Policies
Our policy documents state our intent, commitment or position on certain issues and assist in informing the community and Riverina Water staff on our desired outcome.
Policy Documents
All effort is made to review policies before their due date. Policies that are overdue for review remain current until such time as Council approves a reviewed policy.
The purpose of this policy is to set out guiding principles for Riverina Water County Council, its management and staff in observing the appropriate protocols for the acknowledgement of Wiradjuri people at the commencement of Council meetings and Council Official functions.
Riverina Water recognises names are an important navigation and reference tool for the community, as well as being part of a community’s identity. Generally, Riverina Water’s assets and infrastructure are not given a specific name outside of their function and/or location. From time to time, Riverina Water shall identify assets or infrastructure that have the opportunity to be given a unique or special name. This policy will provide the standards and conditions for naming these identifies assets and infrastructure within the supply area.
The purpose of this policy is to outline a framework which provides for the sustainable management of Council’s water supply infrastructure to ensure it meets the current and future planned needs of its consumers.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure: • Accountability and transparency in the disposal of Riverina Water owned assets; • Compliance with Riverina Water’s Code of Conduct, particularly with respect to conflict of interest; and • Riverina Water’s assets are disposed of in a responsible, transparent, and accountable manner in accordance with all relevant applicable legislation (in particular, the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW)
This policy provides a consistent and clear approach to how Riverina Water can financially support customers who have been impacted by undetected leaks
This policy has been developed to protect the quality of Riverina Water County Council water supply and deals with the risk of contamination by backflow from customers’ connections back into Riverina Water’s potable water distribution and reticulation systems.
Riverina Water County Council is committed to cooperation and collaboration between Council staff and its elected members; on-going professional development of elected members; and clear distinction between enquiries of civic and personal nature.
The purpose of the Policy is to ensure there is accountability and transparency in the reimbursement of expenses incurred or to be incurred by Councillors. The Policy also ensures that the facilities provided to assist Councillors to carry out their civic duties are reasonable.
The aims of the policy are to ensure Councillors have equal access to training and educational opportunities; and ensure Councillors have the opportunity to maintain their knowledge and skill base to contemporary standards and expectations.
The Code of Conduct sets the minimum standards of conduct for council officials. It is prescribed by regulation to assist council officials to understand and comply with the standards of conduct that are expected of them; enable them to fulfil their statutory duty to act honestly and exercise a reasonable degree of care and diligence (section 439); and act in a way that enhances public confidence in local government.
The Code of Meeting Practice incorporates the mandatory provisions of the Model Meeting Code. Council and any committees of the Council of which all the members are Board members, must conduct its meetings in accordance with this Code of Meeting Practice.
The performance of Riverina Water, at times, may not be to the satisfaction of customers or other external stakeholders. In those circumstances, Riverina Water is committed to ensuring the opportunity is available to express dissatisfaction through an effective complaints management system and that any complaint received through the system is dealt with courteously, investigated fully and acted on within an appropriate time.
This policy outlines Riverina Water’s approach to compliance. It focusses on internal compliance maintenance, performance and oversight
Riverina Water puts our customers and the community at the heart of everything we do. The Customer Service Charter is our commitment to provide efficient and consistent service to you; and be fair and honest in our dealings with you.
The Debt Management and Hardship Policy sets out the reasonable approach that Riverina Water will follow in response to overdue accounts and to recover outstanding payments; and how Riverina Water can support customers that are having difficulty paying their account
The intent of this policy is establish the parameters for deferred payment arrangements for landowner contributions for rural mains extensions.
Riverina Water desires to provide financial donations to support new or existing programs, services or events which contribute to the quality of life for communities in the Riverina Water supply area. This policy sets out the principles for Riverina Water’s financial donation towards a program, service or event. This policy also outlines Riverina Water’s position regarding donations to Riverina Water.
To effectively integrate the principles of ecological sustainability into all council and community functions so as to achieve a clean, healthy and ecologically sustainable environment.
Riverina Water County Council aims to provide an environment where employees and others in the workplace are treated fairly and with respect, and are free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, vilification and bullying. RWCC aims to ensure that when employment decisions are made, they are based on merit, not on irrelevant attributes or characteristics that an individual may possess. RWCC also tries to create a work environment which promotes good working relationships. It replaces all other Anti-Discrimination & Equal Employment Opportunity Policies (whether written or not).
