Southern's dividend growth of 3.6% annualized over the past five years only managed to squeak by the historical pace of inflation (around 3%), while Duke's 2.2% fell short of that mark. Forget adding another boring old electric utility to your portfolio -- American Water Works' shares look like they could continue to soar and pay you well along the way, too. Image Source: American Water Works American Water Works Company isn't a household name.