CLINTON, Conn., Oct. 08, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Connecticut Water Company, a subsidiary of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTWS), has been honored as a 2015 Management Innovation Award Winner by the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC). The NAWC Management Innovation Awards have been recognizing groundbreaking ideas at the forefront of the water industry for nearly four decades.
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Connecticut Water Company was recognized for its industry leading Customer Protection Program that was launched last spring. A key element of the program is the ability to e-mail a photo of the Connecticut Water employee assigned to perform work at a customer’s home before they arrive to perform the work. This allows the customer to be sure the person at the door is a Connecticut Water employee before they let them into their home. This provides protection from impostors posing as utility workers who might try to take advantage of our customers.
Eric W. Thornburg, President and CEO of Connecticut Water, states, "We are proud to be recognized by our industry colleagues for this program and of our employees who worked to implement this feature. We continually look for ways to use technology to better serve our customers and meet the growing needs and expectations for information." Mr. Thornburg added that Connecticut Water employees have embraced the effort as they are committed to do what they can to keep customers safe.
The initiative has also won praise from consumer advocates, public utility regulators and from the customers the program is designed to protect. In recent surveys conducted by an independent research firm, nearly 92% percent of the customers who were aware of the program supported it.
Arthur J. O’Neill, Connecticut Water’s Director of Customer Service was in attendance at NAWC’s Annual Conference to accept the award on behalf of all of the Connecticut Water employees who worked to develop, implement and utilize the systems that support customer protection. The Management Innovation Award offers a unique opportunity for NAWC members to be recognized for new and innovative programs that have benefitted their organization, their customers, the communities they serve or the water industry as a whole. One of the goals of the award is to share innovative ideas that may be replicated by member utilities. Mr. O'Neill noted that at least one large national water utility at the award ceremony now plans to develop a similar program for their customers.
About Connecticut Water Company
The Connecticut Water Company is a public water utility that serves nearly 300,000 people in 56 towns in Connecticut. The Company is regulated by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. To learn more about Connecticut Water, visit www.ctwater.com or find us on Twitter and Facebook.
About the NAWC
NAWC is the voice of the private water industry and the organization exclusively representing this group of quality water service providers, innovation drivers, creative financiers and responsible partners. To learn more about NAWC, visit NAWC.com or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.