WATER AND ENERGY RELIEF INTERNATIONAL

1. Corporate Customer Council
Annual Report 2007
Corporate Customer Council
Annual Report 2007
About Sydney Water
Sydney Water values the comments and
opinions of its customers and consults
Sydney Water provides drinking water, recycled water,
widely with customers, communities, wastewater services and some stormwater services to over 4
suppliers and staff. One of the important million people in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.
ways Sydney Water is able to seek advice, Sydney Water is Australia’s largest water utility with an area of
feedback and assessment on its operations covering around 12,600 square kilometres. Sydney
operations is through the Corporate Water has over 3,000 employees.
Customer Council. It is a statutory State owned corporation, wholly owned by the
people of New South Wales. Sydney Water has three equal
objectives:
to protect public health;
•
to protect the environment; and
•
to be a successful business.
•
The Corporate Customer
Council
Role and Operation
Sydney Water’s Corporate Customer Council makes an invaluable
contribution to the Corporation’s understanding of what its customers
need and expect by providing advice, feedback and assessment.
The Corporate Customer Council is established under Section 5.4 of
Sydney Water’s Operating Licence. The Council has been in
operation since 1999 and before that in a similar format.
Members represent a range of community groups and are
encouraged to inform those groups on issues that affect the broader
community.
The Corporate Customer Council met four times during the last year.
Sydney Water’s Managing Director, Kerry Schott attended three of
the meetings to answer any questions from members and discuss
current issues.

2. Membership Desalination and Recycling
The nine members on the Council represent a range of important The Managing Director updated the Council on the progress of the
stakeholder groups and include representatives from the groups desalination project and major recycling projects being undertaken
specified in Sydney Water’s Operating Licence. by Sydney Water. The Council was also provided with information
on broader Government strategies such as the Metropolitan Water
The Corporate Customer Council members are:
Plan and Metropolitan Growth Strategy.
David Taylor Urban Development Institute of Australia
The Council was kept informed of key milestones and issues in
Brigid Dowsett Peak Environment Non Government relation to desalination and recycling. Members provided feedback
Organisations (PENGOS) on the communications around the desalination plant and how it was
perceived in the broader community.
Colin Foye BlueScope Steel
Members continued to express their concern about the importance of
Julie Hegarty Local Government
recycling programs and the need for more stormwater harvesting.
Ken McDonell Local Government
Water Pressure Management Program
Susan Heyne NSW Council of Social Service
Communications
Paul Orton NSW Business Chamber
In September 2007, the Council was asked to provide input on the
Ross Maher
proposed communications package for the Water Pressure
Property Council of Australia Management Program. The Program targets areas that have high
water pressure. The package presented to the Council included
Ross Tzannes Ethnic Communities Council
draft letters to be sent to customers at each stage of the process.
The Chair of the Council is Angela Tsoukatos, Sydney Water’s
Members provided feedback on the look and content of the letters.
General Manager, Customer and Community Relations.
Members felt that response times provided to customers need to be
Achievements longer and that letters in different languages would need to be
produced. They also asked that the letters highlight the water and
In the last year, the Corporate Customer Council considered a wide money savings businesses could gain by undertaking the works.
range of issues. The Council also agreed on a Forward Plan which
The Council will be updated on this Program as it progresses.
outlines items to be considered during the year. The forward
Private Sewer Rehabilitation
planning process provides members with the opportunity to propose
topics for discussion. Some of the more significant topics, which the
Communications Package
Council considered are outlined below.
In September 2007, the Council was asked to provide feedback on
Communications the proposed communications package for private sewer
rehabilitation and overflow abatement. The package includes
At two meetings in the last year members were consulted on Sydney
communications with property owners, councils, real estate agents,
Water’s communications with its customers.
solicitors and other related parties. Members provided input on the
Members were updated on Sydney Water’s marketing campaigns at proposed letters and made specific comments about communicating
the meeting in March 2007. Different methods for communicating the status of a private sewer on sewerage service diagrams.
with customers were discussed and members provided advice and
As requested by members, Sydney Water will investigate the
feedback on both current and proposed advertising campaigns.
inclusion of a notification of private sewer status in contracts of sale.
Feedback included concerns about renters not having a clear
indication of how much water they are using. Members felt this
Other Issues
impacted on their interest in participating in water conservation
In addition, the Council was also presented with information on the
measures. Sydney Water is working to improve water conservation
following topics:
in units and will update the Customer Council on the progress being
made in relation to this issue. Demand management initiatives;
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Western Sydney Recycled Water Scheme;
In addition, in June 2007 the Council was provided with information •
Drought protocol and Metropolitan Water Plan;
on Sydney Water’s positioning in relation to recycling. Members had •
Developer charges;
the opportunity to comment on the messages around recycling and •
SewerFix Program;
water conservation. Members advised that often the community •
North Head sewage treatment plant; and
does not know about Sydney Water’s activities in saving water •
Sydney Water’s new head office at Parramatta.
through maintenance of assets. Members also commented that •
customers were unclear about who was responsible for infrastructure Sydney Water also ensures members are provided with information
such as private service lines. In addition, members commented that out of session should any issues arise.
the community needs to hear the good news about how much water
If you would like to know more about Sydney Water’s Corporate
has already been saved.
Customer Council, visit www.sydneywater.com.au or write to:
Sydney Water commenced a “Thank you Sydney” campaign in July
Sydney Water Corporate Customer Council
2007 in newspapers, Sydney Water’s Waterwrap and on the
Level 23, 115-123 Bathurst Street
website. This acknowledged the water savings made by the people
SYDNEY NSW 2000
of Sydney.
If you need to contact Sydney Water please call 13 20 92.