Citizens Committee Formed to Support City on Water Issue.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 1999--A group of citizens announced Monday the formation of a committee for the purpose of expressing their support for the decision of the Mayor and City Council to acquire the water rights for the City of Chattanooga.

The committee will be co-chaired by Pat Brock, former Chairman of the Board of Brach & Brock Confections; Hamilton County Commissioner JoAnne Favors and Olan Mills II, chairman of the board of Olan Mills Inc.

The Chattanooga water system is currently owned and operated by the American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK). The City of Chattanooga announced its intention to acquire the assets of the water system through a negotiated purchase or through exercise of the power of eminent domain in November of 1998. At that time, Chattanooga's nine-member City Council unanimously approved the acquisition of the system assets and appropriated adequate funds for consultants and legal fees associated with the acquisition. Later this Spring, the City will issue an RFP on the system to the six companies that qualified in the RFQ process.

The group, still in formation, represents a broad cross-section of Chattanooga, including prominent businesspersons, civic and neighborhood association representatives, a former mayor and several of the city's largest water users.

For more information, please call Ken Hays, Chief of Staff at [phone].