Plano, Texas Uses Mobile Tools to Conserve Water

PRLog (Press Release) - Apr. 12, 2012 - The City of Plano, Texas has been revolutionizing the way its community works together to resolve city-related concerns via Fix It Plano. Enlisting PublicStuff, an innovative CRM company, to develop a mobile app and service request system, the City branded it Fix It Plano. The app allows residents to report and submit city-related requests in real time from anywhere. Requests, normally centered on maintenance issues, are sent directly to the correct city department to be resolved. Since launching Fix It Plano in July 2011, the city has closed out more than 1,489 service requests with half focusing on water-related issues.

When Fix It Plano was introduced, like many other North Texas cities, Plano was under outdoor watering restrictions. A water supply issue related to an invasive species of Zebra Mussels was compounding as drought from a dry, hot summer extended into fall. In October, water concerns heightened as the city prepared to move into enhanced Stage 3 Water Restrictions on Nov. 1, taking residents from once- a-week watering to once-every-other-week watering. From the beginning of these heightened restrictions, residents were eager to continue their participation in water conservation efforts. City phones were buzzing with reports of wasteful watering practices and unscheduled watering. It became obvious as restrictions tightened; Fix It Plano could divert this barrage of additional calls into a more unified system. On Oct. 12, a City press release announced watering violations could now be reported via Fix It Plano. In the 19 days that followed 71 water violations were reported.

Nancy Nevil, Plano’s director of sustainability and environmental services said, “Our residents are very technologically savvy and Fix It Plano was a tool that empowered them to be involved in the solution of saving as much water as possible. More important than violations, they reported water leaks, broken sprinklers and other water-related issues that required repair.”

As weather forecasters predict another grueling Texas summer, Fix It Plano will continue to support water conservation efforts in Plano. The Fix It Plano app is free to download and accessible via the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Blackberry and Android applications. Citizens may also submit services via telephone, through SMS text, and directly through the City’s website. To access any of the Fix It portals, please click on the links below.

Online Portal: www.plano.gov/fixit
iPhone App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/plano-publicstuff/id447267...
Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wassabi...
Blackberry App: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/44415/?la...

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ABOUT PUBLICSTUFF, INC. – www.publicstuff.com.
Founded in 2009, PublicStuff is an innovative CRM software company that provides web-based solutions and mobile applications to address the service needs of both constituents and managing agencies.  The online consumer platform allows the public to request services to a variety of organizations.  The online municipal platform allows agencies to cost-effectively manage communications with customers and better manage the service delivery process.  PublicStuff increases customer participation while also driving down costs for agencies.  PublicStuff is headquartered in New York, NY.  For more information, visit www.PublicStuff.com.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11848009/1