The American Water Charitable Foundation, established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), has awarded a Water and Environment grant to Big Sur Land Trust, a California conservation organization.

According to a press release, Big Sur Land Trust will use the funds to improve hiking trails and stewarded lands to expand coastal access in the Big Sur region of California.

"Receiving this grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation is truly transformative for our organization," said Sarah Digness, Institutional Giving Manager for Big Sur Land Trust. "With this support, we can expand our efforts to protect local waterways and engage even more community members in environmental stewardship."

Josh Stratton of California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, said the investment in trail improvements is intended to keep people connected to the outdoors while promoting environmental stewardship.

The grant amount was not disclosed in the announcement. California American Water serves approximately 720,000 people and employs around 300 people as a subsidiary of American Water, which provides water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people across 14 states.