In aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, many throughout the country were left broken as the powerful storm left a trail of damaged or completely destroyed homes and businesses. The Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) was no exception and they are grateful that they can describe their damage as minor; our hearts remain with the persons throughout the country that suffered catastrophic damages.

“We were very pleased that as a result of the continued improvements to our infrastructure and its constant maintenance, we were able provide a consistent supply of running water during and immediately after the storm,” said Robert Deal, Deputy General Manager. “Generally we only had a few setbacks in isolated areas. Additionally, we were able to quickly return to the roads after the storm to make assessments of our infrastructure and make any necessary repairs. Operations are stabilized but we continue to seek ways to improve our system resilience.”

WSC dedicated staff, along with the improved system efficiency, also allowed them to quickly return to neighborhoods and make repairs to individual customers who may have suffered damages to the supply lines. One such customer wrote a personal email to Mr. Deal to give their gratitude.

“I write to commend the outstanding work of the crew which came to address the water supply issue we experienced following the passage of Hurricane Matthew.” This satisfied customer in Cable Beach added, “They were able to address the problem promptly and effectively, and arrived prepared with the items and tools necessary to complete the work. Both my husband and I were very impressed indeed by the caliber of the crew, their willingness to come to our assistance and their friendly demeanor – even though I’m sure they’d been working extremely hard already.”

The team that assisted this customer consisted of Arnold Josey (Senior Foreman), Wallace Munroe, Clay Colebrook, Nigel Curry, Stephen Brown and Archie Pennerman. The WSC Foreman said “it’s really nice to get a thank you now and then, and when someone takes the time to write a letter about our staff its very rewarding as well as great for my team to hear. We thank them for taking that time.”

Water and Sewerage also received many positive comments from other WSC customers; Maria posted on the corporation’s Facebook page, “I think WSC handled this situation very well. I am proud of them, even to have a person answer the emergency control room and explain the situation was so calming and reassuring. Unlike others that sent customers to a recording and wild goose chase” Stacia also noted her thanks on Facebook and said, “Thanks Water & Sewerage for keeping the water on all through Hurricane Matthew, thanks once again.” And Stephan wrote on Twitter, “W&SC, the #RealMVP!”

We’ve worked very hard on our communications over the last year or two, said Visna Armbrister, WSC Public Affairs Manager. “We are truly committed to quality at WSC, and we’ve loved getting feedback from our customers and are very pleased with our staff.” 

In addition to its restoration efforts, the WSC Corporation suspended disconnection exercises pre-/post-hurricane, and, for a limited time, has reduced the cost to acquire services from the Corporation for new and returning customers by 50%. “We know many people were affected by flooding, and serious damage to underground wells,” said Armbrister. “Now is the time to come back to reliable and safe water for your family.”

Contact the Corporation at 302-5599 or visit our Facebook page for more details.