Supplemental Agenda Items - FGUA
Supplemental Agenda Items - FGUA
Supplemental Agenda Items - FGUA
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John Ford shares a pipe repair experience at his home<br />
On Monday around 4 p.m., my wife noticed water flowing from the ground in the park<br />
across the street from our home in Trinity.<br />
Within minutes of our calling, the lady who had been in our neighborhood reading<br />
meters returned. She put on a pair of boots and waded into the water.<br />
Finding something to kneel upon, she proceeded to reach into the service box up to<br />
her shoulders reaching for something to stop the flow of water. Despite her valiant<br />
attempts, she was unsuccessful.<br />
She proceeded to call for the plans to find a shut-off valve in the street. In short order,<br />
several teams arrived. The pressure of the water had washed out a section of soil,<br />
sand and mulch, and filled the hole with water. As they pumped the water out, one<br />
man put on boots and then jumped into the hole, only to find himself in water up to his<br />
waist.<br />
Undeterred, he searched in the water-filled hole and found the broken pipe that caused<br />
the problem.<br />
[Once fixed], they then filled the hole with sand they brought to the site and topped<br />
it off with mulch to match. They power-washed the sidewalk and street to be sure<br />
all signs of the leak were addressed. Two days later, they returned with shrubs that<br />
matched those that were washed away.<br />
I am now retired after spending over 40 years in business dealing with the public. I<br />
know how tough it can be and how it can wear on people that are face-to-face with<br />
customers.<br />
I talked at length with the men and the woman on the scene. They had all worked for<br />
the prior water system operator. They are all proud to be working for U.S. Water Corp.,<br />
and it showed in their work.<br />
I have learned that the distance from a meeting room to a customer contact point is<br />
huge. Concepts and plans from senior management do not always make it to the frontline<br />
people. I can tell you that is not a problem with U.S. Water Corp.<br />
You and your team are showing the community what a well-run water company looks<br />
like, and I can tell you, they all like what they see.<br />
Team Proposal Florida Governmental Utility Authority<br />
35