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Water authority issues warning about imposter
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A man posing Wednesday as a "water department" worker in Lawrenceville prompted the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to issue a warning today about imposters.
"We are very troubled by this report," Jim Good, interim executive director, said in a statement.
Bona fide PWSA field workers are in uniform and carry photo identification. Their vehicles are marked with "P.W.S.A." and have blue and white municipal license plates.
The incident that caused alarm occurred between noon and 1 p.m. in the 5700 block of Butler Street when a man calling himself a "water department" worker knocked on the door of an elderly woman and asked to come in to check her water pressure.
The man was wearing a blue jacket and blue pants and was talking on a radio, the water authority said. He threatened to shut off the resident's water if she would not let him in.
The woman took the man to her basement, where he claimed to be checking her pressure, the authority said.
He had the woman count slowly to six and then left.
The incident was reported to police, who are investigating.
Anyone who wants to verify the credentials of a water authority worker can call (412) 255-2429 or (412) 255-2409. The numbers are staffed 24 hours a day.
First Published January 24, 2013 3:33 pm
