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Date of publication: 16 September 2026
We’re committed to protecting your privacy. Our Privacy Policy and Privacy Charter outlines the practices and policies for the collection, use and management of personal information.
We’re required to comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and are bound by the information privacy principles set out in it. We’re also required to comply with other laws relating to the protection of personal information. For instance, the health privacy principles set out in the Health Records Act 2001 and the Essential Services Commission Act 2001. In certain situations, regarding Tax file numbers, or when Barwon Asset Solutions does work for non-Victorian Public Sector organisations, the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) will apply.
To enable us to fulfil our responsibilities as a water corporation we need to collect personal information about our customers, employees, contractors, service providers and other individuals we interact with.
We collect and handle personal information where it is necessary for the purpose of:
providing water, sewerage and recycled water services
works related to land, buildings and assets we own and manage
employment and engagement of people and organisations to deliver our services
the promotion of these services, and associated research
When possible, we allow you to deal with us anonymously. For example, we may answer general enquiries without identifying you. However, the nature of our business is such that we can usually only deal with identified individuals, and there are some transactions for which we require proof of identity.
If you chose not to provide your personal information to Barwon Water, we may not be able to provide you with water, sewerage and recycled water services.
Typically, we collect names, addresses and contact details. Other information depends on our relationship with you and the nature of the service we provide.
For example, for an irrigation customer, we may collect information about property and water entitlements, banking details, proof of identity and legal documents relating to land ownership. For a job applicant, we may collect information about work history, performance, and qualifications.
Most of the personal information we collect is provided in application forms and correspondence lodged by customers (or their representatives) in connection with land disposition, water entitlements, change of particulars and other transactions.
We also collect personal information in the course of in-person and telephone conversations, via this website and our social media channels. Some personal information may be collected through surveillance devices installed at our offices and worksites. Additionally, in certain situations, we will create personal information about you using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools which may be considered a collection of that personal information. For further information regarding the adoption of AI at Barwon Water, please see our Privacy Charter below.
We try to collect personal information directly from the individual concerned. However, sometimes we need to collect personal information from third parties, such as when we engage contractors or consultants to communicate on our behalf. We might also need to collect personal information through employers, business associates, bankers, credit reference agencies and referees.
We generally don’t collect sensitive information about our customers. However, some sensitive information may need to be collected where it benefit the customer, for example in considering a hardship application or special circumstances.
We only collect sensitive information (including health information) with your consent or where authorised under law. Sensitive information is only to be used and disclosed for the primary purpose for which it was collected or a directly related secondary purpose.
Purpose
The aim of privacy legislation (the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014) is to give customers and individuals more control over the way organisations such as ours collect, use, secure and disclose personal information. It also gives customers the right to know what information we hold about them.
To assist with this, Barwon Region Water Corporation and Barwon Asset Solutions (referred to in the Charter as “Barwon Water”, “we”, “us”, and “our”) have developed this Privacy Charter that explains how Barwon Water handles personal information.
Scope
This Privacy Charter applies to all Barwon Region Water Corporation and Barwon Asset Solutions (BAS) and their respective Boards of Directors, employees and contract service providers, referred to in this Policy as “Barwon Water”, “Barwon Water Group”, “we”.
It applies to personal information we hold about individual customers, consumers, employees and others.
In addition to our Privacy Policy and this Privacy Charter, we publish privacy statements for services like our website, associated third-party software, grants and job applications. These include details about how we collect and handle personal information when we are delivering those services.
Collection
The types of personal information that may be collected by us for these purposes include, without limitation, name, address, telephone, e-mail, date of birth, driver’s licence details, concession details, credit and health information.
We may also be required to collect personal information as required or permitted by law, and in doing so we will be informed by the relevant legislation, rules and standards including (not an exhaustive list):
Health Records Act 2001
Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988
Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
Surveillance Devices Act 1999
Freedom of information 1982
Public records Act 1973
We may collect personal information about you from you in a number of ways including, without limitation, over the counter and using forms, the telephone, surveillance devices installed at our offices, vehicle and worksite, and internet.
Additionally, in certain situations, we will create personal information about you using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools which may be considered a collection of that personal information. For further information regarding the adoption of AI at Barwon Water, please see below.
Our method of collecting personal information will be by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way.
If individuals do not provide us with the personal information that we request, we may not supply the services or products that the individual requests.
