A required lease obtained from the California State Lands Commission, as amended, expires on December 16, 2027.

Water Supply Project Land Acquisition and Slant Well Site Use

In July 2017, the Coastal Commission adopted a consent agreement and cease and desist order requiring sand mining operations on the property owned by CEMEX on which intake wells for the Water Supply Project will be located, to cease by the end of 2020 and the property to be sold to either a non-profit or governmental entity. The consent agreement strictly limits future use of the property but preserves Cal Am’s existing property rights and allows uses consistent with existing easements and other rights of record. A permanent easement granted by CEMEX to Cal Am was recorded in June 2018 to allow Cal Am access to the property and to construct, operate and maintain the Water Supply Project intake wells. In November 2019, the City notified CEMEX that, based on this permanent easement and Cal Am’s proposed use of the site for the intake wells, CEMEX has breached or will soon breach a prior 1996 annexation agreement (to which Cal Am was not a party). The City states that it intends to seek declaratory relief from CEMEX and Cal Am ordering that Cal Am’s extraction is limited to 500 acre-feet per year of groundwater, that Cal Am cannot export extracted water out of the basin, and that the permanent easement granted by CEMEX to Cal Am is void. CEMEX has denied the City’s claims and requested indemnification from Cal Am under the terms of the permanent easement. Cal Am and CEMEX believe that there is no valid limitation under the annexation agreement on Cal Am’s right to pump brackish groundwater and seawater at the site for desalination and use by Cal Am’s customers.

In May 2020, the City filed a lawsuit in Monterey County Superior Court, naming Cal Am and CEMEX as defendants, and Monterey County Water Resources Agency (“MCWRA”) and MCWD as real parties in interest. The lawsuit, as amended, alleges a claim for breach of contract against CEMEX and seeks declaratory relief to void the permanent easement and prohibiting extraction of water by Cal Am’s slant wells at the CEMEX site in excess of 500 acre-feet per year and the export of such water outside the groundwater basin. In November 2020, Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA filed demurrers, which were overruled by the court at a hearing held in February 2021.

In August 2020, MCWD filed a cross-complaint in the May 2020 lawsuit against Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA, alleging claims for specific performance of certain provisions of the 1996 annexation agreement related to the property owned by CEMEX on which intake wells for the Water Supply Project will be located, as well as claims of water rights, nuisance and unreasonable water use, and seeking additional declaratory relief. Following various rulings on demurrers filed by Cal Am, CEMEX and MCWRA, in February 2021, the court sustained, without leave to amend, the demurrer to MCWD’s nuisance claim and overruled the remainder of the demurrers. In October 2021, the court granted a motion filed by Cal Am related to MCWD’s cross-complaint, which motion requested a referral of certain issues related to MCWD’s water rights and unreasonable use claims to the SWRCB for its expert advisory opinion. The SWRCB held hearings in 2022 and 2023, on the referred issues before its administrative hearing officer. On June 25, 2025, the SWRCB administrative hearing officer transmitted a final report of an advisory opinion to the SWRCB’s board for approval, as well as to the parties and the Monterey County Superior Court. The final report analyzes potential impacts to the groundwater basin and groundwater users based on predictive modeling presented by the parties’ experts, and concludes, among other things, that the slant well pumping is not expected to materially impact MCWD’s water rights, or its ability to draw water from its wells. The report also finds that although some harm to the groundwater basin may occur in the form of increased seawater intrusion and lowering of groundwater levels, any such harm should be balanced against the benefits of the project, and could be avoided or remedied by a physical solution. Trial commenced on November 12, 2025, and is expected to continue into the first quarter of 2026.

Regional Water Quality Control Board Approval of NPDES Permit Amendment

A requirement of the desalination plant that is a key component of the Water Supply Project is the discharge of brine through Monterey One Water’s outfall. As a condition to Cal Am’s coastal development permit, an amendment of a NPDES permit must be obtained by Monterey One Water as the outfall owner from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (the “RWQCB”). The RWQCB must also determine that the proposed brine discharge complies with the desalination facility requirements under the California Ocean Plan. Working in cooperation with Monterey One Water staff and consultants, Cal Am prepared an application for submission to the RWQCB, which application and submission were approved by Monterey One Water's board in September 2024. Following submission of the application to amend the relevant NPDES permit to the RWQCB, Cal Am’s and Monterey One Water’s consultants developed a less environmentally impactful alternative that reduces the number of outfall modifications required to accommodate brine discharge. The alternatives analysis was approved by Monterey One Water’s board on June 30, 2025, and was submitted to the RWQCB on July 1, 2025.

