Coronavirus Cons: Water & Sewer Dept. Warns Customers About Letting Fake "Utility" Workers Into Homes
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department is warning customers about letting fake "utility" workers into their homes.
As if staying at home, isolated or quarantined, isn't challenging enough, the County wants to remind residents not to get ripped off by con artists during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the WASD, there have been reports of people portraying themselves as employees of various government agencies in an attempt to gain entry to people's homes. While no one has yet attempted to portray themselves as a WASD employee, the department says be aware that employees would not need to enter a customer's home to conduct their business.
Miami-Dade's water is safe to drink, and it continues to provide normal water service delivery, so WASD employees would not show up unscheduled to your home needing "to check that the plumbing works" or "test the water." Customers can still request that WASD lab employees take water quality samples at their homes, but the department has modified sampling protocols due to the State of Emergency to only sample from outside spigots rather than inside the home to minimize contact between staff and customers.
Water is a vital resource, especially now during the State of Emergency.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez has directed WASD to temporarily suspend the disconnection of water service due to non-payment. Therefore, no one would be calling to take payment over the phone or requesting payment at your home in attempt to prevent your water being cut.
If you have any questions, call 305-665-7477 or 3-1-1. After hours, customers can call WASD's Emergency Communications Center at 305-274-9272.
WASD Safety Tips:
- Miami-Dade Water and Sewer employees always wear properly marked uniforms that identify themselves as Miami-Dade County employees for WASD.
- WASD employees also drive Miami-Dade County marked vehicles when conducting department business.
- WASD employees also will display proper department identification cards while conducting business on behalf of the department.
- WASD employees in most cases will never have to access a customer's yard/property to conduct services, let alone have to enter a customer's home. In many cases, the department will also proactively provide advance notice to customers when large scale construction jobs are taking place near their home and list department staff contact information so customers can obtain additional information.
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