Schedule 14A 


                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 14A

               Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                       Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

Filed by the Registrant   [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  [_]
Check the appropriate box:

[_]  Preliminary Proxy Statement
[_]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[_]  Definitive Additional Materials

[X]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-12

                                  Filing by:

                      AMERICAN WATER WORKS COMPANY, INC.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Name of each Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X]  No fee required.
[_]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

     1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     3)   Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
          pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
          the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     5)   Total fee paid:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

[_]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

[_]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
     Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
     paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
     number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

     1)   Amount previously paid:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     3)   Filing Party:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

     4)   Date Filed:

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------


                               RWE Acquisition
                               Update #5 

October 24, 2001

This is an update on the RWE/Thames acquisition for Associates of American
Water. Frequent updates will be distributed in the coming weeks via email.
They will then be archived, along with other materials, in the "RWE
Acquisition Update" database on Lotus Notes. 

         In this Update we continue to focus on our acquisition partner Thames
Water - specifically where the company conducts business around the world, as
well as in the United States.

         This first map illustrates the company's key operations worldwide.
Major projects, which are designated by a red dot, include the largest
privately financed water project in the world (Ismit, Turkey) and the largest
concession in the world (Jakarta, Indonesia).

         In Chile, the Thames company ESSBIO is the second largest water
company in the country. It serves Chile's second largest city, Concepcion, and
its surrounding region. ESSEL, another Thames business, is a fast growing
water company located in Rancagua, just south of Santiago.


The Thames Water Global Presence 

World Map
Continued...




The Thames Water Operations in the United States

This map shows the current service territory of American Water, and the Thames
operations in the US. In all, there are more than 900 Thames employees
associated with seven businesses that, together, generate annual revenues of
approximately $250 million. 

USA Map


                                    *                *                 *

         American Water Works Company, Inc. (the "Company"), RWE
Aktiengesellschaft, a company organized under the laws of the Federal Republic
of Germany ("Guarantor"), Thames Water Aqua Holdings GmbH, a company organized
under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany and a wholly owned
subsidiary of Guarantor ("Parent"), and Apollo Acquisition Company, a Delaware
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Sub") have entered into
an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 16, 2001, pursuant to
which Sub will be merged with and into the Company with the Company surviving
the merger (the "Merger"). In connection with the Merger, the Company will be
filing a proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC"). SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT
WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING
THE MERGER. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy
statement when it becomes available and other documents filed by the Company
with the SEC in connection with the Merger at the SEC's web site at
www.sec.gov. Security holders of the Company may also obtain for free a copy
of the proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC by the Company
in connection with the Merger by contacting Nancy A. Macenko, Vice President
External Affairs, at (856) 566-4026.

         The Company and its subsidiaries and their respective directors and
executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
proxies from the Company's stockholders in favor of the Merger. These
directors include the following: Marilyn Ware, Gerald C. Smith, J. James Barr,
Henry G. Hager, Ross A. Webber, Frederick S. Kirkpatrick, Paul W. Ware, Nancy



Ware Wainwright, Ray J. Groves, Elizabeth H. Gemmill, William S. White,
Anthony P. Terracciano, William O. Albertini, Rhoda W. Cobb and Horace
Wilkins, Jr. and these officers include Joseph F. Hartnett, Jr., Daniel L.
Kelleher, W. Timothy Pohl, Robert D. Sievers, Ellen C. Wolf, Nancy A. Macenko
and James E. Harrison. Collectively, as of March 5, 2001, the directors and
executive officers of the Company may be deemed to beneficially own
approximately 21.9% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock
and under 5% of the outstanding shares of the Company's Cumulative Preferred
Stock, 5% Series. Stockholders of the Company may obtain additional
information regarding the interests of the participants by reading the proxy
statement when it becomes available.

         Forward looking statements in this report, including, without
limitation, statements relating to the Company's plans, strategies,
objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of resources, are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward looking statements. These factors include, among others, the
following: the success of pending applications for rate increases, inability
to obtain, or to meet conditions imposed for, regulatory approval of pending
acquisitions, weather conditions that tend to extremes of temperature or
duration; availability, terms and development of capital; business abilities
and judgment of personnel; changes in, or the failure to comply with
governmental regulations, particularly those affecting the environment and
water quality; competition; success of operating initiatives, advertising and
promotional efforts; existence of adverse publicity or litigation; changes in
business strategy or plans; quality of management; general economic and
business conditions; the ability to satisfy the conditions to closing set
forth in the definitive agreement; and other factors described in filings of
the Company with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
update or revise any forward looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.