This policy sets out the key foundations, roles and responsibilities in relation to risk management at Riverina Water County Council. It is designed to embed an advanced risk management culture.
Council is committed to preventing fraud at its origin and believes that an emphasis on prevention and detection is the best way to deal with fraud. The underlining thrust of Council’s policy on fraud prevention is to encourage the public and staff to understand that fraudulent acts against Council are unacceptable, may constitute a criminal offence and will be prosecuted.
Internal audit is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organisation’s operations. It helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.
The purpose of this policy is to define the parameters for Related Party Transactions and the level of disclosure and reporting required for Riverina Water County Council (Council) to achieve compliance with AASB124 - Australian Accounting Standard 124 Related Party Disclosures. The Standard ensures that Council’s financial statements contain disclosures necessary to draw attention to the possibility that its financial position and profit or loss may have been affected by the existence of related parties and transactions with them.
To provide a framework for the investing of Council’s funds at the most favourable rate of interest available to it at the time whilst having due consideration of risk and security for that investment type and ensuring that its liquidity requirements are being met.
This policy describes how Riverina Water representatives interact with the media and the process for receiving and responding to media requests.
This policy sets out the rationale, target and actions for Riverina Water to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. It is intended to embed emission reductions into all relevant areas of Council decision-making.
The intent of this policy is to establish the parameters for backdating pensioner concession rebates for eligible customers.
The aim of this plan is to meet the community’s right to know about pesticide applications made to outdoor public places that are controlled / used / managed or owned by Council. This plan allows members of the community to take action to avoid contact with pesticides and the methods Council implements is designed to have minimal impact on the local environment.
This policy sets out Riverina Water’s commitment to promoting the protection of personal and health information it captures and retains. This Policy and associated Privacy Management Plan have been written to ensure personal and health information is managed in accord with relevant legislation and accompany regulations.
The purpose of this Privacy Management Plan (PMP) is to explain how Riverina Water manages personal and health information of our customers, Board members, staff, contractors and all who come in contact with Riverina Water in accordance with NSW privacy laws. This includes the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIP Act). The PMP also explains who you should contact with questions about the information collected and retained by Riverina Water, how to access and amend your stored information and what to do if you believe Riverina Water may have breached the PPIP or HRIP Acts. Additionally the PMP is used to support Riverina Water’s staff about how to deal with personal information. This helps to ensure that Riverina Water complies with the PPIP Act, the HRIP Act and the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA).
The purpose of this policy is to outline the purchasing standards of Riverina Water County Council (Riverina Water) and to provide a guide to officials of Riverina Water for purchasing
Riverina Water County Council will not tolerate corrupt conduct, maladministration or the serious and substantial waste of public money and acknowledges the reporting of suspected wrongdoing by staff, Councillors and Council engaged persons as being vital to its integrity. Council is committed to the aims and objectives of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 (the PID Act). It recognises the value and importance of contributions of staff, Councillors and other Council engaged persons to enhance administrative and management practices and strongly supports disclosures being made by those individuals which disclose corrupt conduct, maladministration, the serious and substantial waste of public money or contravention of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).
Members of the public have a legally enforceable right to access government information held by the Riverina Water County Council. The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 extends the right of the community to have access to information held by State Government departments, local and public authorities with a view to achieving more open, accountable, fair and transparent government. The Riverina Water County Council, as a local authority, is subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPAA) and accordingly acknowledges the right of the public to obtain government information about Council’s structure, policies.
The term “subtract” water meter (or service) refers to a situation where the “subtract” service is connected to another consumer’s plumbing (the “master“ service) rather than being directly connected to Council’s water main. This Policy applies to historical rural subtract meters only. Council has resolved that no new/additional rural subtract meters are allowed.
The purpose of this policy is to protect the health of Council employees, contractors, visitors and Councillors by eliminating exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in and around all Riverina Water County Council buildings, facilities and vehicles.
This policy sets out Riverina Water’s approach to conduct and communication by customers that is considered unreasonable or unacceptable; and is intended to provide a consistent approach to manage these complainants.
This policy aims to protect the ongoing security of the water supply during periods of drought or any other crisis involving the interruption or supply constraint of Council’s water supply; to provide guidelines for the management and implementation of water restriction levels; and to raise community awareness of water conservation and water restrictions.
Riverina Water County Council is committed to achieving a consistently high standard of workplace and community health and safety. Riverina Water will strive to acquire, sustain and continuously improve on a level of workplace health & safety which it considers the best practice for this organisation.