Town looks to boot alert-system vendor

Town of Huntington officials are looking to replace an automated call service after, they say, efforts to alert Dix Hills Water District customers about a boil-water advisory failed over the New Year's weekend.

Town Supervisor Frank Petrone said the Dec. 30 calls were stopped after town officials could not figure out how to limit them to the 8,000 district customers instead of all town residents.

Huntington had successfully used the service to alert most residents and businesses about Tropical Storm Irene, Petrone said, but it had not tested the system for calling a smaller group.

When town officials called the vendor, SwiftReach Networks that Friday, they were told no technicians were available to solve the problem until Tuesday, Jan. 3, Petrone said. "The system we had in place . . . that worked for Irene, it broke down," he said.

But Michael Ward, director of operations for Mahwah, N.J.-based SwiftReach, said a review of emails between the town and his company showed only town requests for help loading a map of the water district into the system.

"At no point in time was it said there was an emergency or that they needed help in launching a campaign," Ward said, adding that the company has round-the-clock support staff.

The town board is now seeking to cancel its $22,995 contract with SwiftReach, Petrone said. Town officials said they have spoken with company officials to express their dissatisfaction. Ward said he was not aware of plans to cancel the contract and that he wants to work with the town to address any issues. The board approved the one-year contract in June.

Unlike water districts in which elected commissioners set policies and manage operations, the Dix Hills district is overseen by the town board.

On Dec. 30, the town advised Dix Hills Water District residents to boil water used in preparing food, mixing baby formula, washing dishes, making ice or brushing teeth. The notice came after coliform bacteria was found in two samples taken that week during routine tests.

Petrone said that boil-water notices were placed in mailboxes of district customers, posted on the town's website and given to the media.

The alert was lifted the next day, after 21 new water samples tested negative for the bacteria, town officials said.

But several customers, including Barbara Lorge, 65, did not get the notice and continued to use tap water.

"The idea that one of the wealthiest towns on Long Island, maybe even the state, did not have a tested system in place for this type of emergency is hard to believe," she said.

Sheila Saks, a member of the water district's citizens advisory committee, said: "The best thing we can do is learn from this situation and correct our shortcomings."

How the notification system works

• Town schedules a message to go out to residents