Saturday, January 03, 2009

water advisory???

Today I received an automated call from Easton Suburban Water Authority noting there was a boil water advisory.

What confused me was the fact that I am not a customer.

The Express-Times has an article and it clearly notes that Nazareth Borough is not included (read it here).

I went to PA American Water, where I am a customer, and there was nothing listed regarding a water advisory.

So I called Easton Suburban and was asked to stay on the line to speak with someone. Of course there was no one to speak to, I got a voice message asking me to leave them a message and they'll get back to me.

So I asked why I was called, and how? Will let everyone know once I get an answer.

17 comments:

Sandi said...

I too got a call along with several neighbors here in Upper Nazareth. I check PA water and the Upper Nazareth web site nothing.

Nancy said...

I just found according to 69 news website, "Customers of other water suppliers are not affected. Easton Suburban Water Authority says its call system is based on geography so customers of other water providers may receive calls about the advisory which they can disregard."

Curtis Family said...

I am really upset because I AM an Easton Suburban Water customer in Lower Nazareth. We have been home and have NOT received a call. What a bunch of bull to say that they call based on geography. You've got to be kidding me that they can't figure out who their customers are!

Cynthia said...

Well, this is just wonderful! I live in Upper Nazareth Township and AM an Easton Suburban customer, and I received absolutely no notification whatsoever! My husband, pets and I have been drinking water all day, and I only found out when we happened to turn on WFMZ-69 news this evening. Based on geography? Are then not aware of who their customers are? If they're going to send out a phone blast, wouldn't one assume they would send it to their CUSTOMERS? Frankly, I'm frightened at the competence of the folks who are providing my drinking water!

Cynthia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RossRN said...

Geographic calls???

This is mind-numbing - why doesn't the company call its customers?

They must have the numbers based on billing - and more to the point, where did they get the phone numbers of non-customers?

I'm not happy as a non-customer, but I'd be really upset as a customer who wasn't notified as appears to be the case in at least some instances.

Sandi said...

I would say it can't be geograpic. Both Cynthia and I live fairly close in upper Nazareth (if you are the Cynthia I think you are). We are not customers and got a call while she is and did not get a call. I spoke with a friend who is in Easton and costumer they didn't get a call either. It sounds more like they call only those who were not costomers.
How do I get my number off their list?

NazoRanter said...

I am a customer and got the call last evening in the 5 PM timeframe.

However, went to their web site (per the recorded message I received) and amazingly, it doesn't work. For that matter, most of the links don't.

Had to get details from the WFMZ site to get additional details.

smartwoman said...

I can tell all of you are from Nazareth. The website for Easton Suburban Water most certainly DOES work. For those of you that are customers of ESWA and did not receive a call, perhaps your phone number on file with the company is not correct. Have you cancelled your land line or changed your number since you first signed up for service with them???? what is the big deal if you received a phone call and you shouldn't have? what a bunch of snobs you are

Curtis Family said...

We have had the same water company and the same phone number for over 8 years. We have received phone calls in the past for boil water advisories. In my opinion, this is disgraceful. I have talked to several other Easton Suburban customers who also did not receive calls.

Cynthia said...

Well, "Smartwoman" (and I see we're using that term loosely)... it's disturbing to get a call saying one's water is tainted when it's not, and even more disturbing to NOT receive a call when one's water may be tainted. My phone number hasn't changed -- I simply wasn't called. Are we snobs because we are upset about ESWA's communication ineptitude, or because we live in Nazareth?

Sandi said...

smartwomen lets not go to name calling. You asked a question that is fine. I will give you my answer on why it is upsetting to receive a call when you are not a customer. I had 2 elderly neighbors and one elderly aunt call me very upset. They do not use computers so they did not have the access (wfmz) the some of us had. They were frighten because they sure do use a lot of water I'm learning. They don't buy bottle water they drink straight from the tap.
As for the web site. I too tried to get on but could not. I won't say it wasn't working maybe just to many people trying to find out what is going on and why did they receive the call.

John Huber said...

Well I for one can tell you that as of this morning... the website is not there and then there. Very sporatic (hosting for $4.95 / month is what you get)
I was called, live in the Borough, NOT a customer but did not listen closely enough, stopped using water. Then later foubd out through NOC that I was mistaken. Thanks NOC!

NazoRanter said...

Smartwoman (and I shall use that term VERY loosly), their web site was down, or actually, failed to function. I tried three different browsers (Firefox, Safari and Explorer in case you didn't know there were more than one).

If you really knew anything about the internet, you would know that John Huber is indeed correct. If you use a discount host, you will not be able to handle dramatically increased volumes of traffic that would arrive when you put out an alert such as the one noted here.

The problem here is that they seem to be a bit on an inept organization (do you perhaps work for them?).

They know who there customers are, they have their information (including phone numbers) on record, why couldn't they simply call THOSE numbers? Nazareth School District (for all its problems) seems to be able to do this quite easily.

There is NO reason that customers should not be notified and NO reason that that non-customers should be.

Chippy said...
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Chippy said...

I was told today when I called to complain (after my family and I spent over 24 hours drinking contaminated water), that had 3000 customers that did not receive notification because they stated that did not have our phone numbers. I have been a customer for over 6 years and they didn't have my phone number?? I have not moved, have not changed my number, and even recently signed up for auto pay with them. Inept!

Sebrink said...

Gee, according to the water authority manager, the system worked well: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/today/index.ssf/2009/01/easton_suburban_water_authorit.html

Can't argue with that.