Family violence assistance policy

Our policy explains how we can help you if you're experiencing or you've been affected by domestic or family violence.

1. Overview

1.1 At a glance

Our policy explains how we can help you if you're experiencing or you've been affected by family violence.

1.2 Scope

Our policy covers you if you self-identify or are identified by us or a community service provider as experiencing family violence.

1.3 Objective

Our policy helps you:

• keep your personal information, including your location and contact details, safe
• to avoid having to repeat your story by connecting you with a specialised team
• keep the water on – regardless of your capacity to pay.

2. Policy in detail

We want to help you when you need it and make it as easy as possible.

You can call us on 1800 222 280 8am–5:30pm AEST Monday to Friday (except public holidays) or complete the confidential help and support form at any time.

2.1 We'll keep your information safe

All customers identified as experiencing or affected by family violence will be offered to enter our BillAssist® program, regardless of their financial situation. This applies to owners, occupiers who are not owners and tenants of both residential and non-residential properties. We do this as a means of protecting sensitive customer information. Being in the BillAssist program means all enquiries will go through our specialised Customer Care team, who are the only ones who have access to the confidential information section on a customer's account. This helps to ensure information is not inadvertently provided to other connected parties and that customers need only tell their story once to receive ongoing assistance.

We will assist and protect the information of all customers; however, we must remain compliant with NSW privacy laws. As such, we won't disclose or discuss account information with any person other than the individual of whom that information relates to. Non-authorised customers can request assistance without us providing account information.

Where family violence has been disclosed, we will use our discretion to limit information released to the owner about arrangements made by tenants, other owners or occupiers who are not owners.

For owners and authorised representatives, we encourage you to sign up for My Account and receive your bill electronically. This removes the need for you to disclose any alternate physical addresses or for us to store them against the property record. Each email address has its own registration and the contact details, saved payment details and preferences are visible only to that registration. You can even set up payment reminders to receive an SMS or email 2 days before your bill is due.

2.2 We'll make it easy if you need help with your bill

We understand that every customer's situation is different. We know that water as an essential service makes it a target for financial abuse. Our staff will offer you assistance through our payment assistance policy. Different options may be available depending on your connection to the property. Our specialised staff can assess your eligibility for our payment assistance options, ensure you're receiving any government concessions you're entitled to and offer you information about other support services that may be appropriate.

2.3 We won't restrict your water supply or take legal action if we're helping you

We'd like to work with you to keep the water on. We won't restrict your water supply or take legal action regarding your account in any of these situations:

• We're helping you through our BillAssist® program.
• You've asked for a payment plan and are making payments.
• You've set up Centrepay payments through Centrelink and we're receiving payments.
• You've lodged a complaint about your bill and we're looking into it, or you've lodged one with the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW.

2.4 We'll give you a respectful, confidential service

Our staff work respectfully with you and care about your privacy. We take it very seriously and handle your personal information in accordance with NSW privacy laws. Our specialist team ask for personal information for the purpose of understanding your capacity to pay and identifying your connection to the property to authorise you but that information won't be used for any other purpose. We may require proof of your connection to the property to authorise you, but that information won't be used for any other means or shared with anyone outside our specialised Customer Care team.

2.5 We'll give you help for free

Our help and advice is free. We also offer a free:

• interpreter service if you have trouble with English
  Call 13 14 50 to request the language you need and then ask to speak to Sydney Water on 1800 222 280.
• Teletypewriter (TTY) service if you're hearing impaired
  Call 133 677 and ask for 1800 222 280.

We promote the ways we help with your bill in our customer newsletters, on our reminder notices, and through our website and social media pages. We also publish water saving tips on our website.