Cal Am’s Action for Damages Following Termination of Regional Desalination Project (“RDP”)

In 2010, the CPUC had approved the RDP, which was a precursor to the current Water Supply Project and called for the construction of a desalination facility in the City of Marina. The RDP was to be implemented through a Water Purchase Agreement and ancillary agreements (collectively, the “Agreements”) among MCWD, Cal Am and MCWRA. In 2011, due to a conflict of interest concerning a former member of MCWRA’s Board of Directors, MCWRA stated that the Agreements were void, and, as a result, Cal Am terminated the Agreements. In ensuing litigation filed by Cal Am in 2012 to resolve the termination of the RDP, the court in 2015 entered a final judgment agreeing with Cal Am’s position that four of the five Agreements are void, and one, the credit line agreement, is not void. As a result of this litigation, Cal Am was permitted to institute further proceedings, discussed below, to determine the amount of damages that may be awarded to Cal Am as a result of the failure of the RDP.

In 2015, Cal Am and MCWRA filed a complaint in San Francisco County Superior Court against MCWD and RMC Water and Environment, a private engineering consulting firm (“RMC”), seeking to recover compensatory, consequential and incidental damages associated with the failure of the RDP, as well as punitive and treble damages, statutory penalties and attorneys’ fees. In 2019, MCWD was granted a motion for summary judgment related to the tort claims in the complaint. A settlement as to the non-tort claims was finalized and entered into in March 2020, in which MCWD and RMC paid Cal Am an aggregate of $5.2 million to resolve Cal Am’s contract claims against MCWD and all claims against RMC relating to the RDP. Under this agreement, Cal Am’s and MCWRA’s right to appeal the dismissal of their tort claims against MCWD were expressly reserved.

In July 2020, Cal Am appealed the grant of summary judgment on MCWD’s tort claims, and in December 2022, the trial court’s decision was reversed on appeal with instructions to vacate its prior orders granting MCWD’s motions for summary judgment and to enter new orders denying the motions. In February 2023, MCWD filed a petition for review of the appellate decision with the California Supreme Court, which was denied in March 2023. In June 2024, MCWD filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings. In December 2024, the court granted MCWD’s motion without leave to amend, dismissing all of Cal Am’s remaining claims. On February 27, 2025, Cal Am and MCWRA each filed a Notice of Appeal of the trial court’s decision. This matter remains pending.

Proposed Acquisition of Monterey System Assets — Potential Condemnation

Local Agency Formation Commission Litigation

In November 2018, voters in Monterey, California passed “Measure J,” which decided that the MPWMD should conduct a feasibility study concerning the potential purchase of Cal Am’s Monterey system assets, and, if feasible, to proceed with a purchase of those assets without an additional public vote. This service territory represents approximately 40,000 customers. In 2019, the MPWMD issued a preliminary valuation and cost of service analysis report, finding in part that (i) an estimate of the Monterey system assets’ total value plus adjustments would be approximately $513 million, (ii) the cost of service modeling results indicate significant annual reductions in revenue requirements and projected monthly water bills, and (iii) the acquisition of the Monterey system assets by the MPWMD would be economically feasible. In 2020, the MPWMD certified a final environmental impact report, analyzing the environmental impacts of the MPWMD’s project to (i) acquire the Monterey system assets through the power of eminent domain, if necessary, and (ii) expand its geographic boundaries to include all parts of this system.

In February 2021, the MPWMD filed an application with the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County (“LAFCO”) seeking approval to become a retail water provider and annex approximately 58 parcels of land into the MPWMD’s boundaries. In June 2021, LAFCO’s commissioners voted to require a third-party independent financial study as to the feasibility of an acquisition by the MPWMD of the Monterey system assets. In December 2021, LAFCO’s commissioners denied the MPWMD’s application to become a retail water provider, determining that the MPWMD does not have the authority to proceed with a condemnation of the Monterey system assets. In April 2022, the MPWMD filed a lawsuit against LAFCO challenging its decision to deny the MPWMD’s application seeking approval to become a retail water provider. In June 2022, the court granted, with conditions, a motion by Cal Am to intervene in the MPWMD’s lawsuit against LAFCO. In December 2022, the court sustained in part, and denied in part, demurrers that had been filed by LAFCO seeking to dismiss the MPWMD’s lawsuit.

In December 2023, the Monterey County Superior Court issued a writ of mandate directing LAFCO to vacate and set aside its original denial of the MPWMD’s application to serve as a retail water provider (in conjunction with its effort to acquire the Monterey system assets) and, if requested, to re-hear the application in compliance with all applicable law. The court held that LAFCO incorrectly applied two statutory standards and noted a lack of sufficient evidence to support certain of LAFCO’s factual findings. As a result, the LAFCO denial has been nullified and LAFCO will be required to hold another hearing on the MPWMD’s application. In February 2024, each of Cal Am and LAFCO filed a notice of appeal with the California Court of Appeal regarding the Monterey County Superior Court’s decision to issue the writ of mandate, and the MPDMD filed a notice of cross-appeal. This matter remains pending.

