CUSTOMER CHARTER
2018-23 A message from the Managing Director
Dear customer,
Our Customer Charter sets out our commitments of our 2018-23 Price Plan. A core part of this was to you as a customer of Goulburn Valley Water. It listening to where customers wanted us to focus also outlines your rights and responsibilities as a on delivering improvements in the next five years, customer, and our rights and responsibilities as a to provide innovative and sustainable services service provider. that meet your needs. We hope you enjoy seeing the results and outcomes of our customer-driven We are committed to delivering safe, reliable and initiatives. affordable water and wastewater services to our customers. This includes delivering the some of I encourage you to take the time to read this the lowest prices in Victoria, a renewed focus on charter and please contact us if you have any water quality and supply, modern and thoughtful queries. customer service and implementing meaningful environmental and recreational outcomes. Peter Quinn We’re excited for you to see the benefits of the Managing Director improvements we will be implementing as part Goulburn Valley Water
2 | www.gvwater.vic.gov.au | Contents
Introduction 4 About this charter and Goulburn Valley Water
Commitments 5 Our promises to you about water quality and supply Your promises to us as a customer
Works and maintenance 7 Your responsibilities and our responsibilities
Charges and billing 8 Rates, meters, charges and payment options
Information, consultation and privacy 11 Sharing advice and information
Our water 12 Requirements and regulations
Enquiries, complaints and disputes 13 Answering questions and resolving concerns
Appendices Guaranteed Service Levels 14 Approved Service Standards 16 Definition of terms 17
Our contact details 18
| 1800 454 500 | 3 Introduction
Who are we? Goulburn Valley Water provides water and wastewater services to more than 126,000 people in over 50 towns across Northern Victoria. Our service area stretches from Marysville to Cobram and from Colbinabbin to Merrijig – about 20,000 square kilometres in total. We are responsible for treatment and distribution of drinking and non-drinking (non-potable, or regulated) water to residential, business and industrial properties within our designated water districts. We’re also responsible for the collection and treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater within these areas. We are committed to delivering safe, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services. We are Goulburn Valley Water’s also committed to offering exceptional services that service area benefit our customers and our communities. COBRAM Goulburn Valley Water is a Statutory Corporation Katunga Picola responsible to the Minister for Water, and operates Barmah Numurkah Katamatite under the Water Act 1989. We have a Board of Nathalia Wunghnu Directors appointed by the Minister, who serve Tongala Katandra Tallygaroopna under three-year terms. Kyabram Congupna Dookie What is this charter? Mooroopna SHEPPARTON CoC rop Tatura Our Customer Charter sets out your rights and Stanhope Toolamba responsibilities as a customer and our rights and RushworthRus responsibilities as a service provider. These are set Colbinabbinlb Murchison Violet Town out by the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) Euroa Customer Service Code - Urban Water Businesses. Nagambie Strathbogie Longwood
This charter will outline the levels of standards you Avenel Mangalore can expect as a customer of Goulburn Valley Water, SEYMOUR how we will deliver our services and how we’ll work Bonnie Doon Mansfield Pyalong Merrijig Sawmill with you. Tallarook Settlement Broadford Yea ALEXANDRAA If we need to make any changes to this charter, we’ll Kilmore Thornton Eildon consult with our customers and customer groups Clonbinane Wandong and any alterations will be approved by the ESC. Buxton We’ll communicate any major change with you by Marysvilleysvil providing a copy of this charter or a summary of this Woods Point charter with your next bill or when you become a new customer with us.
This charter applies from 1 July 2018. Northern District This charter does not apply to trade waste Central District customers, recycled water or other services supplied by agreement – you should refer to your South West District individual agreement. You can download a copy of our Trade Waste Customer Charter on our website. South East District
4 | www.gvwater.vic.gov.au | Commitments
Connection commitments Towns in our service area receiving non-potable If your property is connected to Goulburn Valley Water’s water supply are: system, we will provide you with services and standards • Corop outlined in this charter. If you make a request for a new • Goulburn Weir (Baxter’s Rd) connection to an available service, we will approve or • Kirwans Bridge respond to it within 10 days - or later if agreed - if all • Molesworth applicable connection fees have been or agreed to be • Strathbogie paid for; and all reasonable terms and conditions of • Woods Point. connections have been complied with. We issue reminders to all customers receiving Service commitments a regulated, or non-potable, water supply with information on its limitations. We also publish this Water Quality information on our website. We’re committed to providing high quality, safe and Flow rates reliable drinking water which consistently meets the COBRAM Victorian Safe Drinking Water Act 2003. We provide a minimum flow rate per minute which is Katunga Picola dependent on your service pipe size. The flow rate in Barmah Numurkah Katamatite We monitor water quality regularly, including through litres is measured at the water meter or tap nearest Nathalia routine monitoring and testing in all localities, annual Wunghnu the meter assembly. Single residential properties water quality reports and proactive initiatives to generally have a 20mm property service pipe. Tongala Katandra Tallygaroopna Kyabram maintain and improve water quality throughout our Congupna Dookie service area. This information is available on our Minimum flow rates: Mooroopna SHEPPARTON website and by request. You can also find a list of Diameter of property ser- CoC rop Tatura 20 25 32 40 50 Stanhope Toolamba our Approved Service Standards on page 16 of this vice pipe (millimeters) RushworthRus Minimum flow rate (litres document. 