December 11, 2006

Contact: Charles G. Sturcken (718) 595-6600

Call Waiting Times on Water Bill Inquiries Reduced By 90 Percent to Less Than 40 Seconds

Commissioner presents Call Center staff with Customer Service Awards

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Emily Lloyd today recognized a 90 percent reduction in customer call waiting times, by presenting the entire Call Center staff of 45 operators and supervisors along with 66 other employees that serve on a rotational basis in the Call Center with Customer Service Awards.  The DEP Call Center – part of the Department’s Bureau of Customer Services (BCS) – responds to over 20,000 customer service inquiries concerning water and sewer charges per month, and in recent months, the Call Center staff has worked diligently to reduce average waiting times from 6.4 minutes to less than 40 seconds.  The Call Center now offers evening hours on Tuesday and Thursday until 8 PM and Saturday hours from 9 AM to 5 PM, making access more convenient for all account holders.

 “Reducing customer call waiting time is part of making it easier for DEP’s customers to get the help they need, particularly good information about their bills.  This is a very important indicator of the type of turnaround that is taking place in DEP’s Bureau of Customer Service,” said Commissioner Lloyd.   “We know that in the past, account holders have often found it difficult to get clear information about their bills.  As we improve the operations of the Bureau of Customer Service, with a new deputy commissioner, a new first deputy commissioner, and with the assistance of the consulting firm, Booz Allen, we are keeping the needs of our customers at the forefront.”

Along with reducing customer call wait times, the Call Center staff can respond immediately to a variety of inquiries.  These include questions about an open balance, requests for water meter inspections, payment agreements, billing history as well as requests for free DEP conservation audits and inspections.

The Bureau of Customer Services is responsible for all functions related to water and sewer billing for residents of New York City and certain upstate communities.  Additionally, the Bureau contracts for the installation of water meters in unmetered buildings and tests and validates the accuracy of water meters installed by private plumbers prior to installation and administers the City’s water conservation programs.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects the environmental health, welfare and natural resources of the City and its residents.  The Department manages the City’s water supply, serving more than half the population of New York State with over 1 billion gallons of quality drinking water daily.  Nineteen reservoirs provide water to 8 million City residents through a network grid of over 6,200 miles of water mains throughout the five boroughs as well as an additional 1 million consumers in four upstate counties.  DEP manages 14 in-City wastewater treatment plans, and an additional nine treatment plants upstate.  DEP carries out federal Clean Water Act rules and regulations, handles hazardous materials emergencies and toxic site remediation, oversees asbestos monitoring and removal, enforces the City’s air and noise codes, bills and collects on  City water and sewer accounts, provides educational materials and resources to City schools, and manages city wide water conservation programs.

Award Recipients