In late 2023, we were three friends sitting around, deep into our third or fourth sparkling water of the day, listening to music. Midway through our favorite album, one of us had an idea that felt equally smart and stupid all at once: "What if we made a sparkling water named after this record?"

And American Water was born.  

Rumor is that David Berman came up with the album title after seeing a picture of an American Water Spaniel in his vet's office. In 1998, he told MTV, "It seemed like two words without an attachment, and now they have a reference, which is the record. So if someone says to me, 'What is American Water?', I'd say, 'It's this record.'"

In our case, if asked, "What is American Water?", we’d say, "It's just water."

The idea took off more than any of us expected. From collaborations with Pavement, The National, Findlay Market, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, to being stocked in independent specialty stores and coffee shops in over 25 states. During all of this, the three of us continued to work our day jobs, making American Water happen on the side, with very little budget and no staff. 

We’re realizing it's time to get serious about growing American Water.  For a host of practical and legal reasons, part of that growth means changing our name.

Now, American Water is Modern Water. 

Everything else stays the same: the water, the collabs with artists and non-profits, and our mascot Clifton. Just a new name for a new chapter.

For a time, American Water was a type of spaniel, a perfect record, and a canned water company. (And, it turns out, some other companies as well). 

Now, for us, American Water returns to being what it always was - our favorite album. 

Today, if someone asks us what Modern Water is, we tell them, “It’s just water.”