20 31 51 80 125 Colbinabbinlb Murchison Violet Town per minute) Water quality may vary throughout our service area Euroa and at times people may experience differences in We may not be able to provide these minimum flow Nagambie Strathbogie Longwood taste, colour and odour. If requested by you, we will rates if: Avenel undertake tests to confirm supply to your property • there is a planned or unplanned water supply Mangalore interruption SEYMOUR complies with state standards. If the water does Bonnie Doon Mansfield not comply, we’ll take action to rectify it as soon as • there is a water supply shortage due to peak Pyalong Merrijig Sawmill summer demand, drought, or other unavoidable Tallarook Settlement possible and we’ll meet testing costs. Broadford Yea causes ALEXANDRAA If you have any concerns about water quality, we Kilmore Eildon • your service is provided via a private line, or Clonbinane Thornton encourage you to contact us on 1800 454 500. • your service is restricted due to non-payment of Wandong Buxton Non-drinking water supply an account. Marysvilleysvil Woods Point Some water supply systems we operate only At your request, we will arrange to test the flow rate have basic disinfection and have been declared and advise you of any potential costs to be paid. If as regulated (also known as non-potable or non- the flow rate does not meet standards, we will meet drinking) water supplies under the Safe Drinking the cost of testing and we will work to rectify it as Northern District Water Act 2003. This water is not intended for soon as possible, or as agreed with you. human consumption. Central District We have plans, systems and processes in place to Regulated, or non-drinking, water does not meet manage our assets to provide reliable services to Australian Drinking Water Guidelines requirements. South West District our customers. These aim to minimise any impact of There is no protection against disease-causing planned or unplanned service interruptions, as well organisms that may contaminate the water, and it’s South East District as providing access to emergency drinking water not fit for drinking, food preparation or other uses supplies if required. where consumption may occur.
| 1800 454 500 | 5 Commitments
We comply with Approved Service Standards, We urge you to keep your details up-to-date, which are outlined on page 16 of this charter and including a mobile phone number, so we can let you have been approved by the ESC. These standards know of any interruption which affects you. include information for planned or unplanned water Special needs supply interruptions; sewer blockages; notification times to attend bursts, leaks, sewer spills and If you require water for a life support machine or blockages; service restoration times and sewer spill other special needs and are on our register, we’ll containment times. notify you at least four business days in advance of a planned interruption and as soon as possible for Unplanned interruptions an unplanned interruption. In the event of an emergency or unplanned water You can register a life-support machine or other supply or sewer interruption, we will promptly attend special needs with us by phoning our 24-hour the site as soon as we’re notified. We will take Customer Service Centre. action to rectify the situation and take into account any customer, property and environmental impacts. Your commitments If a sewage spill occurs on your property, we will As a customer, you are responsible for: minimise damage and inconvenience to you and will • paying your water account within 28 days of promptly clean and disinfect the affected area. date of issue • paying charges after vacating a property, unless Information about unplanned interruptions will be you’ve given us at least two working days’ available through our 24-hour Customer Service notice Centre on 1800 454 500. • telling us if you’re selling or purchasing a Planned interruptions property • ensuring your meter is accessible for our If we need to interrupt your water supply or sewer employees for planned maintenance or other works, we’ll let • maintaining your property infrastructure you know at least 48 hours in advance. We’ll leave a • removing trees if requested by us written notification in your letter box/at your property • seeking our consent for any building or and if we have your mobile number, we’ll send you structural work which may interfere with or a text message notification two days prior and a affect a service or system reminder on the day of the planned interruption. • not altering anything connected to our works Notification will include the day, date, time and without our consent, and expected duration of the planned interruption. • observing any restrictions we may impose under water law.
6 | www.gvwater.vic.gov.au | Works and maintenance
Water supply and sewerage services You are also responsible for any damage and associated costs to the water meter, isolation valve Our responsibilities or service pipe that is not general wear and tear. We have processes and programs to continually You must also report any damage to, or loss of, the maintain our systems as set out by the Approved meter to us within two business days. Service Standards under the Water Act 1989 and the Water Regulations 2014. You are also responsible for clearing blockages in your house drain up to the inspection opening or The general rule is that we are responsible for house connection branch. maintaining the water service up to, and including, the water meter. There are situations where our If you are uncertain who is responsible for a responsibility finishes at your property boundary, or maintenance issue, please call us on 1800 454 500. the first accessible stop tap. Need more information? If the property has a private fire service, we are You can find more advice in ourWater Services responsible for maintaining it up to the stop valve at Maintenance and Repairs and Sewerage Services the main. Property owners are responsible for the Maintenance and Repairs information sheets on private fire service. our website at www.gvwater.vic.gov.au/residential/ For sewer services, we are responsible for help-advice/your-responsibilities maintaining the house connection drain up to the inspection opening pit, or a maximum of one metre Property access from the property boundary (whichever is shorter). We have the right to enter your property for a number of purposes, including in an emergency If the sewer main is located inside your property, (i.e. investigating or repairing a water main burst or our responsibility is up to the inspection opening, sewer blockage) or to read your meter. or a maximum of one metre from the sewer main (whichever is shorter). Our staff and contractors wear identification when entering a property. We will notify anyone present, Your responsibilities or leave a notice, stating identity, date, time and All plumbing and pipework from our water and purpose of entry, except when reading your meter. sewer connection points to your property (including private extensions or services, or property service If we hold keys to a property, they will be held in safe pipes from private extensions) are your responsibility custody and returned when you vacate the relevant as the property owner. property or if access is no longer required.