MPWMD Condemnation Action

Separate from the proceedings related to the MPWMD’s application with LAFCO, the MPWMD notified Cal Am in October 2022 of a decision to appraise the Monterey system assets and requested access to a number of Cal Am’s properties and documents to assist the MPWMD with such an appraisal. Cal Am responded shortly thereafter, denying the request for access, and stating that the MPWMD does not have the right to appraise Cal Am’s system without LAFCO approval to become a retail water provider. In April 2023, Cal Am rejected an offer by the MPWMD to purchase the Monterey system assets for $448.8 million. Over the written and oral objections of Cal Am, at a hearing held in October 2023, the MPWMD adopted a resolution of necessity to authorize it to file an eminent domain lawsuit with respect to the Monterey system assets.

In December 2023, the MPWMD filed a lawsuit against Cal Am in Monterey County Superior Court seeking to condemn the Monterey system assets. In February 2024, Cal Am filed a motion requesting the Monterey County Superior Court dismiss the MPWMD’s eminent domain lawsuit seeking to condemn Cal Am’s Monterey system assets. Cal Am’s motion asserted that the MPWMD lacks legal authorization from both the California legislature and LAFCO to become a retail water provider and the lawsuit improperly seeks to effect a taking of property outside the boundaries of the MPWMD’s territory. In November 2024, the court issued a ruling denying Cal Am’s motion to dismiss, and Cal Am filed its answer to the complaint in December 2024. On August 20, 2025, Cal Am filed a motion for summary judgment as to the MPWMD’s condemnation action, alleging that without LAFCO approval, the MPWMD does not have legal authority to pursue eminent domain. On the same date, the MPWMD filed a motion for summary adjudication of the same issue, arguing that LAFCO approval is not required to proceed with its condemnation action. By orders dated December 29, 2025, the court denied both motions. This lawsuit remains pending.

While the Company cannot currently predict the outcome of this lawsuit, the Company believes that, given existing legal authorities and its other defenses, Cal Am should be able to defend itself successfully against the MPWMD’s eminent domain lawsuit.

Dunbar, West Virginia Class Action Litigation

On the evening of June 23, 2015, a 36-inch pre-stressed concrete transmission water main, installed in the early 1970s, failed. The water main is part of the West Relay pumping station located in the City of Dunbar, West Virginia and owned by West Virginia-American Water Company, the Company’s West Virginia subsidiary (“WVAWC”). Water service was fully restored by July 1, 2015, to all customers affected by this event.

On June 2, 2017, a complaint captioned Jeffries, et al. v. West Virginia-American Water Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County on behalf of an alleged class of residents and business owners who lost water service or pressure as a result of the Dunbar main break. The complaint alleged breach of contract by WVAWC for failure to supply water, violation of West Virginia law regarding the sufficiency of WVAWC’s facilities and negligence by WVAWC in the design, maintenance and operation of the water system. In July 2020, the Circuit Court entered an order granting the Jeffries plaintiffs’ motion for certification of a class regarding certain liability issues but denying certification of a class to determine a punitive damages multiplier.

Trial in this matter had been scheduled, but before trial commenced, the parties notified the Circuit Court that an agreement in principle to settle this litigation was reached. On May 2, 2025, the parties jointly filed with the Circuit Court a proposed class action settlement agreement (the “Dunbar Settlement”) with respect to the certified liability claims. On September 12, 2025, the Circuit Court issued an order granting final approval of the Dunbar Settlement. Under the terms of the approved Dunbar Settlement, WVAWC has not admitted, and will not admit, any fault or liability for any of the allegations made by the Jeffries plaintiffs. The maximum pre-tax amount of the Dunbar Settlement is approximately $18 million, of which the final amount of the Company’s and WVAWC’s contributions to the Dunbar Settlement is approximately $5 million (which have been funded through existing sources of liquidity), and the remainder has been contributed by certain of the Company’s general liability insurance carriers. The Company previously recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024 a charge to earnings, net of insurance receivables, of $5 million ($4 million after-tax), with respect to the Dunbar Settlement. The actual total amount to be paid to claimants through the Dunbar Settlement will depend upon the claims approved through the claims process, but the Company does not currently anticipate that its maximum liability for the settlement will materially exceed $5 million. The deadline for claims submissions was August 25, 2025, and the settlement administrator is evaluating claim submissions to identify compensable claims.

Chattanooga, Tennessee Class Action Litigation

On September 12, 2019, Tennessee-American Water Company, the Company’s Tennessee subsidiary (“TAWC”), experienced a leak in a 36-inch water transmission main, which caused service fluctuations or interruptions to TAWC customers and the issuance of a boil water notice. TAWC repaired the main by early morning on September 14, 2019, and restored full water service by the afternoon of September 15, 2019, with the boil water notice lifted for all customers on September 16, 2019.

