1. Strategies for Communications to PWS Customers
Effective and timely Public Notice to water system customers in urgent situations
Patrick Kading
Water Supply Division
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
2019 Environmental Trade Fair, May 14th

2. If you had to get an important message to all of your customers within the next 24 hours, could you do it? How would you do it?

3. Tier 1 Public Notice
Tier 1 Public Notices(PN) need to be delivered to customers within 24 hours of the violation/situation being identified. Pose an acute threat to public health.

4. Examples of Tier 1 Violation/Situation
E. Coli Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) violation
Acute turbidity issue
Nitrate or Nitrite MCL violation
Waterborne disease outbreak
At the discretion of TCEQ
Boil Water Notice
“Do Not Use” Notice

5. Requirements for Tier 1 Must include mandatory language
Can be found online
Delivered to customers using required methods
Multi-lingual if needed
If posted in public places, must be posted as long as situation exists or 7 days, whichever is longer

6. “…shall be issued in one or more of the following manners that are reasonably calculated to reach persons served by the public water system within the required time period.”
Radio/Television
Daily Newspaper
Posting in conspicuous places
Direct delivery (door hangers, etc.)
Other methods: electronic delivery or alert systems

7. Radio/Television Ask about on-line content.
Identify the radio and televisions stations that serve your area.
What if you don’t have one?
Obtain the contacts with the stations and information on:
what they want,
how they want it,
when they need it.
Build a working relationship
Ask about on-line content.

8. Newspaper Ask about on-line content.
Identify the daily newspapers that serve your area.
What if you don’t have one?
Obtain the contacts with the newspapers and information on:
what they want,
how they want it,
when they need it.
Build a working relationship
Ask about on-line content.

9. Conspicuous Places Identify locations ahead of time
Common areas that customers will most likely visit on a daily basis
Community mailboxes
Entrances into subdivision
Dumpster area
Prepare signs/templates
Large enough to get attention

10. Direct Delivery Identify the locations of your connections/customers
What type of notice will you use?
Door-hangers
Fliers
Prepare template notices
Designate staff to distribute the notices
Is this a practical way to reach all customers?

11. Other Methods Social Media Electronic Delivery (email) Auto-Dialer
Reverse 911

12. Social Media
Are there any other social media accounts that you can partner with?
Police/Fire
Streets Department
Establish the communication channel before a public notice is needed
Prepare template notices
Designate staff to be responsible for posting information

13. Electronic Delivery/ Auto-dialer/Reverse 911
Need to get system in place before notice is needed
Reach out to customers to get contact information
Form to send out to existing customers
Get information when new customers sign up for service
Get information when people call in

14. Electronic Delivery/ Auto-dialer/Reverse 911
Identify the limitations of the system
Prepare template messages to be used
Identify the best “other” methods to use to reach those who did not give contact information

17. What PN Method Should You Use?
Know your customers
Know your abilities and resources
Plan ahead
Be flexible to changing needs

18. Know Your Customers What areas do you serve?
Are some customers more vulnerable than others? (schools, assisted living…)
Do your customers speak a language other than English?
What are the typical age groups of your customers?

19. Know Your Resources/Abilities
Do you have your contacts/plan for each chosen method?
How many staff are on your team?
Can you budget for a notification system?

20. Plan Ahead Know who your customers are, and what limitations you have
Gather contact information for customers
Get a system in place
Prepare notice templates in advance

21. Be Flexible
Seek feedback from customers on how they would like to receive PN
Systems grow, customers change, preferred media changes, new technology becomes available, rules change
Unexpected scenarios are to be expected

22. Overall Considerations
How will you reach all your customers?
Plan ahead as much as possible
Identify staff responsibilities ahead of time
Look for opportunities to share resources
Communicate to customers with “good news”, not always “bad news”
Be the first source of information

23. Questions?
Patrick Kading Team Leader Drinking Water Inventory & Protection Team Water Supply Division