Water board faults economy for slow customer service

Question: I tried calling the Board of Water Supply for the past three days and still am unsuccessful. I wanted to ask about a bill and each time I called (about six times each day), I am put on hold for such a long time —  anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes. I try to hold, until I get so frustrated I just hang up. What’s a person to do when they need an answer or need help?

Answer: The backlog is being blamed on “the current economic situation,” with more people calling the agency to request payment arrangements, as well as extensions, said spokeswoman Tracy Burgo.

On top of that, calls are lasting longer as customer service representatives help people avoid having their water shut off, she said.

If you have a computer, your best option would be to go online to access your account.

“We have instituted electronic forms on our website (hbws.org) for customers who want to update account information, start, stop or transfer service that they can submit online, fax or mail in to us,” Burgo said.

If you prefer calling, she said the BWS has an automated callback feature so customers don’t have to wait on the line to speak to a representative. Calls will be returned in the order received.

The agency also has added temporary staff to answer calls, as regular staff are trained on a new billing system to be launched early next year.

“We will continue to add temporary staff to ensure a smooth transition to the new billing system,” Burgo said. The board also is looking into online billing and payment options.

“We sincerely apologize for the longer wait time customers are experiencing,” Burgo said.

New Billing System

Hawaiian Electric Co. has been plagued with problems and delays in customers getting through since it started using a new computer billing system in May and we asked if the BWS was going with the same system. (See http://is.gd/yoDQWP)

The BWS will be using Oracle’s Customer Care and Billing System, Burgo said. “This is not the same system that is being used” by HECO.

She said the customer service representatives “that customers speak to when calling the BWS are based in Hawaii.”

However, she said the agency will continue to use the same mainland “utility statement provider” it has used since March 2007, “as it was found to be the most efficient to meet our print operation needs.”

Question: Our neighbor parks his car on the public street in front of our property. His car is constantly leaking oil and other fluids onto the asphalt. We’ve approached him to no avail. The oil puddle is now as large as the car. What can we do about this dilemma?

Answer: You can contact the state Department of Health’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Division at 586-4226.

Although that division’s regulations and statutes deal only with businesses, staff members have responded to residential complaints to “inform those responsible of the environmental problem they’re causing,” said DOH spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

She said a big concern is if the contamination is near a storm drain, in which case the runoff may go down the drain and reach the ocean.

Okubo said the Solid and Hazardous Waste Division may refer the issue to the department’s Clean Water Branch, the city Department of Environmental Services, as well as a homeowners association and city Road Maintenance Division.

“The jurisdiction is not clear, but DOH presence and a site visit can sometimes prompt a car owner into action,” she said. “It may be just a matter of educating the car owner.”

In cases where there may be an imminent threat to health and safety, the advice is to call 911. In those cases, the Honolulu Fire Department’s hazardous materials specialists and/or the Hono­lulu Police Department would likely respond, Okubo said.