On September 17, 2019, a complaint captioned Bruce, et al. v. American Water Works Company, Inc., et al. was filed in the Circuit Court of Hamilton County, Tennessee against TAWC, the Company and Service Company (collectively, the “Tennessee-American Water Defendants”), on behalf of a proposed class of individuals or entities who lost water service or suffered monetary losses as a result of the Chattanooga incident (the “Tennessee Plaintiffs”). The complaint alleged breach of contract and negligence against the Tennessee-American Water Defendants, as well as an equitable remedy of piercing the corporate veil. In the complaint as originally filed, the Tennessee Plaintiffs were seeking an award of unspecified alleged damages for wage losses, business and economic losses, out-of-pocket expenses, loss of use and enjoyment of property and annoyance and inconvenience, as well as punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and pre- and post-judgment interest. In September 2020, the court dismissed all of the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ claims in their complaint, except for the breach of contract claims against TAWC.

In January 2023, after hearing oral argument, the court issued an oral ruling denying the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. In February 2023, the Tennessee Plaintiffs sought reconsideration of the ruling by the court, and any final ruling is appealable to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, as allowed under Tennessee law. In September 2023, the court upheld its prior ruling but gave the Tennessee Plaintiffs the option to file an amended class definition. In October 2023, the Tennessee Plaintiffs filed an amended class definition seeking certification of a business customer-only class. On June 14, 2024, the court issued its written order denying the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ amended class and incorporating its denial of certification of the original residential class. On June 21, 2024, the Tennessee Plaintiffs appealed both of the court’s orders denying class certification. On December 4, 2025, the Court of Appeals of Tennessee denied the Tennessee Plaintiffs’ appeal, and on January 30, 2026, the Tennessee Plaintiffs filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Tennessee. This matter remains pending.

The Company and TAWC believe that TAWC has valid, meritorious defenses to the claims raised in this class action complaint, and TAWC will continue to vigorously defend itself against these allegations.

Mountaineer Gas Company Main Break

During the afternoon of November 10, 2023, WVAWC was informed that an 8-inch ductile iron water main owned by WVAWC, located on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia and originally installed in approximately 1989, experienced a leak. In the early morning hours of November 11, 2023, WVAWC crews successfully completed a repair to the water main. A precautionary boil water advisory was issued the same day to approximately 300 WVAWC customers and ultimately lifted on November 12, 2023.

On November 10, 2023, a break was reported in a low-pressure natural gas main located near the affected WVAWC water main, and an inflow of water into the natural gas main and associated delivery pipelines occurred. The natural gas main and pipelines are owned by Mountaineer Gas Company, a regulated natural gas distribution company serving over 220,000 customers in West Virginia (“Mountaineer Gas”). The resulting inflow of water into the natural gas main and related pipelines resulted in a loss of natural gas service to approximately 1,500 Mountaineer Gas customers, as well as water entering customer service lines and certain natural gas appliances owned or used by some of the affected Mountaineer Gas customers. Mountaineer Gas reported that restoration of natural gas service to all affected gas mains occurred on November 24, 2023. The timing, order and causation of both the WVAWC water main break and Mountaineer Gas’s main break are currently unknown and under investigation.

To date, a total of four pending lawsuits have been filed against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC purportedly on behalf of customers in Charleston, West Virginia related to these incidents. On November 14, 2023, a complaint captioned Ruffin et al. v. Mountaineer Gas Company and West Virginia-American Water Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County on behalf of an alleged class of Mountaineer Gas residential and business customers and other households and businesses supplied with natural gas in Kanawha County, which lost natural gas service on November 10, 2023, as a result of these events. The complaint alleges, among other things, breach of contract by Mountaineer Gas, trespass by WVAWC, nuisance by WVAWC, violation of statutory obligations by Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC, and negligence by Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC. The complaint seeks class-wide damages against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC for loss of use of natural gas, annoyance, inconvenience and lost profits, as well as punitive damages.

On November 15, 2023, a complaint captioned Toliver et al. v. West Virginia-American Water Company and Mountaineer Gas Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County on behalf of an alleged class of all natural persons or entities who are citizens of the State of West Virginia and who are customers of WVAWC and/or Mountaineer Gas in the affected areas. The complaint alleges against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC, among other things, negligence, nuisance, trespass and strict liability, as well as breach of contract against Mountaineer Gas. The complaint seeks class-wide damages against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC for property damage, loss of use and enjoyment of property, annoyance and inconvenience and business losses, as well as punitive damages.

On November 16, 2023, a complaint captioned Dodson et al. v. West Virginia American Water and Mountaineer Gas Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County on behalf of an alleged class of all West Virginia citizens living between Pennsylvania Avenue south of Washington Street, and Iowa Street, who are customers of Mountaineer Gas. The complaint alleges against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC, among other things, negligence, nuisance, trespass, statutory code violations and unfair or deceptive business practices. The complaint seeks class-wide damages against Mountaineer Gas and WVAWC for property loss and damage, loss of use and enjoyment of property, mental and emotional distress, and aggravation and inconvenience, as well as punitive damages.

