Privacy policy
Privacy policy
Purpose
This policy ensures the way we collect, use, disclose and store personal information meets legislative requirements, community expectations, and the state government’s Information Privacy Principles. Our integrity in managing and protecting personal information builds confidence with our people, customers and stakeholders.
Principles
We ensure that, wherever possible, our people and customers retain some control over the way information about them is collected, used, disclosed and stored.
Openness and accountability
All SA Water people and our contract partners have a role to play in ensuring openness, transparency and accountability in the management of personal information.
Our Chief Executive ensures this policy is implemented and observed in respect of all personal information for which we are responsible. The Chief Executive:
- ensures a privacy management process and privacy governance framework is in place and being applied
- appoints a Privacy Officer
- drives a culture of privacy awareness and responsibility
- holds people accountable for reporting identified corporate privacy risks and breaches through the Governance, Finance and Risk Committee.
General Managers and people leaders ensure this policy is applied within their areas of responsibility, that any identified risks or mitigation actions are periodically reported to the Senior Leadership Team, and hold people accountable for reporting any breaches of this policy or the Information Privacy Principles.
The Senior Leadership Team ensures privacy management, assessment and privacy risk mitigation actions are adequately resourced.
The Privacy Officer, working with the Privacy Governance Committee and Senior Manager Legal, Insurance and Property, develops and maintains the privacy governance framework, privacy policy and any associated procedures, and ensures appropriate reporting processes and training is in place.
Senior managers and all people leaders ensure privacy risks are periodically identified, assessed and monitored, that appropriate mitigation strategies are implemented, and that any breaches are reported.
The Internal Audit team considers privacy risks and mitigation strategies in the development of the annual internal audit plan and, where audits are undertaken, provides management with the outcomes of these reviews to support the effectiveness and continuous improvement of our privacy management governance framework policies.
The Board’s Governance, Finance and Risk Committee monitors and evaluates privacy risk management activities within SA Water, as described in the Governance, Finance and Risk Committee charter.
All SA Water people maintain an awareness of privacy risks within their area of responsibility, actively support and contribute to privacy management activities, including risk mitigation, and report privacy risks and breaches to their managers.
Collecting information
Whenever applicable, any reference to personal information or customer within this policy includes individuals, businesses and corporate customers.
We collect personal information from customers in order to provide our water, sewerage and recycled water services in accordance with the South Australian Water Corporation Act 1994 and Water Industry Act 2012, including to:
- supply water through our network of water mains
- store, treat and supply bulk water
- remove and treat sewage through our sewerage systems
- supply recycled water through our network of recycled water mains
- undertake appropriate billing processes
- validate a customer’s identity when accessing account information
- advise on the efficient and effective use of water.
We may also collect personal information from customers to undertake our other functions under the South Australian Water Corporation Act 1994 including to:
- carry out research and works to improve drinking water quality and sewage disposal and treatment methods
- provide consultancy and other services within areas of our expertise, such as laboratory testing services
- develop commercial and market products, processes and intellectual property produced or created in the course of our operations
- encourage and facilitate investment and participation, whether from within or outside South Australia, in the provision of water and sewerage services and facilities
- other functions detailed in the Act.
We only collect personal information from our people for lawful purposes directly related to their employment. We do this fairly, lawfully and not in an intrusive manner.
When we collect personal information, we take reasonable steps to ensure the person providing the information understands:
- why we are collecting it
- the collection is authorised or required by or under law
- our usual practices about the disclosure of personal information collected
- that they can access and, if necessary, correct their personal information. We only collect personal information about an individual from that individual, if it is reasonable and practicable to do so.
Using information
We only use personal information when it is necessary and appropriate to do so. We do not use personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was collected, or a purpose incidental to or connected with that purpose unless:
- the individual has given or implied consent to the use of their information
- we believe, on reasonable grounds, that the use is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to life or health of the individual or another person
- the use is required by or under law
- the use for that other purpose is reasonably necessary to:
- enforce the criminal law or a law imposing a pecuniary penalty
- protect public revenue
- protect the interests of the government, statutory authority or statutory office-holder as an employer
Disclosing information
We do not disclose personal information about an individual to a third party unless:
- the individual has given or implied consent to the disclosure
- the customer would reasonably expect the agency to disclose the information for the secondary purpose related to the primary purpose of collection
- the person disclosing the information believes, on reasonable grounds, that the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to life or health of the individual or of some other person
- the disclosure is required or authorised by or under law
- the disclosure is reasonably necessary:
- to enforce the criminal law or a law imposing a pecuniary penalty
- to protect public revenue
- to protect the interests of the government, statutory authority or statutory office- holder as an employer
- where SA Water has reason to suspect unlawful activity has been, or is being engaged in, and disclosure of personal information is a necessary part of its investigation of the matter or in reporting its concerns to relevant persons or authorities.
