Philadelphia Gas Works announced Thursday a partnership with Nextdoor, a social media outlet that enables neighborhoods to form private networks.
PGW will be able to directly notify and update verified Nextdoor users regarding any project in their neighborhood. The company already provides alerts to residents via Facebook, Twitter and its website.
"This is another way for us to do that," said Melanie O. McCottry, PGW's director of public affairs. "It's not going to take care of everything. We know that there [is] a large contingent of people who are using Nextdoor. We want to be there."
Additionally, Nextdoor neighbors can connect directly with PGW, notifying the company of any issue on their street.
Nextdoor launched in Philadelphia in December. The free site boasts users from 270 Philadelphia neighborhoods, enabling them to post messages, events, polls and urgent alerts to a private neighborhood network.
Nextdoor requires all users to verify their address by selecting one of several options, including providing a credit card billing address or entering a code that is mailed to the registered address.
Tim Hitchens of the Hawthorne Empowerment Coalition said Nextdoor is great for connecting with neighbors and communicating relevant information. He called the inclusion of PGW a benefit.
"I think it's fantastic," Hitchens said. "With the utilities in our neighborhood, the road will be dug up. It's really helpful to know that information."
PGW joins the Philadelphia Streets Department, Office of Emergency Management and Licenses and Inspections on Nextdoor.
McCottry said the partnership enables PGW to remain on par with the services provided by other agencies.
"Everybody's customer is our customer," McCottry said. "The experiences they are getting from other companies is what they're expecting from us."