Solar Farm Open House Big Success

The Express-Times reports that the solar farm in Upper Nazareth Township by LG Energy Solutions, which had an open house on Saturday drew 150 people including local politicians Rep. Charlie Dent, and State Reps. Craig Dally and Rich Grucella (read the article here).

Solar Farm in Upper Nazareth

The Express-Times reported on Sunday about a solar farm opening in Upper Nazareth Township, which is being developed by Nazareth graduate Tom McDonald (read it here).

The article was posted on Sunday, but notes opening is Saturday from 3-8 p.m. with a ceremony at 4. Wasn't clear on date as it wasn't identified, if someone knows, please post a comment!

Truck Hits Pole, HS School Closes

Sorry I wasn't able to get a post up on the fly yesterday, but I was offline most of the day and was unable to post the announcement that the HS was closing early due to a power outage.

The Express-Times reports that the outage was due to a truck hitting a pole (read the post on the school closing and the one on the truck knocking out the utility pole here).

Power Line Upgrade in Lower

The Morning Call reports that PPL is planning to upgrade a 91 year old power line that runs nearly seven miles and crosses through several municipalities, including Lower Nazareth (read the article here).

A public meeting for those concerned will be held by PPL from 5-8 p.m. April 29 at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Center at 300 Gateway Drive in Hanover Township (22 & 512).

Clippings and Yard Waste No Longer Accepted

Got a note from a reader in Upper Nazareth Township that has Herceg Hauling as its trash collector.

According to the email, Herceg Hauling posted on bills this month that they will no long accept grass clippings and yard waste.

The individual called Herceg Hauling who told them to contact the township.

The township was called and said the more people who are affected by this and contact the township, the better the chance it could be changed.

The request to me was to make this post and ask anyone in Upper Nazareth who has Herceg Hauling to email untw@rcn.com and state your displeasure with this new policy.


The Upper Nazareth web site notes they do not contract with a hauler and it is up to each resident to determine which hauler to use (read the info here) and there was a link to contacts, which showed haulers to choose from, but the page wouldn't load for me.

Defining: Success, Mediocrity, or Worse

Thanks to the Papier Boy for highlighting the article in the Express-Times (read it here) addressing the Easton Suburban Water Authority's warning system in his comment on the recent post (read it here) on the boil water advisory.

While many non-customers have complained of receiving calls to boil water from a company that does not provide their water, as many customers have complained they were never called. I even got a note from a person with a well who was provided the advisory.

The Express-Times made a post addressing the call system that was apparently implemented one year ago and of which this was the first 'major' test.

Here is the quote from officials along with statistical information:

"In my opinion, it went OK, but it needs to be improved," said Roy White, authority manager. "It needs some tweaking, if you will."

Of 39,140 automated calls placed to warn consumers to boil their water before drinking it, 34,639 were delivered, according to White. The remainder went unanswered or a number had been disconnected.

It would appear from this information that something less than five thousand customers were reached.

The article also notes, however, that:

Authority officials said even though the system is imperfect, they believe it helped generate more awareness and word of mouth about the alert than they would have without it.

This is the section of interest. Without specifically stating that they called non-customers, they are acknowledging that the flaws in the system resulted in word of mouth awareness that would not have occurred without the calls.

Layman's terms - we called unaffected non-customers, who knew we shouldn't have called them, who called us, who hit our web site in huge numbers and shut it down, and then the story got picked up online, in print, and on TV and resulted in the customers we didn't call finding out - mostly.

First test. "OK result". Wrong.

This is a public utility providing a critical resource - water.

Not only did they fail to acknowledge any flaw in their system, they portrayed their flaw as a benefit.

And, in the call I received noting that the advisory was lifted, the call stated specifically that my phone number was affiliated with an Easton Suburban Water Authority customer. I called and asked which customer, but have not yet received a response.

The Express-Times indicated that Easton Suburban purchased this system in anticipation of State Law requiring such a system (read the article here) and that they selected One Call Now as their provider.

One Call Now (visit the site), provides:

The One Call Now™ phone message service delivers automated phone calls, within minutes, to any group, large or small. Schools, congregations, sports teams, businesses and municipalities throughout the country rely on us for routine reminders and emergency notifications. With One Call Now phone message service you talk, we deliver!

Under the item Emergency Services, it lists its service package, "One Call Now GEO is our map-based emergency notification for citizens and businesses."

This has nothing to do with customers, which explains calls made to non-customers and not made to customers during this situation.

It also indicates this feature: "Published and unpublished phone number database of residences and businesses."

This explains how they got your phone number - particularly for non-customers.

Under FAQs, however, it does note a 'wizard' for uploading content. It would appear a decision was made to go Geo instead of upload.

Obviously, I may be wrong, but it appears the evidence or comments at least point in this direction.

Easton made a mistake and ought to correct and acknowledge it.

There is an even bigger point.

Why don't we have a government based emergency management system in place?

The Nazareth School District, and I'm sure many others have call and email systems. Nazareth Borough invested in its siren. Water companies and other utilities have some form of alert system. All of these are public entities contracting with private companies to serve the public. Our tax dollars are being spent over and over for the same service in various segments.

Why not one single email and phone alert system contracted centrally or at least regionally, and shared amongst users on a tax base tiered system (ie pay in proportion to revenue you receive locally)?

