For Immediate Release: February 8, 2023

Contact: Brian.Rademaekers@phila.gov | (215) 380-9327

Philadelphia Residents Could Win $100 by Completing Annual Customer Survey

Previous survey results have led to new programs and customer service improvements.

PHILADELPHIA — For the eighth consecutive year, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is partnering with ImpactED at the University of Pennsylvania to conduct an annual comprehensive customer satisfaction survey.

The survey is designed with the goal of better understanding residents’ opinions, behaviors, and preferences as they relate to topics such as drinking water habits, water quality, billing, customer service, water infrastructure, and overall perceptions of the department. The survey has been vital to PWD’s mission, including improving services and programs to better suit customer preferences.

Any Philadelphia resident 18 or older who takes the survey can enter a raffle to win a $100 gift card. The survey can be taken at www.pwdsurvey2023.com

“At the Philadelphia Water Department, we truly care about our work and we want to know what we’re doing right, and what we can do better,” says Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Randy E. Hayman, Esq. “As a public utility aiming to keep water affordable while providing the best services possible, we need to hear from those we serve. Please take some time to share your thoughts, because your responses help us better serve you.”

Operated by the City of Philadelphia and funded through water bills, the Water Department provides drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services for approximately 1.6 million residents. Additional services include protecting and restoring waterways and maintaining more than 25,000 fire hydrants.

Since launching in 2016, more than 30,000 survey responses have been recorded — with over 8,400 individual participants last year alone. The survey is weighted to compensate for sample designs and patterns of non-responses that might bias results.

Survey results are used to identify the concerns of customers and residents, prioritize needs, and plan improvements.

Based on customer feedback from previous years, PWD has expanded the popular e-billing service, MyPhillyWaterBill, and has boosted its social media and online presence while maintaining traditional methods of communication, such as mailings.

Feedback is also used to identify community needs and provide targeted outreach.

Through this survey, customer research into drinking water behavior has inspired new programs and initiatives including:

Survey feedback will also be utilized to improve ongoing initiatives, such as the Advanced Metering Infrastructure upgrade program.

The survey is available in English and Spanish and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Answers and personal information will be kept completely confidential. No one should take the survey more than once.

Participants with questions can contact (215) 650-7544 or email PhilaWaterSurvey@gmail.com.

The 2023 Customer Feedback Survey is made possible through a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania will analyze the data and prepare a report for PWD.

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