April 14, 2026

Pittsburgh, PA — Pittsburgh Water announced today that it has received the prestigious American Water Works Association (AWWA) Phase III Directors Award through the Partnership for Safe Water—one of the nation’s highest honors for drinking water excellence. The award recognizes utilities that voluntarily adopt standards far more rigorous than required by regulation, demonstrating exceptional performance and a deep, ongoing commitment to improvement.

This achievement marks a major milestone in Pittsburgh Water’s continued transformation into a world-class public utility and its work to strengthen public trust in the quality and reliability of Pittsburgh’s drinking water. It reflects the dedication of staff whose work ensures clean, safe, and reliable drinking water for more than half a million people across the region. Pittsburgh Water is the sole recipient of this award in Pennsylvania and one of just six utilities nationwide to be honored this year.

“This award reflects the dedication of our staff and their commitment to water quality,” said Will Pickering, Pittsburgh Water CEO. “The success of this commitment is why Pittsburghers are choosing tap over bottled water which is more costly, contributes to excess pollution, and is typically not required to meet the same high standards as Pittsburgh Water.”

To achieve Phase III status, Pittsburgh Water staff undertook a multi-year, top-to-bottom evaluation of every treatment practice, analyzing data, refining processes, implementing optimization plans, and demonstrating sustained improvements over time. Their work exceeds all regulatory requirements and underscores a relentless focus on delivering high-quality drinking water to the community.

Pittsburgh Water will formally accept the award on May 5, 2026, at the PA-AWWA Annual Conference & Expo and will receive further recognition during the national AWWA annual conference in June.

Commitment to Safe, High-Quality Drinking Water

Pittsburgh Water has prioritized modernizing operations and strengthening system reliability over the past several years. These efforts include major capital investments and improvements at the Water Treatment Plant, including upgraded instrumentation, process efficiency gains, and improvements to treatment protocols and procedures. 

Organizationally, Pittsburgh Water has also placed an increased focus on enhancing safety protocols for its critical infrastructure and strengthening coordination across departments. Interdepartmental staff across operations, water quality, engineering, and environmental compliance work collaboratively to evaluate treatment performance, proactively identify areas for improvement, and maintain rigorous standards for finished water quality.

From daily monitoring and rigorous testing that goes well above requirements, to long-term planning and system upgrades, Pittsburgh Water has pledged its commitment to placing water quality at the center of every operational decision — a responsibility not taken lightly by the utility.

“The Directors Award reflects our team's deep commitment to continually optimize our treatment processes,” said Frank Sidari, Chief Operations & Environmental Compliance Officer. “In our assessment reviewed by utility peers, we’ve demonstrated how seriously we take our responsibility to protect public health at every step.”

This recognition reflects years of meticulous work and a commitment to adopting best practices at every step. Pittsburgh Water customers can have every confidence in the quality and safety of their drinking water. 

Learn more about Pittsburgh Water’s treatment process, find answers to frequently asked questions, access water quality testing results, the annual water quality report, and learn more by visiting pgh2o.com/water-quality.