The City of Weirton has offered a way to alert its citizens of emergencies, office closures, and other notifications for almost a decade, and now officials are taking it a step further.

Since 2016, individuals have been able to register to receive notifications from a variety of municipal departments and boards via e-mail and text messaging. Officials, though, note only approximately 1,000 accounts have been created in the years since.

With the water issues experienced by the community earlier this year, many were clamoring for ways to be notified; often claiming they were unaware of the existing methods with others pointing to the possibility of residents who may not have access to e-mail or other electronic methods of communication.

Residents will receive more detailed information in their municipal billing this month, but there will now be an opportunity for voicemail messaging, whether by cell phone or landline, in addition to the already available e-mail and texting options.

In addition to citywide alerts, the updated system promises to have the capability for more localized alerts, if deemed necessary, allowing affected neighborhoods to be notified by a particular issue instead of the entire city.

We encourage the residents of Weirton to make use of the updated system. Whether it be through alert systems, local news outlets, or official social media platforms, information is out there. It is up to you to make use of the avenues available to stay informed.