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It’s the nightmare scenario no municipality wants to think about: field staff discover a potential oil spill near the water network, putting public health at risk.
Access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic human need and ensuring that water supplies are free from contaminants is of the utmost importance for water providers around the world. Unfortunately, water quality issues can and do arise, and when they do, an efficient, effective response is critical to keeping communities healthy.
Many of our municipal water utility customers have implemented Boil Water Advisory applications using their GIS to do just this. When a potential water contamination is detected, a Boil Water Advisory app helps water providers trace water networks and determine which areas are affected by a contaminant. Users can punch in an address on the map, find the nearest valve or transmission main to the point of contamination, and run a downstream trace to determine all addresses that will be at risk due to the contamination.
From there, the app simultaneously generates a report with contact information for affected consumers in the area, allowing authorities to notify them to boil their water before consumption. In addition, the application has the ability to push notifications to municipal websites, public advisory boards, local social media news channels, and other digital news sources, helping to spread the message quickly to keep people safe.
For source water providers of all shapes and sizes, investing in a Boil Water Advisory solution built on top of your GIS provides several key benefits.
Rapid Response Time: When a water quality issue arises, time is of the essence. A Boil Water Advisory GIS application can quickly identify affected areas and generate contact information for impacted consumers, allowing authorities to notify them promptly. This rapid response time can help prevent further contamination and protect the public for adverse health outcomes.
Increased Efficiency: Implementing a Boil Water Advisory app streamlines the notification process. Instead of manually identifying affected areas and reaching out to impacted consumers, the application automates this process. This saves valuable time and resources and allows authorities to focus their efforts on other critical response activities.
Mitigate Public Health Risks: The ability to notify affected consumers of a water quality issue quickly and accurately protects public health. Boiling water before consumption can kill harmful bacteria and parasites, reducing the risk of illness and improving public health outcomes. Limit the impact of water contamination on your community by communicating quickly and through multiple channels.
Enhanced Communication: By pushing notifications to websites and social media, authorities can ensure that the message reaches as many people as possible not only keeping people safe, but also building trust between citizens and their government.
From rapid response times and increased efficiency to improved public health outcomes and enhanced communication, we’ve seen our municipal water utility customers experience tremendous benefits from implementing Boil Water Advisory apps into their organization via their GIS. If you represent a municipal authority responsible for water supply, a Boil Water Advisory GIS app will help protect your community’s health and well-being.
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