WSSC to Send Text, E-mail Alerts
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission will become the latest agency to send e-mails and text messages alerting customers of problems on its water and sewer network, according to a Nov. 12 report from The Associated Press.
The commission's 1.8 million users can sign up to be alerted to major events, such as a water main break that affects commuter routes, WSSC spokesman Mike McGill to AP.
McGill said WSSC decided to introduce its alert system because managers realized an aging infrastructure means more burst pipes, which can cut off service, flood roads, and affect traffic. There were 2,129 water main breaks and leaks in 2007, the most in the agency's history.
Customers can sign up online by going to Wsscwater.com. McGill said the company hopes 10,000 people will register in the next year.