Customers at the centre
CUSTOMERS are at the centre of everything TasWater does, with a strong community engagement focus helping to involve the public in the company’s projects and developments.
The company has staff working across the state in a range of roles helping to keep the community up-todate on all matters related to water supply and sewage treatment.
The community, stakeholder and customer team headed by Ruth Dowty is the touchpoint between TasWater and the community.
“We are here to engage with the community in a meaningful way, to help everyone to understand what TasWater does,” Ms Dowty said.
“Delivering water and sewer services is complicated but it is something we all take for granted — we expect that when you turn on a tap, water is going to come out and when you push a button it’s going to take your waste away,” she said.
“But for that to occur a lot has to happen in the background, including the treatment of water so it is safe to drink; the delivery of that water to homes and businesses; and taking away sewage and treating it to a level so it can be disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
“Our job in the engagement team is to work with communities and highlight what it is they are buying when they purchase water and sewerage services.
The engagement team has recently been spreading the word about water restrictions.
This has included a role in providing information to the effected communities, what they can do to be part of the solution to the problem of reduced water supply, and letting them know when they are doing a great job.
“We’re very involved in water conservation work as well, which is a very important part of the shift in thinking that we all have to go through because the climate is changing and it has rained a lot less over the last few years than it had in the years leading up to this point,” Ms Dowty said.
TasWater also shares information through community groups and councils about the business it undertakes on their behalf and for their benefit.
The engagement team is mindful of community interests and seeks to represent these external viewpoints when decisions are being made.
In all developments TasWater is guided by its aim to provide affordable and sustainable water and sewerage services along with protecting the environment.
Recognising that there are often challenges involved in meeting those aims, the engagement team seeks to explain why work is being undertaken and explore ways to mitigate unwanted impacts on the community.
Community engagement is central to the success of a project, both in its development and construction phase as well as in the ongoing operational phase.
It is a two-way conversation, with the possibility of projects taking onboard community suggestions through processes such as:
CALLS to customers and stakeholders to advise of developments;
LETTERBOX drops for significant issues such as water restrictions; INVOLVEMENT in community meetings;
VISITS to regional areas to discuss TasWater operations.
Through all these methods the engagement team seeks to understand what the community is saying and then advocate on its behalf inside the business, as well as explaining the reasons behind TasWater decisions.
Direct feedback is also invited from the public through TasWater’s 24hour contact centre – phone 13 69 92 – as well as via an enquiry form on the top right corner of the TasWater homepage at taswater.com.au, and on Facebook.