SAN FRANCISCO -- In an effort to reach more customers, the San Francisco Water Department is combining its 1.6 gpf toilet sales with public outreach events such as a costume contest and environmental fair, According to John P. Mullane, Manager of Customer Service Bureau, the San Francisco Water Department (SFWD) has been selling 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilets for the last two years. Mullane explained that customers sign up in advance and then purchase the toilets at a public parking lot on a specific date.
Mullane said, "Since SFWD already had staff working with customers, we decided to combine the toilet sales with events that further impacted the community. Two of the events were a Halloween costume contest that collected food for the San Francisco Food Bank, and an environmental and health fair which will have information booths from various environmental and health organizations. "
"We believe in being good neighbors to our customers," Mullane said. "We created and sent bi-yearly customer confidence reports to every dwelling unit and building in San Francisco for the last three years. We are implementing a program where our customers can pay their water and sewer bills through direct payment through their bank, credit card, and even the Internet. These outreach events are just another service that we are providing to our customers."
For the Halloween costume contest, all contestants were required to be residents of San Francisco and must have brought a can of food to be donated to the San Francisco Food Bank. Each entrant was photographed and assigned a number. During the day, the entries were voted on by visitors who donated one can of food for each vote. The categories for prizes were scariest, most beautiful, best impression of celebrities, and best water theme. Donated ribbons were awarded to winners of each category.
The environmental and health fair will be held in a primarily African-American neighborhood during Veterans' Day, Nov. 11. Local environmental and health organizations will be distributing information, seminars on topics ranging from do-it-yourself plumbing repairs to cleaning without toxics will be presented during the day and volunteers from the San Francisco Fire Department will be taking blood pressure readings.
"Our mission is to serve the citizens of San Francisco," Mullane said, "and we fulfill that mission through a wide variety of services and products that directly help our customers."
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