Aqua America Offers Hurricane Preparedness Tips to Customers

July 17, 2018
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In anticipation of busy hurricane season, water and wastewater utility encourages customers to be prepared for potential service interruptions

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 17, 2018-- Hurricane season is here, and Aqua America is sharing tips to help customers prepare for possible loss of water service in the event of a storm. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the season is going to be active.

During hurricane season, June through November, it is possible for storms to affect water service. While many of Aqua’s systems remain in power during storms, power outages can disrupt the routine operation of delivering drinking water and the ability to treat and pump wastewater.

Rick Fox, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Aqua America, encourages customers to become informed and prepared.

“Given NOAA’s predictions, we want to make sure our customers—especially those living in coastal regions—know how to prepare themselves for the potential loss of water service. While Aqua does everything within its power to prevent the loss of service during a storm, sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas, and we want our customers to be ready.”

If water service is affected by hurricane conditions, Aqua’s top three tips to stay safe and prepared are:

1. Save water for essential use in advance by filling empty pitchers and pots — even bathtubs can be used to store water if service is interrupted.

2.Sign up for Aqua’s WaterSmart alerts, an automated service designed for quick, reliable communication about water quality and service in case of disruption. Aqua WaterSmart alerts are delivered via phone, text or email. Aqua may also communicate with customers via door hangers, signage, radio, newspapers and television news broadcasts. Customers can also check the status of a boil water advisory anytime by visiting their state homepage at AquaAmerica.com or calling Aqua customer service toll-free at 877.987.2782.

3. If customers are under a boil water advisory after Aqua restores service, disinfect tap water by boiling it. Purify all water that could be ingested—through uses such as drinking, cooking, brushing teeth or making ice—by bringing it to a rolling boil for two minutes and letting it cool. It is better that young infants and pregnant women use bottled or stored water instead of boiled tap water whenever possible for drinking and cooking.

Customers can learn more about how to prepare for a hurricane and other emergencies at FEMA’s preparedness website, Ready.gov.

Aqua America is one of the largest U.S.-based, publicly traded water utilities and serves nearly 3 million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana and Virginia. Aqua America is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WTR. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more information, or follow Aqua on Facebook at facebook.com/MyAquaAmerica and on Twitter at @MyAquaAmerica.

WTRG

Source: Aqua America

Aqua America
Stacey Hajdak
O: 610-520-6309
M: 267-294-1866
SMHajdak@AquaAmerica.com