If we collect personal information about you from a third party, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the following matters:
the fact that Barwon Water collected the information and our contact details;
the fact that you would be able to gain access to the personal information collected;
the purposes for which the information was collected;
to whom Barwon Water usually discloses information of that kind;
any law that requires the particular information to be collected; and
the main consequences for you if all or part of the information is not provided.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that you have been made aware of the matters listed above, except to the extent that making you aware of the matters would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any individual.
Use and disclosure
Personal information collected is used for providing services, managing assets, managing employment and recruitment, the promotion of these services and associated research. We may need to disclose some personal information to our contractors and to other third parties for these purposes.
We may use artificial intelligence tools to support our work. This can include:
1. Caller Auto Summarisation – Our contact centre system uses AI tools to support agents during customer interactions. It automatically summarises each call, allowing agents to save a clear and concise note on the customer's account.
2. Real-Time Knowledge – AI may present guidance based on de-identified patterns in customer service interactions, for example: if a customer mentions a refund, the article outlining how to process a refund will be surfaced for the agent’s reference.
3. Reporting and Analytics – AI may categorise interactions, create summaries, and surface trends to improve service quality or improve performance.
Consistent with OVIC guidance, we do not use publicly available AI tools, with your personal information.
All AI tools are required to be approved under governance processes, to make sure they comply with privacy laws. Any personal information created, used, or shared through AI tools will be managed in line with the Privacy Policy and this Privacy Charter.
The personal information we collect will not be used or disclosed for any other purpose without your consent, unless permitted under privacy legislation.
We may be required to use or disclose personal information about an individual/s for a purpose (secondary purpose) other than the primary purpose of collection in the following situation:
we reasonably believe that the use or disclosure is reasonably necessary for one or more of the following by or on behalf of a law enforcement agency:
the prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution or punishment of criminal offences or breaches of a law imposing a penalty or sanction; or
the prevention, detection, investigation or remedying of seriously improper conduct;
We do not sell, rent, trade or otherwise make available customers’ personal information.
By using our website at www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au, individuals will be deemed to consent to us, and in some instances our Internet Service Provider, monitoring use of our website and using personal information collected for the purpose of promoting water and sewerage related services, products and market research at times this may be personal information for the purposes of privacy legislation.
Data quality
We will make every effort to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date.
Data security
We take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold from unauthorised use, disclosure, access, modification, loss or misuse and our employees are bound by a Code of Conduct to enhance these steps.
We have appropriate procedures to safeguard and help prevent unauthorised access to personal information, to maintain data security and ensure we use and disclose the information we collect lawfully.
Where we hold personal information in conjunction with others (e.g. where an account is a joint one), we will allow each individual access to their own personal information and to the joint information (e.g. account balance and transaction details) but not to the personal information of other individuals.
Other individuals will not be given account balances, transaction details or other personal information relating to someone else’s account, unless the account holder gives us express permission to disclose the information to individuals not listed on an account. Customers can contact us if they wish to arrange for someone else to have access to their account details.
We will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer needed for any purpose.
Openness
Barwon Water has set out in this Privacy Charter clearly expressed policies on its management of personal information.
On request by an individual, we will take reasonable steps to let the individual know what sort of personal information we hold, for what purposes, and how we collect, hold, use and disclose that information.
Access and correction
Barwon Water is an organisation that is covered by the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). Individuals can access or seek correction or amendment of personal information about them held by Barwon Water by requesting access or seeking amendment under the FOI Act. Requests for both access and amendment of personal information can be made in writing.
Such individuals are requested to provide us with as much detail as possible about the particular document sought in order to help us identify it.
Please note that the applicable fee would be payable for requests made under the FOI Act.
Unique identifiers
We will not assign unique identifiers to individuals unless the assignment of unique identifiers is necessary to enable us to carry out any of our functions efficiently. Further, we will not require an individual to provide a unique identifier unless provided for in privacy legislation.
Anonymity
Wherever it is lawful and practicable, we will provide individuals with the option of not identifying themselves when entering into transactions with us.
Trans-border data flows
We may transfer personal information about an individual to someone who is outside Victoria only if:
we reasonably believe that the recipient of the information is subject to a law, binding scheme or contract which effectively upholds principles for fair handling of the information that are substantially similar to the Information Privacy Principles; or
the individual consents to the transfer; or
as otherwise provided for in privacy legislation or contractual obligations.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the information which has transferred will not be held, used or disclosed by the recipient of the information inconsistently with the Information Privacy Principles.
