When the water goes off, customers want to know why and for how long. Utilities that tell them first by SMS get fewer angry calls, and customers who receive their bill by SMS tend to pay sooner.
What to send
- Bills amount, due date and account number every month.
- Payment confirmations as soon as a payment is received.
- Planned interruptions with areas, times and expected restoration.
- Unplanned outages and updates until service returns.
- Disconnection warnings a courteous reminder before action.
- Self-service balance and bill checks by USSD.
Example messages
- “Your water bill for account 20231 is KES 1,420, due 15 Oct. Pay via Paybill 123456, Acc 20231.”
- “Planned interruption: no water in Kilimani and Kileleshwa on Tue 9am–4pm for pipe repairs. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
- “Payment of KES 1,420 received for account 20231. Thank you.”
Tips for better results
- Integrate billing with the SMS API so bills and receipts go out automatically.
- Segment by zone so interruption notices only reach affected customers.
- Let customers report leaks or outages by two-way SMS.
- Send a follow-up when service is restored.
Related
Payment confirmation SMS · SMS reminders · SMS for counties
Get started
Create a Connect Media account — SMS from KES 1.0, no minimum top-up, credit that never expires, and one account for Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Call +254 707 339 945 or email info@connectmedia.co.ke.
Frequently asked questions
How do water companies use SMS?
For monthly bills, payment confirmations, planned and unplanned interruption notices, disconnection warnings and customer service.
Can we send outage notices to specific areas only?
Yes. Group customers by zone or estate and send notices only to the affected groups.
Can customers check their balance without calling?
Yes. A USSD menu lets customers check bills and balances on any phone.