NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER TO BE LOCATED IN ALTON

ALTON -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that American Water Works Company, Incorporated will locate a national customer service center in Alton, creating 325 new jobs. Although the exact location of the facility is yet to be determined, Alton was selected as the home for the new center following several months of evaluations of possible sites, including Pennsylvania and Indiana.

"We are pleased to be welcoming the American Water Works Company national call center to Illinois," said Ryan. "This announcement again proves that when companies are searching for sites with the infrastructure, quality workforce and quality of life they demand, Illinois is the logical choice."

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) is assisting American Water Works with funding through the Linked Development Grant program to be used for capital costs associated with the project. The company could also be eligible for Enterprise Zone benefits.

"It's gratifying to see this project come to Southwestern Illinois," said DCCA Director Pam McDonough. "The addition of these jobs will provide a strong boost to the overall economy of the Alton area."

American Water Works Company is the largest investor-owned water utility enterprise based in the United States, providing water, wastewater and other water resource management services to more than 10 million people in 23 states. Illinois-American Water Company, a subsidiary of American Water Works, serves more than 760,000 in 90 Illinois communities.

The company plans to begin recruiting almost immediately and expects to have the center fully operational in the second quarter of 2001.