Relations Between Water Departments, Companies and the Public

Abstract

The good-will of its consumers is the best asset which any water company or water department can have. How can we get that good-will and how can we keep it? We must get it into our minds clearly that we are engaged in public service. Neither the water department nor the private water company has any business to dabble in politics. That iridescent dream of municipal ownership will never materialize while politics continue to govern municipally owned utilities, and the privately owned utility which monkeys with politics is committing corporate suicide. To secure the good will of our consumers, we must have good service, and is discussing the topic it will be assumed that good service is being rendered. After good service, one of the most necessary requisites is a good and reasonable set of rules, intelligently, impartially and courteously enforced. Many of the rules now in force need to be revised, brought up to date, and their unreasonably arbitrary features eliminated. They should be made as brief as possible and yet stated plainly, in language that can be easily understood. The rate schedule should be such that there can be no reasonable charge of discrimination. Most of the rate schedules today are years behind the times, either mere copies of older schedules or else they are schedules compiled by men who knew nothing of rate making. Few of them are based upon any intelligent study of the costs of service and they cannot be explained satisfactorily or justified. Assuming that we have satisfactory service, rules and rates, our next problem is to secure employees who can meet and transact business with the public with a minimum of friction and trouble. Our office force, especially, should be of more than average intelligence and education and able, at least, to use the English language