Veolia Water will immediately activate its emergency response system, should the water supply not meet quality standards, for example, if there has been a contamination incident or water treatment plants have become saturated following heavy rainfall.
Taking Immediate Steps in the Event of an Incident or Crisis
An Action Plan in Operation 24/7
First priority, 24/7, is to re-establish the water supply in the shortest timeframe possible.
Informing all those residents that have been affected is also carried out as quickly as possible. Veolia Water's teams will use all means at their disposal (notices posted through letter boxes, local press, loud speakers) to inform the local community on how the situation is developing, and to provide them with advice regarding the conditions under which water should be used. In addition, in some countries customers can consult their water company's website, where information is also made available.
Telephone Warning Systems
Veolia Water's emergency response system is complemented by a telephone warning system.
Successfully tested in France, and following agreement by the various relevant local authorities, within 15 minutes a personalized telephone message can now be sent to customers.
The warning messages are targeted geographically, district by district, street by street. Messages can be sent solely to private individuals or to professionals or even to institutions that need to be treated as a priority, such as hospitals.
They can be adapted to each situation and their content can be modified in real time.
Each telephone number is dialed automatically until the call is answered.
"Sensitive" customers, such as health care facilities or people on dialysis, are incorporated into this system and can be informed as a matter or priority, should this be necessary.
A System with Proven Effectiveness
The telephone warning system was used successfully during the flooding which paralyzed South Eastern France in autumn 2003. Thanks to the telephone warning system, it was possible to warn half of those people living in the affected areas about restrictions affecting water usage. In total, more than 150,000 personalized messages were sent out across 70 different administrative areas.
In 2004, other restrictions on water consumption had to be introduced in the Nice region and on Porquerolles Island. Seven thousand telephone messages were sent out. As a result, Veolia Water was able to contact 80% of affected customers.