New ADWR online customer-service tools streamline reporting requirements for customers
New ADWR online customer-service tools streamline reporting requirements for customers
A primary customer-service goal at ADWR has always been to enhance the public’s convenience when performing every-day tasks, especially online. From paying bills to interacting with the various divisions of ADWR, the idea always has been to make the public’s task faster, more secure and, ideally, easier.
Electronic communications improvements don’t always work out as planned, as anyone who ever contacted “customer service” and ended up sitting interminably on hold, pining for the sound of a human voice, could tell you.
The people of ADWR strive to assure that the online improvements we’ve installed do the job they are intended to do, which is to streamline services and speed them up.
Like most Arizona State Government agencies, a top customer-service priority of ADWR is to increase the public’s access to Department services online. Increasing the availability of online services is one of ADWR’s top customer-service metrics.
Three of ADWR’s divisions that interact regularly with the public -- Community Water Systems, Groundwater Permitting and ADWR’s Wells Unit -- recently did just that.
Community Water Systems Improve System for Customer Information Updates
The water-service providers that we call “Community Water Systems” typically are small organizations. They are defined as systems that serve 15 or more service connections -- also known as "hook-ups" -- used by year-round residents, or as systems that serve 25 or more year-round residents who use water for drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning. In addition to residential users, a “CWS” may also serve all the businesses and other water users within its boundaries.
Community Water Systems are required to complete annual water-use reports and system water plans. Those reports and plans are intended to reduce Community Water Systems’ vulnerability to drought and ensure that water providers are prepared to respond to drought or water shortage conditions.
Rare is the CWS that has the resources for spending gobs of time and money on “paperwork.” Whatever a regulatory agency like ADWR can do to make the lives of CWS operators simpler, the better.
The staff of ADWR’s Community Water Systems division recently developed a new online tool that allows water systems the ability to easily click a tab on the CWS Page ("System Updates and Requests"), which makes it easy for system operators to update the water system's contact information. Incorrect contact information for water systems is a major contributor to delays in notifications and reporting.
In addition to updating contact information, the new tool provides an easy way for systems to request extensions on Annual Reports or System Water Plans, report changes in system ownership, and more. All submissions made through the tool automatically generate emailed receipts to provide customers with an official record of their request.
The ”System Updates and Requests” tool can be accessed via the Community Water Systems webpage at https://new.azwater.gov/cws/system-updates-and-requests/
Groundwater Permitting and Wells Unit Add Two New Online Portals
ADWR’s Groundwater and Permitting Section and Information Technology Division collaborated to create two new online portals. One is a “Notice of Well Capping” portal. The other is a portal to assist a customer supplying a “Pump Installation Completion Report".
Well Capping: Within five days of capping a well, registered well owners in Arizona are required to file with the Department a “Notice of Well Capping” (pursuant to A.A.C. R12-15-822).
The new online portal for filing those notices can be found at https://www.azwater.gov/eforms/Forms/CapRpt/CapRpt.aspx
Pump Installation Completion Report: Within thirty days after the installation of pumping equipment in any well in the State, a registered well owner is required to file a completion report (pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-600(B). The online portal can be found at: https://www.azwater.gov/eforms/Forms/PumpRpt/PumpRpt.aspx
Once a Notice of Well Capping or Pump Installation Completion Report is filed through the new online portals, the information will be added to the Department’s “Wells55” database. The Notice of Well Capping or Pump Installation Completion Report will also be uploaded to the Department’s online imaged records and instantly available for the Department and customer review.
The online portals will simplify the process for our customers and make filing the documents more convenient.