Exhibit 23(a)





                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
                      ----------------------------------


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 1, 2000 relating to the
consolidated financial statements, which appears in the 1999 Annual Report to
Shareholders, which is incorporated by reference in American Water Works
Company, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999.
We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report dated February
1, 2000 relating to the financial statement schedule, which appears in such
Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the reference to us under the
heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.



Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 29, 2001