SWWC Southwest Water (MM)

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina tore through the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Southwest Water Company (NASDAQ:SWWC) launched efforts to assist more than 300 of its employees and restore essential water and wastewater services to a quarter of a million residents in the region. Through its operating subsidiaries, Operations Technologies and ECO Resources, Southwest Water provides contract operation, maintenance and management services in D'Iberville, Gulfport, Harrison County, Long Beach and Pascagoula, all of which sustained catastrophic damage from Katrina. Peter J. Moerbeek, Southwest Water president and chief operating officer, said, "Our first priority was to assist our employees, many of whom lost homes or sustained significant property damage." Staff from outlying offices in Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia and Texas traveled to Mississippi as soon as access to the affected areas was possible. They brought more than 15,000 pounds of emergency supplies, including drinking water, food, clothing and other essentials. Mechanics and electricians were also dispatched to assist locally based crews in repairing damaged facilities. "The entire water and wastewater infrastructure was virtually disabled by the storm," said Moerbeek, "but within two weeks, our people restored water supply and wastewater treatment services to more than 95 percent of our clients' customers. We also cleared debris from roadways to enable access for emergency vehicles and residents." Southwest Water contributed $25,000 to the Red Cross hurricane relief fund and established a matching fund program for employee donations up to the same amount. The company is also helping its Mississippi employees to apply for government assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In its role as contract operator, Southwest Water does not own any of the facilities, vehicles or equipment damaged or destroyed by Katrina. For that reason, the company does not believe that the hurricane or its aftermath will have a significant effect on quarterly or year-end financial results. "Katrina tested our employees' ability to respond to an emergency unlike any other they have ever faced," concluded Moerbeek. "We are extremely proud of their efforts, and we will continue working to restore our clients' water and wastewater infrastructure to full operating capacity." Southwest Water Company provides a broad range of operation, maintenance and management services, including water production, treatment and distribution; wastewater collection and treatment; customer service; and utility infrastructure construction management. The company owns regulated public utilities and also serves cities, utility districts and private companies under contract. Approximately two million people from coast to coast depend on Southwest Water for high-quality, reliable service. Additional information may be found on the company's Web site: www.swwc.com.