Louisville Water honored with 2021 Business Impact Award

Louisville Business First is honoring Louisville Water with one of their 2021 Business Impact Awards.

The company was celebrated at a dinner last night at the Galt House and will be featured in the magazine’s special section in their Fri., Nov. 12 edition. Louisville Water was awarded for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts involving racial equity over the past year.

Louisville Water continued to evolve in order to provide customers with high-quality and safe water during a time when many businesses were shut down. Here are some of the company’s activities that helped customers during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Louisville Water provided uninterrupted customer service throughout 2020 even while moving most of the Customer Care Center staff from our headquarters to working remotely.  We responded to 24,413 customer inquiries within the first month and continued our efforts in maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
• The city of Louisville and the Louisville Water Foundation donated funds that were available to most Louisville Water residential customers who were behind on their bills. In late 2020, Louisville Water quickly started work on a plan to help distribute almost $6 million to customers who suffered financial hardship because of the pandemic.
• Louisville Water was one of the first utilities in the country to suspend the practice of turning off water for customers who were behind on their bills.
• Louisville Water paid its respects to those who died from COVID-19 by casting a green light on the Louisville Water Tower and our corporate headquarters on Third Street.
• The company launched a campaign to remind businesses about the importance of flushing their internal plumbing systems to maintain water quality during the pandemic. More than 50 water organizations used the materials, and we’ve shared our campaign in three national and international webinars.

During the summer of 2020, as the Black Lives Matter protests brought renewed attention to issues of equality and justice, Louisville Water reaffirmed its commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization. Here are some of the highlights of the company’s efforts to connect with our customers through partnerships with several community organizations.

• Louisville Water made it clear to employees that the company was no place for hate, racism, or discrimination. Before the unrest erupted, it had taken steps to implement a three-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) program. This multi-year initiative began with several departments, the Executive Leadership Team, union leadership, and managers who participated in virtual DE&I leadership training.
• The company introduced the Thomas Family Scholarship for Black high school students, which is a $10,000 annual scholarship awarded to a graduating senior who will continue higher education studies in Kentucky. The award is administered by the YMCA’s Black Achievers Program and funded through a grant from Louisville Water’s Board of Water Works.
• Louisville Water donated more than 3,000 Louisville pure tap® reusable bottles to community outreach groups and assisted in such projects as meal donations, backpacks for kids in need, creating at-home science kits, and partnering with events with the Kentucky Alliance for Racial Injustice.