Water and Sewerage Industry (Customer Service Standards) Regulations 2019

In these regulations – account, in relation to a regulated entity, means a written instrument issued, or to be issued, to a customer setting out any fees or interest that are payable to the regulated entity by the customer;Act means the Water and Sewerage Industry Act 2008; billing period, in relation to a customer, means the period (which may be recurrent) in respect of which an account may be issued by a regulated entity to the customer; customer charter means a customer charter referred to in regulation 4; fee includes – a one-off fee or charge; and a volumetric charge; and a fee that is payable periodically; and a scale of fees or charges; and an amount of money determined using a method of calculation or by application of a policy; meter reading, in relation to a device used for the measurement of a regulated service, means – a reading of the flow of water to, or the flow of sewage from, a property; or an estimate made by the regulated entity of the flow of water to, or the flow of sewage from, a property that is based on a reading of the meter at the property for an equivalent period of time; or an estimate made by the regulated entity of the flow of water to, or the flow of sewage from, a property that is based on a reading of a meter for a comparable property for an equivalent period of time; payment plan means a payment plan referred to in regulation 26; planned interruption, in relation to a property, means an interruption to the provision of a regulated service to the property that is necessary in order to maintain, augment or upgrade infrastructure; special meter reading, in relation to a water meter that is used for the purposes of a regulated entity, means a reading of the water meter by the regulated entity at a time other than the end of the period at which the meter would usually be read; special needs customers means – customers of a regulated entity who require the services of a dialysis machine at properties to which a regulated service is provided by the regulated entity; or customers of a regulated entity who are determined by the regulated entity to have special requirements, because of a medical condition of the customers or persons to whom services are provided by the customers, in respect of the provision by the regulated entity of a regulated service; or customers of a regulated entity in relation to whom a determination under subregulation (2) applies; unplanned interruption, in relation to a property, means an interruption to the provision of a regulated service to the property that – is not caused by the regulated entity; or is necessitated by an event beyond the regulated entity's control.

For the purposes of these regulations, the Regulator may determine – that a class of persons are special needs customers because of a medical condition suffered by the persons or persons to whom services are provided by the customers; and the special requirements of the class of persons who are special needs customers; and that a regulated entity is required to specify in a customer service code the special requirements of the class of persons who are special needs customers.