On January 4, 2024, a fourth complaint, captioned Thomas v. West Virginia-American Water Company and Mountaineer Gas Company, was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County asserting similar allegations as those included in the Ruffin, Toliver and Dodson lawsuits, with the addition of counts alleging unjust enrichment and violations of the West Virginia Human Rights Act and the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.

On November 17, 2023, the Ruffin plaintiff filed a motion to consolidate the class action lawsuits before a single judge in Kanawha County Circuit Court. On June 14, 2024, the judge in the Ruffin case partially granted the motion by transferring all of the four class action lawsuits to her court but deferring as premature consolidation of the cases.

On December 5, 2023, a complaint captioned Mountaineer Gas Company v. West Virginia-American Water Company was filed in West Virginia Circuit Court in Kanawha County seeking damages under theories of trespass, negligence and implied indemnity. The damages being sought related to the incident include, among other things, repair and response costs incurred by Mountaineer Gas and attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by Mountaineer Gas. On March 6, 2024, the motion to transfer this complaint to the West Virginia Business Court was granted and trial and resolution judges were assigned. The Business Court has set a trial date of August 10, 2026 for this matter.

On December 20, 2023, Mountaineer Gas filed answers to each of the first three class action lawsuits, which included cross-claims against WVAWC alleging that Mountaineer Gas is without fault for the claims and damages alleged in the lawsuits and WVAWC should be required to indemnify Mountaineer Gas for any damages and for attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by Mountaineer Gas in the lawsuits. WVAWC has filed a partial motion to dismiss certain claims in the Ruffin, Toliver, Dodson and Thomas lawsuits and a motion to dismiss the cross-claims asserted against WVAWC therein by Mountaineer Gas. Mountaineer Gas subsequently voluntarily dismissed its cross-claims. On November 14, 2025, the Plaintiffs in the Ruffin and Toliver lawsuits jointly filed a motion for class certification. On December 22, 2025, the Kanawha County Circuit Court entered a joint order setting a schedule for class certification with a hearing on the motion to be held on March 17, 2026. The Court also ordered mediation and continued the previously set February 2, 2026 trial date.

On December 6, 2023, WVAWC initiated a process whereby Mountaineer Gas customers could file claims with WVAWC and seek payment from WVAWC of up to $2,000 in damages per affected household for the inconvenience arising from a loss of use of their appliances and documented out-of-pocket expenses as a result of the natural gas outage. In light of the diminishing number of new claims that had been filed, the claims process was concluded on March 8, 2024. As of December 31, 2024, a total of 594 Mountaineer Gas customers completed this claims process and each of those customers has been paid by WVAWC an average of approximately $1,500. In return, these customers were required to execute a partial release of liability in favor of WVAWC.

On November 16, 2023, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (the “WVPSC”) issued an order initiating a general investigation into both the water main break and natural gas outages occurring in this incident to determine the cause or causes thereof, as well as breaks and outages generally throughout the systems of WVAWC and Mountaineer Gas and the utility practices of both utilities. Following a series of disagreements among the parties regarding the scope of discovery, the WVPSC closed the general investigation into both utilities and ordered a separate general investigation for each utility. The WVPSC focused the two general investigations away from the cause of the events and instead on the maintenance practices of each utility during and after the main breaks. On January 29, 2024, the Consumer Advocate Division of the WVPSC filed a motion to intervene in the WVAWC general investigation.

On April 24, 2024, the staff issued a final joint memorandum in the Mountaineer Gas general investigation stating its view that Mountaineer Gas responded appropriately, reasonably and according to Mountaineer Gas’s written procedures. The staff is making no recommendations for improvements to Mountaineer Gas and is recommending that the Mountaineer Gas general investigation be closed. On July 24, 2024, the staff issued a final joint memorandum in the WVAWC general investigation finding no indication of systematic failure by WVAWC and concluding WVAWC’s maintenance and operating procedures were adequate to ensure safe and reliable service, subject to the implementation by WVAWC of three recommended operational improvements. Both general investigations remain pending.

The Company and WVAWC believe that the causes of action and other claims asserted against WVAWC in the class action complaints and the lawsuit filed by Mountaineer Gas are without merit and that WVAWC has valid, meritorious defenses to such claims. WVAWC continues to defend itself vigorously in these litigation proceedings. Given the current stage of these proceedings and the general investigation, the Company and WVAWC are currently unable to predict the outcome of any of the proceedings described above.

