News

RWA Boosts Efforts to Attract and Retain Businesses With Economic Development Rate

Aug 03, 2023

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Aug. 3, 2023 – Athletic Brewing Company is showing the world that you can make a great non-alcoholic craft beer.

But you can’t make it without water. That’s why the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) is proud that its water is the main ingredient in the Milford company’s non-alcoholic brews.

Athletic Brewing, which became an RWA customer after relocating its Connecticut brewing operations from Stratford to Milford last year, recently became the first company to qualify for the RWA’s economic development rate.

The economic development rate is a special water rate offered to help attract and retain businesses in the 15 communities the RWA serves. It provides a temporary discount of up to 20 percent to large commercial and industrial consumers of water that move to the RWA’s service territory or expand within it. The discounted rate is also available to some distressed businesses in the region that are in danger of closing.

To qualify, customers must use at least 500,000 gallons of water per year; the special rate expires after five years, after which it increases over three years to the then current rate.

Athletic Brewing’s Milford brewery, a sprawling 150,000-square-foot production facility believed to be the world’s largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewery, can produce nearly 14 million gallons of non-alcoholic beer annually. Athletic Brewing produces a wide selection of award-winning near-beers, including IPAs, Goldens, Darks, Light Brews, and more, which can be found on retail shelves in all 50 U.S. states. The company also owns and operates a second brewery in San Diego and makes a hop-infused sparkling water called DayPack.

“As the primary ingredient in our brews, water is a core focus at Athletic,” said John Walker, the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Athletic Brewing. “The water we receive from the RWA is pristine and requires almost no adjustments, nor the need to purchase expensive filtration equipment. And thanks to the RWA’s economic development rate, we’ve been able to reinvest savings into water conservation and efficiency projects, which will have a lasting positive impact on our facility and the environment.”

Water is of critical importance to many industries that are vital to Connecticut’s economy, including advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage production, according to Larry L. Bingaman, the RWA’s President and CEO. “While parts of the country struggle to meet growing demand for water in the face of threatened supply, the RWA manages a bountiful system of water sources protected by more than 27,000 acres of pristine watershed land,” Bingaman said. “We believe that our water system’s abundance of good, clean water from well-protected sources is just one of the regional assets that make the New Haven area such a great place to do business.”

The economic development rate is part of a broader initiative by the RWA, in partnership with the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, to promote business retention and expansion in the region. That effort includes the RWA funding a full-time business development position with the Chamber dedicated to working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to retain and create jobs, and support inclusive economic growth.

“The Regional Water Authority, a truly local company whose history is deeply intertwined in the community, goes beyond investing in its own infrastructure, and invests in the economic and cultural growth of the Greater New Haven region,” said Garrett Sheehan, President and CEO of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. “Their high-quality water and innovative approach to economic development directly support our efforts in expanding existing businesses and attracting new businesses to our region, like Athletic Brewing Company. We are proud to call the Regional Water Authority a partner in economic development.”

About the Regional Water Authority
Trusted since 1849, the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) is a nonprofit water utility and environmental services corporation that makes life better for people by providing high-quality water and services to almost 430,000 people in 15 cities and towns throughout Greater New Haven. As a conscious business, the RWA acts as a responsible steward of the environment by protecting the more than 27,000 acres of watershed land it owns and promoting sustainable practices. Our employees work toward our vision of being an innovative water utility that sustains life, strengthens communities, and protects natural resources for future generations. For more information on the RWA, please visit rwater.com.

About Athletic Brewing Company
Athletic Brewing, founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt and John Walker, is the 13th largest craft brewer in America and the leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. The company's brews, which launched commercially in 2018, are now distributed in all 50 states and available at over 50,000 retail stores nationwide. In 2023, Athletic was ranked as the 4th fastest-growing company in the Americas by Financial Times. Athletic was also ranked as the fastest-growing U.S. beverage manufacturer by Inc. Magazine in 2022, and named one of TIME's “100 Most Influential Companies.” The company has won over 75 prestigious brewing awards, including Gold & Silver for its Run Wild and Free Wave IPAs in the 2022 US Open of Beer Championship. It was also named the North American Brewer of the Year at the 2022 International Beer Challenge. Athletic has custom breweries in Milford, Connecticut, and San Diego, and donates up to $2 million annually to protecting and restoring outdoor spaces across the globe via its Two For The Trails program. Plus, as a part of its IMPACT Program, 1% of revenue goes to non-profit organizations that support positive impact and opportunity from the ground up. Athletic Brewing is proudly a Certified B Corporation™. Its full-flavored near beers and hop-infused sparkling waters are available on www.athleticbrewing.com.

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