From 1 July 2005 City West Water is committed to providing Guaranteed Service Levels (GSL) to ensure that we meet a range of service levels for all our residential customers.
What is a GSL?
A GSL is a minimum level of service that a customer can expect to receive from City West Water. When these predetermined service levels are not met, affected customers receive a rebate on their City West Water bill.
Who do GSLs apply to?
At the moment, City West Water's GSLs are only available to residential customers. GSLs for non-residential customers will be considered in future years.
How is a GSL payment made?
GSL payments are made automatically. Once our system determines that a customer is entitled to a GSL payment, the rebate amount is automatically credited to their City West Water account. A letter is then sent to the customer outlining why the GSL payment has been made.
How do I go about making a claim?
City West Water will inform affected customers in writing and the payment will be automatically made into the customers account. If at any time you think you may be entitled to a GSL payment, please contact us on 131 691.
Many of the GSLs are defined by a twelve month period. When does the GSL period begin?
The GSLs come into effect on 1 July 2005. Any customer affected from this date onwards will be entitled to a GSL, regardless of when the first event occurred. For example, if you experience four interruptions to your water service between March 2005 and June 2005 and a fifth interruption occurs in July 2005 you will be entitled to a GSL payment.
Can I receive more than one payment?
Yes, any time we fail to meet the service level stated in the GSL you will receive a payment. For example, if you experience five interruptions to your water service between March 2006 and June 2006 you will receive a payment and then another interruption occurs in July 2006 you will be entitled to an additional GSL payment because you have again experienced more than five interruptions to your water service in a twelve month period.
How were the GSLs determined?
We carried out market research and based on these results a proposed list of GSLs was submitted to the Essential Services Commission (ESC), which is the water industry's regulator. The ESC reviewed and approved the six GSLs for City West Water.
Do other utility companies offer GSLs?
Like City West Water, the other Melbourne metropolitan water industry and in the electricity and gas industry have GSLs in place.
What is a force majeure event?
If our failure to meet a GSL is the result of a force majeure event, the GSL rebate will not be payable.
A force majeure event is an event that no human foresight could anticipate or which if anticipated, is too strong to be considered e.g. an industrial strike which leads to loss of profits, or an act of terrorism. Circumstances must be abnormal and unforeseeable, so that the consequences could not have been avoided through the exercise of all due care.
What are the Guaranteed Service Levels and what am I entitled too?
Detailed below are the Guaranteed Service Levels provided by City West Water and the rebate paid to affected customers if these are not met:
| Guaranteed Service Level | GSL rebate if service levels are not achieved |
| No more than five unplanned water supply interruptions in a twelve month period | $25 for each interruption in excess of five in a twelve month period |
| No more than three unplanned sewerage service interruptions in a twelve month period | $25 for each interruption in excess of three in a twelve month period |
| Unplanned water supply interruptions to be restored within five hours | $25 for each interruption longer than five hours |
| Interruptions to sewerage services to be restored within five hour | $25 for each interruption longer than five hours |
| Sewer spills to be contained within five hours of notification | $500 for each spill not contained in five hours |
| Sewer spills within a house, that are a result of a failure in our pipes, to be contained within one hour of notification | $500 for each sewer spill that is not contained within one hour of notification (in-kind services to assist with clean-up, accommodation etc.. may be paid in addition) |