ENGAGING CUSTOMERS IN CHANGE:  Water & Electricity 

Longcrier Communications knows how to engage customers for more efficient and cost effective use of electricity and water. 

Electricity and water efficiency are gaining more interest because of the increasing costs due to higher demand and limited supplies of natural resources. New technology allows consumers—whether at their homes or at their businesses, manufacturing plants or farms—to understand how much electricity or water they are using in real time. Smart technology also delivers information about what it's costing them and how their use compares to their peers and contributes to the overall demand. Customers are learning smarter ways to use the electricity and water they have been able to take for granted in the past.  

Electricity

As more electricity grids are upgraded with smart grid technology, utilities and other government bodies are gathering and sharing information, both within their operations and with their consumers, with varied results. Executed well, customers can use the information provided by the new technology to cut their usage during different times of the day or year to reduce their bills and delay the need to pay for the building of expensive power plants often fueled by fossil fuels. They can make small changes in their lifestyles or business operations that together make a big impact in their communities, the nation and the world.

Water

Lessons learned with smart grid engagement translate well for communications needed to produce greater awareness about how to use water more efficiently. Recent climate, water use and food production studies have raised the level of concern among developed and developing nations. We have an opportunity to make a difference in how we supply and use water—both the quantity and quality of water.   

First, we need to raise awareness in the communities where we live as to our available water resources, how we're using water, how we're treating water and what options are available today with new technology to better monitor and manage our water use. Lawmakers and regulators have an important role here, also, to set and enforce policy that supports quality of life, economic development and responsible stewardship of natural resources.  

Using the lessons I've learned with smart grid, we can engage customers to consume water more efficiently and gain their support for public funding of programs that support smart solutions for

• water supply,
• treatment,
• rate structures,
• reuse, and
• discharge.