New technology, like this tablet used for recording water shut-offs, will help make PWD’s record keeping more efficient and cost-effective.
One of the biggest complaints we hear from our ratepayers is the idea that while they pay their bills on time and in full, others who are perfectly able to pay are delinquent and getting their water for free. It’s a really easy way for people to lose faith in a utility and government in general if they feel like they’re shouldering the load while others are not. Trust us. We hear you.
We’ve made it a point to chase down delinquent ratepayers and increase automation of metering and billing systems to make it more efficient to collect. Since 2001, when we created the Revenue Protection Unit, we’ve been able to recover over $25 million in additional billings. The days of people getting unmetered, free water at the expense of everyone else are long since gone. While the occasional delinquent payer might still get away with skipping out on his or her bill for a short time, our improved technology means that they won’t get away with it for long.
Feel free to contact us at (215) 685-6300 if you suspect someone of stealing a water hook-up. We take these reports seriously and will investigate fully.
