Pierre, S.D. –Provide your contact information, and get a light bulb.
The City of Pierre is updating its utility records to include active email addresses and cell phone numbers for its utility customers. As an incentive, the first 500 people to update their contact information will receive a free LED light bulb.
Brad Palmer, Utility Director for the City of Pierre says that changing technology is the impetus behind the program.
“The quickest and most efficient way of communicating with our customers is now via text or email,” said Palmer. “When we started keeping contact information for our customers, texting didn’t exist, and email wasn’t a preferred mechanism for communicating.”
Utility customers can cash in on the program three different ways –via phone, online or in person. To update your contact information by phone, call 605.773.7407. To update your information online, go to CityofPierre.org and click on “Update Contact Info”. And to update your contact information in person, visit Pierre City Hall, 222 East Dakota, during normal business hours. Customers will have to pick up their light bulbs at city hall.
This effort provides multiple benefits to both city utility users and the city itself.
“If we have the ability to text and email our customers, we can provide them with almost instant updates regarding power outages, disconnection information, and notification of upcoming utility work,” said Palmer. “The other direct customer benefit is the light bulb itself. They can cost up to $6 a piece.”
An LED light bulb uses up to 90% less power than an incandescent bulb. An LED bulb will last more than 130 times as long as an incandescent bulb. Plus, LED bulbs are safer, because they produce very little heat keeping them cool to the touch.
The City benefits by having a better mechanism to communicate with its customers. Additionally, the more LED bulbs in use, the more energy saved. Lower energy use mitigates the need to develop energy producing infrastructure, ultimately saving money for both the city and the tax payers.
For more information call Brad Palmer at 605.773.3067.
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