Sensitive information
We will not collect sensitive information about an individual unless the individual has consented, the collection is required under law, the collection is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of an individual, or the collection is necessary for a legal or equitable claim.
Exemption
Privacy legislation and this Privacy Charter do not apply to acts and practices of us directly related to a current or former employment relationship including but not limited to an employee record held by us relating to a current or former employee.
Enquiries and complaints
Customers can contact Barwon Water’s Company Secretary or Privacy Officer if they have questions about our Privacy Policy, Privacy Charter, or other privacy concerns. The Company Secretary or Privacy Officer can be contacted via email at info@barwonwater.vic.gov.au or by telephoning 1300 656 007 and requesting to speak to the Company Secretary or Privacy Officer.
We will encourage customers that have a privacy complaint to tell us so that we can act quickly. We will investigate the complaint, answer questions and do all we can to address the concerns of the complainant. Usually a phone call is all that is needed to resolve most issues.
An individual in respect of whom personal information is, or has at any time been, held by us may complain to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner, in writing, about an act or practice that may be an interference with the privacy of the individual. The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner can be contacted via email at enquiries@ovic.gov.au.
Definitions
Employees The Directors, Managing Director, contractors and all other employees of Barwon Water and Barwon Asset Solutions.
Information Privacy Principle The 10 IPPs are the core of privacy law in Victoria and set out the minimum standard for how Victorian public sector organisations should manage personal information.
Personal information Information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), that is recorded in any form and whether true or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion, but does not include information of a kind to which the Health Records Act 2001 applies.
Privacy Impact Assessment A process for analysing a program’s impact on individuals’ information privacy. The process of conducting a Privacy Impact Assessment can help to identify potential privacy risks and develop risk mitigation strategies to address these privacy impacts before a project or initiative commences.
Privacy legislation
Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
Health Records Act 2001 (Victoria)
Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth)
Essential Services Commission Act 2001
Freedom of Information Act 1982
Public Records Act 1973
Sensitive information Information or an opinion about an individual’s: racial or ethnic origin; political opinions; membership of a political association; religious beliefs or affiliations; philosophical beliefs; membership of a professional or trade association; membership of a trade union; sexual preferences or practices; or criminal record; that is also personal information.
Unique identifier An identifier (usually a number) assigned to an individual uniquely to identify that individual for the purposes of the operations of the organisation but does not include an identifier that consists only of the individual's name but does not include an identifier within the meaning of the Health Records Act 2001.
Acronyms
APPsAustralian Privacy PrinciplesBASBarwon Asset SolutionsBWGBarwon Water GroupESCEssential Services CommissionFOI ActFreedom of Information Act 1982HPPsHealth Privacy PrinciplesHR ActHealth Records Act 2001 (Victoria)IPPsInformation Privacy PrinciplesIDSGInformation and Data Security GovernanceNDBNotifiable Data BreachesOVICOffice of the Victorian Information CommissionerPDP ActPrivacy and Data Protection Act 2014PIAPrivacy Impact AssessmentVPDSSVictorian Protective Data Security StandardsVPSVictorian Public SectorWISWater Industry Standard – Urban Customer Service
This Privacy Charter was last updated May 2026. We review this Privacy Charter to keep up to date with statutory and community expectations. So we may make changes as and when required outside our regular charter review cycle.
Further relevant information can be found on our Privacy Policy (PDF 72.2 KB). This Privacy Policy was last updated May 2026.
The Barwon Water website has links to other third-party software. You can find further information about their privacy policies below. For all other data collection enquiries please contact us.
Facebook login data privacy
This website uses a Facebook app called ‘Federated login’. It allows users to log in to their Barwon Water dashboard using their Facebook credentials, as an alternative to creating a new username and password. We do not save your personal Facebook data on our servers.
Facebook is owned by Meta. You can read the Meta privacy policy here.
If you have signed up to our online services using your Facebook credentials, you can delete your Facebook data and revoke access to Barwon Water’s login app at any time, simply follow these steps.
Google login data privacy
This website uses a Google app called ‘Federated login’. It allows users to log in to their Barwon Water dashboard using their Google credentials, as an alternative to creating a new username and password. We do not save your personal Google data on our servers.
You can read the Google privacy policy here.
Your Say website
Your Say is an online platform for project engagement.
You can read the Your Say privacy policy here.
