$4.1BAmerican Water's standalone capital plan for 2027
+30%Organic order growth in Xylem's Measurement & Control unit
18%Zurn Elkay's dividend increase, to $0.52 a share
Manufacturers & Meters
Xylem cuts guidance, plans two sales
Q3 orders rose 10% organically but revenue was flat, so 2026 guidance came down. Xylem will divest two businesses and move to three segments from January.
Read the full story →Zurn Elkay grows 9% and lifts its dividend
Q3 sales reached $495.1M with core growth of 7% and operating margin up 490bps. The dividend rises 18%, though a soft Q4 sales guide hit the shares.
Read the full story →Why it matters: customers are still placing orders but releasing projects more slowly, and suppliers are reorganising around where the growth is.
Utility Capital
American Water plans $4.1B of 2027 capex
Its standalone plan now tops $20B for 2026-2030 and $48B to 2035, with the Essential Utilities merger expected to close by end of Q1 2027.
Read the full story →Why it matters: rate-funded utility capex is steadier than grant-led municipal work, and it is still going up.
PFAS & Policy
EPA launches its PFAS TECH strategy
Research grants, pilots at drinking water and wastewater plants, and partnerships on treatment and destruction. No dollar figure, and nothing on compliance dates.
Read the full story →Talent Insight
Reorgs reshape the sales map
- When a supplier redraws its segments, territories and account ownership usually follow. Expect new faces across manufacturer sales teams in 2027, and some good people coming to market as roles change.
- Investor-owned utilities plan spending years ahead. We think suppliers who put dedicated key account managers on them, people who understand rate cases as well as bid days, will win more of it.
- For 2027 plans: PFAS work is moving through pilots and partnerships. Applications engineers and technical sellers who can run a trial with a utility are worth more than another quoting rep.
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Alex ParsonsBusiness Consultant · Waterworks