Regional Service Through Unity… Meeting our Region’s Needs Today and Tomorrow

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Sept. 19, 2018

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• Welcome/Introductions

• Budget/rates communication

• Chlorine Maintenance Planning

• Defend Your Drains

• New Infographics

• Public Education Consultant

• Topics/Timing for Future Meeting

BUDGET & RATES COMMUNICATION

• Change in budget methodology

– Operations budget (chemicals, power, water purchases) based on 90% of total potential maximum across all cities

– Capital program and funding adjustments/refinements

– 14-cent increase to wholesale rate (1/2 of original projection)

– Increasing from $2.78/1000 gallons to $2.92/1000 (5% vs. 10%)

• Draft Fact Sheet / Overview / Dashboard

BUDGET & RATES COMMUNICATION

• New Value of Water Video Preview

https://vimeo.com/ideamachinestudio/review/289584205/a8a00efa74

IMAGINE A DAY WITHOUT WATER – OCTOBER 10, 2018

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Janet Rummel 2019 Chlorine Maintenance Planning

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• Educate stakeholders on the need/purpose of maintenance -- proactive and transparent

• Quickly diffuse and correct misinformation

• Allay concerns about safety of water

• Use third-party experts

• Anticipate concerns and provide resource information

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• Member and customer city water, public works and communication staffs –Member and customer city elected officials (mayors/city council)

• NTMWD employees

• Water customers of member cities & other area water providers

• Regulators / Agencies– TCEQ– EPA– CDC

• Collin County Health Department

• Collin County medical professionals

• Industry trade groups (AWWA, Water Research Foundation, TWCA)

• News media as a conduit

POTENTIAL TACTICS

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• New content: From the Experts document, Odor and Taste Fact Sheet, Water Quality Update (test results from years past), Infographics, toolkit

• Revised messages: Temporary change in disinfection

• Water Academy

• Updates to NTMWD website; continue Safewaternorthtexas.com as portal for city and industry resources

• Digital communications

• Research – survey or focus groups

• Early media briefings –(December)

• Use Third-Party Experts –Public Health Agency Reps, Professors

• Open Houses – water testing (laboratory)

• Presentations to professional groups (medical, Realtors, health department)

TENTATIVE TIMELINE

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Meeting with communicators from other DFW-area major water providers early October to collaborate on resources, third-party experts

DISCUSSION ON NEXT STEPS

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• City input, ideas sharing

• Plan to bring more defined plan back to cities in November

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Denise Hickey Defend Your Drains

NCTCOG WATER MEETING RECAP 8/22

Defend Your Drains

Banner artwork reviewed• Group present found it

acceptable, but they asked to have same content resized and provided in high-resolution in other formats:

– Pamphlets and brochures– Door hangars– Social media

• Several cities recommended providing translated versions in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin

NCTCOG WATER MEETING RECAP 8/22

Defend Your Drains

Website Revamp - Feedback Requested• Changes in the Defend Your Drains North Texas website are not yet active,

but new site is scheduled to launch September 22.– If you were unable to preview, and would like to provide feedback to NCTCOG on the site,

you can still do so.– NCTCOG acknowledged that the website is a fluent product and changes will be

made after initial launch date.– If you have recommended changes or need to update your city logo shown on the site,

please contact Cassidy Campbell at NCTCOG via email at: ccampbell@nctcog.org

NCTCOG WATER MEETING RECAP 8/22

Defend Your Drains

Grease Interceptor Inspector Training – Two Day Session

• October 1 & 2, 2018• 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (both days)• Space limited to 25• Register early at:

http://nctcog.org/envir/events

WATER AND WASTEWATER PARTNERING MEETINGS

Denise Hickey Holiday Grease Round-Up 2018

DEFEND YOUR DRAINS

Holiday Grease Round-up• Dates set for November 26, 2018 – January 7, 2019

– If your city will be participating in this year’s Holiday Grease Roundup, please email CCampbell@nctcog.org no later than Friday, October 12, 2018

– If your city would like to use the flyer, please email CCampbell@nctcog.org with facility and collection hours. Cassidy will update and return to you

– American BioSource is supplying the containers and removal service. There are no fees to the cities to participate. please let Cassidy know the following information

and she will coordinate with American BioSource:» How many containers,

» Preferred container size,

» dates you would like the container to be dropped off and picked up,

» Location where you would like container dropped off.

WATER AND WASTEWATER PARTNERING MEETINGS

Denise Hickey Infographics

NEW INFOGRAPHICS

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NEW INFOGRAPHICS

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COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Denise Hickey Public Education Consultant

PUBLIC EDUCATION CONSULTANT

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NTMWD notified on Tuesday, September 4th that EnviroMedia would be closing their office

Contracting parties were called on Tuesday

Public Notification was made on Wednesday (social media)

Moving Forward –• WFAA segments are secured and NTMWD/AgriLife will coordinate• Fall Water4Otter ISD presentations – will need to seek consultant to carry

out the coordination, presentations, post survey results– Conference call with previous EnviroMedia staff Tuesday

• NTMWD to determine best course forward for hiring new consultant and/or partnering with DWU and TRWD

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

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Timing, topics and location for next meeting?