In 2025, American Water Works completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol, covering Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (indirect emissions across the value chain).
American Water Works has also provided a category-level breakdown for 4 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
| Metric (tCO2e) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | 73,716a | 69,363a | 74,877a | |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Unspecified Calculation Method | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Total Scope 3 | 806,000a | 757,949b | 649,000a | |
Total Scope 1 Revenue Intensity (tCO2e/$M) | 14.3416a | 14.8085a | 17.6847a |
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In 2025, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of American Water Works amounted to 498,625 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This figure includes both direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2).a
Compared to 2024, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of American Water Works decreased by 0.22%, showing that the company has made progress in taking action to reduce the climate impact of its operations.a
In 2025, the total Scope 1 emissions of American Water Works were 73,716 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Since 2019, American Water Works's Scope 1 emissions have increased by 5.82%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 1 emissions over time.ac
Compared to the previous year (2024), American Water Works's Scope 1 emissions increased by 6.28%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions from its directly owned or controlled operations.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 424,909 tCO₂e using the location-based method.a
Compared to the previous year (2024), American Water Works's Scope 2 emissions (Location-Based) have remained relatively stable, indicating that American Water Works's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its energy consumption footprint.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported its Scope 2 emissions using the location-based method.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported 806,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing indirect emissions across its upstream and downstream value chain.a
The 2025 disclosure of American Water Works includes a breakdown across 3 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, matching the level of disclosure in 2024, demonstrating consistent Scope 3 emissions reporting coverage year over year.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported total Scope 3 emissions of 806,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Approximately 100% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 0% came from downstream activities like product use, distribution, and end-of-life treatment.a
Compared to the previous year (2024), American Water Works's Scope 3 emissions remained relatively stable, indicating that American Water Works's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its value chain footprint.ab
In 2025, American Water Works reported emissions for 3 out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol.a
The limited disclosure restricts visibility into specific emission sources across the company's value chain.
In 2025, the largest contributors to American Water Works's Scope 3 emissions were:a
In 2025, American Water Works reported Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 73,716 tCO₂e and total revenues of USD 5,140 millions. This translates into an emissions intensity of 14.34 tCO₂e per millions USD.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported a Scope 1 emissions intensity of 14.34 tCO₂e per millions USD. Compared to the peer group median of 96.74, this places the company below its industry benchmark, indicating it is more carbon-efficient than most competitors.a
In 2025, American Water Works ranked 6 out of 24 companies in its industry peer group, based on Scope 1 emissions intensity (measured in tCO₂e per millions USD).a
American Water Works is therefore positioned in the mid-range of its industry, neither a clear leader nor a laggard in carbon efficiency.a
In 2025, American Water Works reported a total carbon footprint of 1,304,625 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 3.73% increase compared to 2024, suggesting a rise in emissions across its operations or value chain.ab
The largest contributor to American Water Works's total carbon footprint was Scope 3 emissions, accounting for 61.78% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 2 emissions at 32.57%.a