This would make sense, but I'm sure fiefdom's and allocations would be the devil in the details.

Boil Water Advisory Lifted

I just received a call from Easton Suburban Water (a company I don't receive service from) indicating that my phone number is affiliated with a customer in their service area and that the boil water advisory has been lifted.

Based on receiving these calls and comments posted on the previous post, this company clearly has some issues with its call system since it notified non-customers and failed to notify all of its actual customers about a boil water advisory.

For the sake of public safety, let's hope they fix it.

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.

Water Advisory Lifted

Thanks to John for the email pointing out the new message on the PA American Water site lifting the boil water advisory (read it here).

Boil Water Avisory - Current Status - Still in Effect

The press release issued by PA American Water stated the boil water advisory was 'until further notice' (read it here).

I visited the PA American Water web site, nothing new since the advisory was issued.

I visited the Nazareth Borough web site and found nothing. One person told me there was a scrolling message, but I couldn't see it (maybe it wasn't configured for Firefox).

I called PA American Water this morning and spoke with Priscella and learned it is still in effect. I asked when it will be lifted and she said it didn't say, but they will alert the media when it is.

For all the hype surrounding the announcement, it seems follow-up should be added to the response plan.

Water Advisory Remains in Effect

The Water Advisory remains in effect today - Thursday while PA American Water continues testing to ensure levels are returned to normal.

The Morning Call reports on what happened (read the article here) and indicated the advisory would continue today.

Boil Water Advisory

Just received a phone call from PA American Water noting an equipment malfunction has resulted in a boil water advisory for the Nazareth and surrounding areas.

Release Available Here.

Wilkes-Barre, PA (September 17, 2008) Pennsylvania American Water is issuing a mandatory boil water advisory for customers in its Nazareth service area due to an equipment malfunction at the Stony Garden Water Treatment Plant. Because of lower disinfectant levels, there is an increased chance that the water may contain disease-causing organisms. Customers may experience low water pressure or no water while the situation is being resolved.

This notice applies to customers municipalities:
• Easton
• Nazareth
• Upper Nazareth
• Palmer
• Pen Argyl
• Plainfield Twp.
• Saylorsburg
• Stockertown
• Tatamy
• Wind Gap
• Bushkill Twp.
• Forks Twp.

CUSTOMERS ARE ASKED TO BOIL THEIR WATER BEFORE CONSUMPTION. The lower
disinfectant levels may not offer the same level of protection against organisms that is normally present.
Pennsylvania American will be conducting further tests on the water to ensure that water quality meets
drinking water standards, but until that time that the results are known, we are asking customers to bring
water used for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth to a full boil for a minimum of one minute, then cool
before use.

Home Heating Oil

Just looked at my pre-pay option for home heating oil, compared it to last year, and woke up fifteen minutes later with a splitting headache.

Last year I had 650 gallons, locked in at 2.399 = $1559.35

This year I'm looking at 650 gallons, locked in at 4.439 = $2885.35

Would be interested to know what rates anyone has received.

Thanks!

Coupled with the school tax bill isn't summer fun?

Upper Naz Supervisors - Flooding on West Street

Work being done along Tatamy Road by the Nazareth Borough Municipal Authority has Upper Nazareth Township Supervisors considering legal action according to an article in the Morning Call (read it here).

Apparently Supervisors felt NBMA should provide labor and equipment, because they felt their project was creating an even greater flooding problem on West Street. When NBMA didn't agree, the Supervisors turned to their solicitor for options.

Electricity Rate Increase 34% - Coming 1/2010

The Morning Call reported this week that PPL plans to increase rates 34% beginning January 1, 2010 when its state mandated rate cap is lifted (read the article here).

To 'help' individuals the company is proposing that you pay more now, and they will apply it to future bills.

Couple this with the recession that is now mostly agreed upon (read the article here) to be in place, locally our 10%+ per year school tax increase, along with the rising cost of about everything, and we'll all be needing some big raises in the near future to meet our current standard of living.

Voluntary Water Restrictions Lifted

The Morning Call reports (read it here) that voluntary water restrictions have been lifted for the Nazareth area.

The notice was put in effect in August when a drought hit, now that it has been lifted so too have the request for voluntary conservation efforts.

Lower Nazareth to Switch Water Companies?

The Morning Call reports that Bethlehem may be looking to strike a deal with Easton's water authority to purchase the customer accounts of Lower Nazareth residents (read the article here).

Bethlehem is seeking new revenue sources as it is way below capacity. Unfortunately for Lower residents, they too are seeking a rate hike, though a comparison of rates between the two was not included in the article.

Water Increase for Some Lower Residents

Both the Morning Call (read it here) and the Express-Times (read it here) report that Easton water customers in the suburbs including parts of Lower Nazareth will see a rate hike of 8.5% while city residents will see a decrease of 1.5%

Water Rate Hike

Earlier this year a commission met in Nazareth to hear resident's reaction to PA American Water's request to raise revenues by 15% or $59.2 million. In true government fashion the commission listened to residents then split the difference providing the utility with the ability to raise rates and increase revenues by $36 million.

For many, this means increased water bills effective immediately according to a story in the Express-Times (read it here).

An announcement from PA American Water related to the settlement is on PRNewswire (read it here).