Sarah Leeper, President of California and Hawaii American Water, is using the forum to advocate for regionalization as a structural solution for utilities struggling with capital constraints. She argues that sharing specialized expertise and operational capacity provides a viable path for communities facing the dual challenges of affordability and aging assets. Her presentation highlights how private-public partnerships can stabilize services that might otherwise falter under the weight of sustained maintenance requirements.

Technical strategy remains a central pillar of the discussion, particularly regarding the handling of emerging contaminants. Lacy Carothers, Senior Director of Engineering for California American Water, is slated to join a panel on the regulatory and legal landscape surrounding PFAS. She plans to outline the company’s experience in deploying advanced treatment technologies, offering a technical roadmap for municipalities currently evaluating their own compliance options. The event serves as a platform for American Water to reinforce its position as a primary utility operator, leveraging its reach across 14 states to influence national water policy and research standards.