PFAS Multi-District Litigation

Several of the Company’s utility subsidiaries are parties to a multi-district litigation (the “MDL”) lawsuit, which commenced on December 7, 2018, in U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, against manufacturers of certain PFAS for damages, contribution and reimbursement of costs incurred and continuing to be incurred to address the presence of such PFAS in public water supply systems owned and operated by these utility subsidiaries and throughout their service areas. Settlements with several defendants in the MDL proceeding have received final approval by the MDL court.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has received settlement payments from defendants 3M Company and DuPont de Nemours, Inc. totaling $159 million, net of legal fees and administrative costs and exclusive of interest. The Company intends to seek regulatory approval from its respective PUCs to apply the net proceeds for the benefit of customers, where permissible. Regulatory approvals have been obtained with respect to seven of the Company’s utility subsidiaries that are parties to the MDL, and two regulatory applications have been denied. Most of the funds received by the Company are being held in a law firm escrow account and are awaiting distribution to the Company’s utility subsidiaries that are parties to the MDL after approval or denial is received from the applicable PUCs. As of December 31, 2025, approximately $47 million of the escrowed funds, including escrow interest, has been transferred from the law firm escrow account for distribution to utility subsidiaries that have received approval. The Company anticipates that, during 2026, it may receive one or more additional settlement payments from the defendants in the MDL.

During 2025, the Company was made aware of a number of substantially similar personal injury short-form complaints that had been filed in the MDL naming, in addition to various other water providers and manufacturers, certain Company utility subsidiaries as defendants. The Company believes that the claims that had been asserted are without merit and the relevant utility subsidiaries have valid, meritorious defenses to the claims. In October 2025, all MDL personal injury complaints that the Company had been made aware of were dismissed by the plaintiffs without prejudice.

General

Periodically, the Company is involved in other proceedings or litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Other than those proceedings described in this Item 3—Legal Proceedings, the Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will materially affect its financial position or results of operations. However, litigation and other proceedings are subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable with assurance. It is possible that some litigation and other proceedings could be decided unfavorably to the Company, and that any such unfavorable decisions could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Not applicable.

PART II

Since April 23, 2008, the Company’s common stock has traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “AWK.” As of February 9, 2026, there were 195,208,666 shares of common stock outstanding held by approximately 1,773 record holders. Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive dividends when they are declared by its Board of Directors. See Note 9—Shareholders’ Equity in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the Company’s dividends.

In February 2015, the Board of Directors authorized an anti-dilutive stock repurchase program to mitigate the dilutive effect of shares issued through the Company’s dividend reinvestment, employee stock purchase and executive compensation activities. The program allows the Company to purchase up to 10 million shares of its outstanding common stock over an unrestricted period of time in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. The program is conducted in accordance with Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act, and, to facilitate these repurchases, the Company enters into Rule 10b5-1 stock repurchase plans with a third-party broker, which allow the Company to repurchase shares of its common stock at times when it otherwise might be prevented from doing so under insider trading laws or because of self-imposed trading blackout periods. Subject to applicable regulations, the Company may elect to amend or cancel the program or the stock repurchase parameters at its discretion to manage dilution.

From April 1, 2015, the date repurchases under the anti-dilutive stock repurchase program commenced, through December 31, 2025, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 4,860,000 shares of its common stock under the program, leaving an aggregate of 5,140,000 shares available for repurchase under this program. There were no repurchases of common stock in 2025.

The following discussion should be read together with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s business, operations and financial performance. The cautionary statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should be read as applying to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated and expressed in such forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those that are discussed under “Forward-Looking Statements,” Item 1A—Risk Factors and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company has a disclosure committee consisting of members of senior management and other key employees involved in the preparation of the Company’s SEC reports. The disclosure committee is actively involved in the review and discussion of the Company’s SEC filings. For a discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial statements for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023, please refer to Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on February 19, 2025.

Overview

American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse, publicly-traded water and wastewater utility company in the United States, as measured by both operating revenues and population served. The Company employs approximately 7,000 professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 14 million people in 24 states. The Company’s primary business involves the ownership of utilities that provide water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service and sale for resale customers, collectively presented as the “Regulated Businesses.” The Company’s utilities operate in 14 states in the United States, with 3.6 million active customers with services provided by its water and wastewater networks. Services provided by the Company’s utilities are subject to regulation by PUCs. The Company also operates other businesses not subject to economic regulation by state PUCs that provide water and wastewater services to the U.S. government on military installations, as well as municipalities, collectively presented throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K within “Other.” See Item 1—Business for additional information.

Financial Results

The following table provides the Company’s diluted earnings per share (GAAP) and adjusted diluted earnings per share (a non-GAAP measure):

For the year ended December 31, 2025, diluted earnings per share (GAAP) was $5.69, an increase of $0.30 per diluted share compared to the prior year, which includes the net adjustments presented in the table above and discussed in greater detail in the “Adjustments to GAAP” section below. Excluding the net adjustments presented in the table above, adjusted diluted earnings per share (non-GAAP) was $5.64 for the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $0.46 per diluted share compared to the prior year. These results were driven primarily by the implementation of new rates in the Regulated Businesses from capital and acquisition investments. Results also reflect increased production and employee-related costs, increased depreciation and higher financing costs used to fund the current capital investment plan.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, diluted earnings per share (GAAP) was $5.39, an increase of $0.49 per diluted share compared to the prior year, which includes the net adjustments presented in the table above and discussed in greater detail in the “Adjustments to GAAP” section below. Excluding the net adjustments presented in the table above, adjusted diluted earnings per share (non-GAAP) was $5.18 for the year ended December 31, 2024, an increase of $0.41 per diluted share compared to the prior year. These results were driven primarily by the implementation of new rates in the Regulated Businesses from capital and acquisition investments. Results also reflect increased production and employee-related costs, increased depreciation and higher financing costs used to fund the current capital investment plan.

