Adairsville, GA: Verifying Service Lines with Community Engagement
LSL Inventory
Communications
Background
Adairsville, Georgia, a small but proactive community, sought to leverage GEFA (Georgia Environmental Finance Authority) funding to enhance their service line inventory verification efforts. The city faced the challenge of verifying unknown service line materials on the customer-side of the line. To address this, Adairsville partnered with 120Water to implement a creative and flexible outreach program that would effectively engage residents and encourage participation in the verification process.
Program Overview
Adairsville used a targeted postcard mailing strategy as their primary outreach method. The city sent out 1,000 postcards containing a QR code linking directly to an online survey, designed to collect information about service lines. The response rate was impressive with 10% of recipients responding quickly, providing the city with valuable data on their service lines. Average response rates for online surveys are typically very low (<5%).
Strategy
To boost participation, Adairsville offered a $5 discount on utility bills as an incentive for residents to complete the survey. This small financial incentive proved to be a significant motivator, as most respondents provided usable data, including critical details like the construction year of their homes and the materials used in their service lines.
The Results & Impact
The program's initial success was marked by a fast influx of responses, with a steady trickle of additional submissions following the initial surge. On average, Adairsville now receives 10-15 responses per month, helping the city continuously update and verify their service line inventory.
The incentive-driven approach not only saved the city the time and cost associated with physical home visits but also fostered a sense of community involvement in the compliance process. The flexibility of the program, allowing for online participation and the potential for publicizing the survey link through other channels like social media, has set a precedent for future initiatives.
Conclusion
Adairsville's initiative demonstrates the power of combining financial incentives with modern, flexible outreach methods to achieve compliance goals efficiently. With the continued support of 120Water's professional services, the city is well-positioned to maintain and expand its service line verification efforts, ensuring a safer and more transparent water system for all its residents.