Accessing information
Our people can access, or obtain a copy of, the contents of their employee record. Other than the employee, the only other people permitted to access an employee record are those who are specifically required, in the course of their duties, to refer to the employee’s file.
We provide ready access to a customer’s own personal information in accordance with the
Freedom of Information Act 1991.
Storing information
We take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we possess or control is securely stored and not misused. Our current measures include ensuring our database firewalls are up to date, the latest anti-virus software is active and that confidential/private files are securely stored.
Correcting information
We will take all reasonable steps to correct personal information we possess or control:
- if the personal information is inaccurate
- if the personal information is incomplete, irrelevant or out of date to the purpose of collection or to the purpose that is incidental to or connected with that purpose
- where the personal information would give a misleading impression in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1991
Contacting you
We contact our customers through multiple channels. This includes electronic communication, such as email and SMS. We offer the following advice if you become suspicious after receiving potential scam communications.
Scam emails, also known as phishing attacks, look like authentic emails from a service provider like SA Water. They may ask you for payment, to update your contact details or in some cases, provide you with seemingly unrelated information.
We will never email or SMS you to ask for your password, username, credit card or bank account details. If you’re ever unsure about a communication you have received which may be claiming to be from SA Water, please call us on 1300 SA WATER (1300 729 283).
Be aware that scams can also occur via phone, with people pretending to be from a reputable organisation who try and potentially gain access to your computer, bank account or money. In this case, the best thing you can do is hang up and call us on an officially listed phone number to verify the communication.
Disclosure and use by third parties
Any personal information disclosed to a party contracted to SA Water is considered disclosure to SA Water if disclosed to the party in their capacity as a contractor to SA Water.
Similarly, any other collection or use of information by a party contracted to SA Water is considered collection or use by SA Water if collected or used by the party in their capacity as a contractor to SA Water.
Legislation
Certain legislation may override areas of this policy and we will always be bound to comply with such legislation.
Scope/Exclusions
This policy applies to all personal information collected, used, disclosed and stored by SA Water. It covers all media in which information is collected and stored e.g. paper, electronic (including social media), visual and audio recordings.
Definitions and Acronyms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Corporate Customer Information | May include, but not be limited to, property and water use details and trade waste. Wherever applicable, personal information as defined in this section will include corporate customer information. |
| Customer | An individual or company who obtains a service from SA Water. |
| Employee Record | The personal information held in an employee’s record comprises payroll records, leave records, and personnel records. Personnel records are general information not relating to payroll or leave and include police and security checks, pre-placement medical information, service awards, annual appraisals, and disciplinary records. Other documents containing personal information are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1991 |
| Individual | The person who is the subject of the information, data or record. |
| Personal Information | Information or an opinion, whether true or not, relating to a natural person or the affairs of a natural person whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion. Personal information for customers – may include, but not be limited to, name, address, contact details, concession status, financial details, plumber’s registration details, property and water use details. Personal information for employees – may include, but not be limited to, payroll records e.g. work history, rates of pay, tax file declarations, leave records, personnel records e.g. pre-placement medical information, police and security checks, annual appraisals, and qualifications. |
| Privacy | An individual/customer’s right to avoid information about them being unnecessarily or covertly collected and to avoid such information being disclosed to others without consent or other justification unless allowed under law. |
Major faults
Polkinghorns Rd
Arthurton
- 18/06/2020
Water Supply On
- 18/06/2020 03:05 PM - We are attending to an incident in Arthurton with no interruption to the water supply. The safety of our crews and customers comes first, and we always aim to minimise inconvenience by restoring services as quickly as we can. Reference Number WO: 07505663.
- See all major faults
Scheduled works
Spruance Rd
Elizabeth East
- 11/06/2021
Temporary Supply Interruption
- Estimated start time and water supply off: 15/06/2021 09:00 AM
Estimated restore time and water supply back on: 15/06/2021 04:00 PM
We’re improving your services and undertaking maintenance work in Elizabeth East. Sometimes our crews need to temporarily interrupt the water supply to our customers and/or manage traffic while they are working. Temporary traffic management may remain in place until reinstatement of the impacted road is complete. We always aim to minimise inconvenience by restoring services as safely and quickly as we can. - See all scheduled works