Adjustments to GAAP

Adjusted diluted earnings per share represents a non-GAAP financial measure and, as shown in the table above, is calculated as GAAP diluted earnings per share, excluding the impact of one or more of the following events: (i) estimated impact of weather; (ii) incremental interest income from the February 2, 2024 amendment to the HOS secured seller promissory note, which increased the aggregate principal amount from $720 million to $795 million and increased the interest rate from 7.00% per year to 10.00% per year; and (iii) transaction costs incurred during 2025 associated with the proposed merger with Essential. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for adjusted diluted earnings per share is the reported diluted earnings per share (GAAP) and is reconciled in the table above.

The Company believes that this non-GAAP measure provides investors with useful information by excluding certain matters that may not be indicative of its ongoing operating results (or, in the case of weather, that is outside the Company’s operational control and is subject to significant period-to-period variability), and that providing this non-GAAP measure will allow investors to better understand the businesses’ operating performance and facilitate a meaningful year-to-year comparison of the Company’s results of operations and without the estimated impact of weather. Although management uses this non-GAAP financial measure internally to evaluate its results of operations, the Company does not intend results reflected by this non-GAAP measure to represent results as define

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The Company is exposed to market risk associated with changes in commodity prices, equity prices and interest rates. The Company is exposed to risks from changes in interest rates as a result of its issuance of variable and fixed rate debt and commercial paper. The Company manages its interest rate exposure by limiting its variable rate exposure and by monitoring the effects of market changes in interest rates. The Company also has the ability to enter into financial derivative instruments, which could include instruments such as, but not limited to, interest rate swaps, forward starting swaps and U.S. Treasury lock agreements to manage and mitigate interest rate risk exposure. As of December 31, 2025, a hypothetical 1% increase in average interest rates applied to the Company’s short-term borrowing balances throughout 2025 would result in an increased annual interest expense of approximately $12 million.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had entered into six treasury lock agreements, with a term of 10 years or 30 years and an aggregate notional amount totaling $200 million, to reduce interest rate exposure on expected future debt issuances. These treasury lock agreements terminate in June 2026 and September 2026 and have an average fixed rate of 4.47%. When entering into treasury locks, the Company is subject to market risk with respect to changes in the underlying benchmark interest rate that impacts the fair value of the treasury locks. The Company manages market risk by matching the terms of the treasury locks with the critical terms of the expected debt issuance. The fair value of the treasury locks at December 31, 2025, was in a gain position of $2 million. A hypothetical 1% adverse change in interest rates would result in a decrease in the fair value of the treasury locks to a loss position of approximately $21 million at December 31, 2025.

The Company’s risks associated with price increases for chemicals, electricity and other commodities are reduced through contractual arrangements and the expected ability to recover price increases through rates, in the next general rate case proceeding or other regulatory mechanism, as authorized by each regulatory jurisdiction. Non-performance by these commodity suppliers could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

The market price of the Company’s common stock may experience fluctuations, which may be unrelated to its operating performance. In particular, the Company’s stock price may be affected by general market movements as well as developments specifically related to the water and wastewater industry. These could include, among other things, interest rate movements, quarterly variations or changes in financial estimates by securities analysts and governmental or regulatory actions. This volatility may make it difficult for the Company to access the capital markets in the future through additional offerings of its common stock or other equity securities, regardless of its financial performance, and such difficulty may preclude the Company from being able to take advantage of certain business opportunities or meet business obligations.

The Company is exposed to credit risk through its water, wastewater and related services. The Company’s Regulated Businesses serve residential, commercial, industrial and other customers, while the businesses within Other engage in business activities with government entities and other customers. The Company’s primary credit risk is exposure to customer default on contractual obligations and the associated loss that may be incurred due to the non-payment of customer accounts receivable balances. The Company’s credit risk is managed through established credit and collection policies which are in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and involve monitoring of customer exposure and the use of credit risk mitigation measures such as letters of credit or prepayment arrangements. The Company’s credit portfolio is diversified with no significant customer or industry concentrations. In addition, the Regulated Businesses are generally able to recover all prudently incurred costs including uncollectible customer accounts receivable expenses and collection costs through rates.

