The North Kingstown Water Department has used this system to notify customers about situations that may affect their water service. Most often it has been used to notify customers about water main breaks. These are unanticipated breaks in water lines that result in low or no water pressure in a wide spread area and require that valves be closed (and water to be turned off) in order to repair the pipe.
It is important for customers to realize that the calls are made to available phone numbers in a geographic area. This inevitably results in calls being made to people who are not at all affected by the break. Follow up phone calls are not typically made. In these situations Water Department staff remain on site working until water service is restored.