United Water Issues Boil Water Advisory for Some in Fort Lee, Cliffside Park
About 5,000 customers are being asked to boil their water for the next 24 to 48 hours.
United Water officials issued a “boil water” advisory Thursday for about 5,000 customers in Fort Lee and Cliffside Park, after a large water main break Wednesday evening at Palisade Avenue and Bluff Road.
“Emergency workers have been working through the night and this morning to complete the repair to the [30-inch] water main,” the company said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. “Officials expect the repair to be completed sometime [Thursday].”
According to United Water, businesses and residents living in the following Fort Lee areas are advised to boil water for one minute before consumption:
- 730 – 1300 Palisade Avenue
- King Court
- Kensington Drive Norman Drive
- Tower Drive
- Lenox Court
- Victoria Place
Showering and washing dishes or clothing are safe to do without boiling water, according to the company. The advisory could last 24 to 48 hours.
For updated information, refer to United Water New Jersey's website or call 800-422-5987.
Bob D
8:39 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
8:30 and still no water. I've sent the following to united water and will see if there is a reply.
Mr. Henning,
While we appreciate your 3pm press release, and NewJersey.com’s reporting of it, you still have a lot of confused and angry customers that could placated with some simple information. It is now 7:55, still no water, all of your people have gone home, and we sit here 5 hours later wondering why you are restoring everyone’s water but ours. My first thought is that something is wrong with my building, that you have the water flowing but something has to be turned on by our super who isn’t available. Some simple things you could add to your press statement that would not reflect badly on the company and truly help your customers understand:
1. Your statement “Service began to be restored at 3pm.”
Why not add: “Keep in mind that for many reasons, it may still be up to 10 (or 12 or 50) hours before you receive pressure. To find out why, please click here.”
Clicking “here” could bring us to a generic site explaining that pressure has to be added slowly, certain buildings have priority, whatever the reality is. When people have information and know how to plan they are usually more understanding. If you give the impression that water is coming any minute, my 80 year old mother-in-law will sit here and suffer waiting for a toilet she can flush. If I know it could be 12 hours, maybe we go out to dinner or even a hotel.
Bob D
8:40 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Part II
Give us choices by giving us the truth. Would you treat your mother or grandmother this way?
2. You give us no further information other than service restoration has begun. Why leave things open ended? You could add a simple statement that “when all service has been restored we will update this page.” Or “sign up below and we will send out an email.” Something that alleviates the fear that everything is fixed and now I have a problem.
3. And if you really want to provide good customer service, invest in some simple technology (or hire a minimum wage clerk) to update your maps every hour or half hour to show progress as various areas are restored. Your map hasn’t changed since last night so you are making a false and misleading statement by saying it has current information.
People don’t hate United Water naturally. What they hate is being deprived of information about a vital service that you could easily make available. It makes it look like United Water is hiding something or just plain doesn’t give a damn.
Thank you,
Bob