The Company’s retirement trust assets are exposed to the market prices of debt and equity securities. Changes to the retirement trust asset values can impact the Company’s pension and other benefits expense, funded status and future minimum funding requirements. Changes in interest rates can impact retirement liabilities. The Company aims to reduce risk through asset diversification and by investing in long duration fixed-income securities that have a duration similar to that of its pension liabilities, seeking to hedge some of the interest rate sensitivity of its liabilities. That way, if interest rates fall and liabilities increase, the Company expects that the fixed-income assets in its retirement trust will also increase in value. The Company also expects its risk to be reduced through its ability to recover pension and other benefit costs through rates.

The Company is also exposed to a potential national economic recession or deterioration in local economic conditions in the markets in which it operates. The credit quality of the Company’s customer accounts receivable is dependent on the economy and the ability of its customers to manage through unfavorable economic cycles and other market changes. In addition, there can be no assurances that regulators will grant sufficient rate authorizations. Therefore, the Company’s ability to fully recover operating expense, recover its investment and provide an appropriate return on invested capital made in the Regulated Businesses may be adversely impacted.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of American Water Works Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the related consolidated statements of operations, of comprehensive income, of changes in shareholders’ equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2025, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2025 and 2024**,** and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2025 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Basis for Opinions

The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Accounting for the Effects of Rate Regulation

As described in Notes 2 and 3 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s consolidate

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None.

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company, under the supervision and with the participation of its management, including its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act as of the end of the period covered by this report.

Based on that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of December 31, 2025, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective at a reasonable level of assurance. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objective.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by or under the supervision of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect its transactions and dispositions of its assets, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of its management and its directors, and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of its assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

The Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer, assessed the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting, as of December 31, 2025, using the criteria described in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

Based on the Company’s evaluation under the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013), its management concluded that its internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2025.

The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2025, has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report appearing in Item 8—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company concluded that there have been no changes in internal control over financial reporting that occurred during its last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Adoption or Termination of Rule 10b5-1 Plans and Non-Rule 10b5-1 Trading Arrangements

During the three months ended December 31, 2025, none of the Company’s directors or “officers” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act) adopted or terminated (i) any contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of the Company’s securities, intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) promulgated under the Exchange Act or (ii) any “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” (as defined in Item 408(c) of Regulation S-K).

Not applicable.

PART III

The information required by this item and not set forth below or in Item 1—Business—Information About Our Executive Officers of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, is incorporated by reference from the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days following the end of the fiscal year covered by this report, under the captions entitled “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance” and “Proposal 1—Election of Directors.”

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics, which applies to directors, officers and employees. The full text of the Code of Ethics is publicly available on the Company’s website at https://amwater.com. The Company intends to post on its website any amendments to the Code of Ethics and any waivers of such provisions granted to certain principal officers.

The Company maintains its Insider Trading Policy and a Personal Securities Trading and Preclearance Practice thereunder, which govern the purchase, sale and other disposition of the Company’s securities by the Company’s directors, officers and employees, and their immediate family members, among other covered persons (which does not include the Company). The Company believes the Insider Trading Policy and the related practice are reasonably designed to promote and enforce compliance by such covered persons with applicable insider trading laws, rules and regulations, and the listing standards of the NYSE related thereto. A copy of each has been filed as Exhibit 19.1 and Exhibit 19.2, respectively, to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the full text of the Insider Trading Policy is publicly available on the Company’s website at https://amwater.com.

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, under the captions entitled “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance—Board Role in Risk Oversight—Executive Development and Compensation Committee Role,” “Proposal 1—Election of Directors—Director Compensation Table,” “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” “Executive Compensation” (excluding the subsection “Pay Versus Performance”), “Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” and “Compensation Committee Report” (with the latter report being furnished, and not filed, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

Information required by this item setting forth the security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management is incorporated by reference in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, under the captions entitled “Certain Beneficial Ownership Matters—Security Ownership of Management,” “Certain Beneficial Ownership Matters—Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” and “Equity Compensation Plan Information.”

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, under the caption entitled “Board of Directors and Corporate Governance—Board Review of Related Person Transactions” and “Proposal 1—Election of Directors—Director Independence.”

Information required by this item is incorporated by reference in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, under the caption entitled “Proposal 3—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm—Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Proposal 3—Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm—Pre-Approval of Services Provided by Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”

PART IV

(a) The following documents have been filed as a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

1.The financial statements listed in the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” contained in Item 8—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are hereby incorporated by reference in response to this Item 15(a).

2.Financial statement schedules have been omitted since they are either not required or are not applicable as the information is otherwise included in the financial statements or notes thereto.

3.Exhibits. The list of documents contained in “Exhibit Index” is provided in response to this Item 15(a). The warranties, representations and covenants contained in any of the agreements included or incorporated by reference herein or which appear as exhibits hereto should not be relied upon by buyers, sellers or holders of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ securities and are not intended as warranties, representations or covenants to any individual or entity except as specifically set forth in such agreement.

The responses to Items 15(b) and (c) of Form 10-K are included above in response to Item 15(a).

None.

EXHIBIT INDEX

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