DENVER -- Need to schedule a building inspection? Want to know how to apply for a marriage license? Have a pothole to report? Now the City and County of Denver has an easy way for local residents and businesses to get information on any non-emergency City service: Simply dial 311.

Denver's new city service has been taking calls since 6 a.m. Friday morning, and the operators said most of the calls have been questions about trash, sewer and parking. While the system is up and working, officials do acknowledge they are having trouble with cell phones.

The operators are available seven days a week, from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. with limited coverage on holidays.

“The 311 system will revolutionize Denver’s approach to customer service by enabling residents and businesses to reach a live, knowledgeable person with just one call to City Hall,” said Mayor John Hickenlooper. “Gone are the days of sifting through over 1,200 listings for Denver City services in the phone book’s ‘blue pages.’ Whether you need a park permit application, a pothole filled, or merely have a question, all you need is one number: 311.”

When calls come into 311, an operator will provide information on the spot or assign a tracking number to the question if a service is requested, like fixing a broken traffic light. The tracking number allows people to follow their requests through the City system online. Callers can also find out the status of a request, add more information, or make comments by referring to their specific 311 tracking number by phone, e-mail or fax.

"We have a state of the art call center, so everyone who calls in, whatever your question is, researching every aspect of the city. And we can give those citizens a tracking number and make sure we deliver on those services," Hickenlooper said.

The City also uses the tracking numbers to better evaluate its performance.

One of the major goals of 311 is to improve public safety by reducing the number of non-emergency calls to 911, and also to provide another communication tool to use in crisis situations. Almost 20 percent of the calls to Denver’s 911 number are non-emergency calls, and City officials hope those non-emergency calls will now come to 311, freeing 911 operators to address emergencies.

Currently, residents may call 311 from land lines within the City and County of Denver and from most cell phones. Surrounding areas have expressed interest in the 311 system and, with City and County of Denver officials, are exploring how a collaborative regional system could work.

With a Call Center staff of 29 people, the 311 staff anticipates taking over 800,000 calls in the first year of operation. The service is multi-lingual and can communicate with callers in 182 different languages. It also serves the deaf and hearing-impaired community through a TTY number.

Additional Information:

• Website: www.denvergov.org
• E-mail: 311@ci.denver.co.us
• Fax Number: 720-913-8490
• TTY Number: 720-913-8479
• Over 1,200 phone listings are currently in Denver’s “blue pages.”