Thank you for visiting Mesa Water District’s (“Mesa Water”) website. Because you are using our website, we want you to understand how we may use information we may collect and how you can help protect your privacy.

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes Mesa Water’s privacy practices regarding information collected from visitors to, and users of, Mesa Water’s site, including what data is collected and how that information is used.  This Policy also covers visitors to Mesa Water’s website who opt in to receiving responses to e-mails from Mesa Water, receive e-notices for when Mesa Water information and Board meeting packets are posted to our website, provide an RSVP for events, report water waste, request public records or subscribe to receive information from Mesa Water.

AS A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, MESA WATER IS SUBJECT TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT (CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 6250-6277).  SOME OF THE INFORMATION MESA WATER COLLECTS, OR THAT YOU SUBMIT, MAY BECOME A PUBLIC RECORD SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, MESA WATER MAY BE REQUIRED UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW TO DISCLOSE SUCH PUBLIC RECORDS PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT AND/OR OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

Mesa Water may also be compelled to disclose information in response to a court order, subpoena or law enforcement action or through regulatory agency requests.

This Policy will not apply when you click or follow a link to another outside or third-party website.  You should review the privacy policy(ies) of any website you click or link to if you have concerns about how such website handles or uses personally identifiable information.  Please see “Disclaimer for External Links” within this Policy for further information.  We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third parties or our customers.  

This Policy and the type of information Mesa Water collects is subject to change.  Please see “Changes” within this Policy. The best way to make sure that you have seen the most current version of Mesa Water’s policy is to review our website regularly. 

You may also subscribe to our electronic newsletter service. You may unsubscribe from the electronic newsletter service at any time. At the bottom of the electronic newsletter, click on the “unsubscribe from this list” button to unsubscribe.

Information Mesa Water Collects

Mesa Water collects information to help us understand how to better serve you.  Some information is collected and stored automatically, while other information is only collected when you submit it to us.

Information Mesa Water collects automatically

We use Google Analytics (http://www.google.com/analytics/) to collect and track information each time you visit our website. This information includes, but is not limited to:

  • Your Internet Protocol Address
  • Your geographical location;
  • Your Internet browser, operating system, and network provider;
  • Whether you access our website through a computer or mobile device (which may also provide us your phone number);
  • The referral website through which you accessed our website (e.g. a search engine such as Google);
  • The date and time in which you access our website;
  • The webpages you access within our website;
  • The forms and documents you access within our website;
  • The number of times you have visited our website;
  • The length of time you spend on our website; and
  • The pages on which you enter and exit our website.

The information we automatically collect does not personally identify you.

Our web host will also place “cookies” on your computer/device to cache information. “Cookies” are data files stored on your computer used to verify who you are. Mesa Water is not responsible for the data automatically collected by our web host.  However, you may be able to delete “cookies” from your computer and may have the ability to turn off the collection of “cookies.”  By turning off the collection of cookies, you risk limited or disrupted access to our website.

Information You Provide Mesa Water

In some circumstances, you may submit, and Mesa Water may collect and store, your personally identifiable information.  This information includes, but is not limited to:

  • Your name;
  • Your address;
  • Your telephone number;
  • Your e-mail address;
  • Your account number with us;
  • Your financial institution and bank account number;
  • A scanned image of your check;
  • Your Social Security number; and
  • Your driver’s license number.

This information is not automatically collected when you visit the website. It is only collected if you provide it to Mesa Water by creating an account or filling out one of the forms on our website or if you “opt in” to certain of the website services Mesa Water provides.

Finally, Mesa Water also includes links to outside social media websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  Mesa Water is not responsible for any data sent to these websites and we encourage you to refer to those websites’ privacy policies.

E-mails

Please note that we cannot guarantee the security of e-mails sent to Mesa Water.  Use caution in providing personal information under the “Contact Mesa Water” link or in any e-mails to Mesa Water.  E-mail correspondence which Mesa Water receives may also be subject to the disclosure requirements of the California Public Records Act.

E-mail or other information requests sent to Mesa Water’s website may be maintained in order to respond to such request, forward such request to the appropriate staff within Mesa Water, communicate updates to the Mesa Water site that may be of interest to website users or Mesa Water customers, or to provide the Mesa Water web designer with valuable customer feedback to assist in improving this website. 

How Mesa Water Uses Information We Collect

Mesa Water collects information so that we can understand how customers use our website. This allows us to improve our website and provide you with the following electronic services:

  • Online billing and payment;
  • Automatic payment from your bank account;
  • Continuous service agreements;
  • Customer record changes;
  • Pressure test applications;
  • Residential customer start/stop service requests; and
  • General information updates.

We do not sell electronically collected personal information or share it for commercial reasons. We only use this personal information to provide the service for which it was originally collected.

Ability to Review and Update your Information

Within our website, you will have the ability to update and review your account information.

Security

The security of your information is important to us.  We strive to protect our customers from unauthorized access to, unauthorized alteration of, or unauthorized disclosure of information we hold.  To protect customer information, we use encryption technology and a dedicated server.

Mesa Water will never send you an e-mail requesting you to validate personal information, including your social security number, date of birth or driver’s license number via e-mail.

Despite our best efforts, Mesa Water cannot guarantee that your personally identifiable information will never be disclosed inconsistently with this Policy.

Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information on Mesa Water’s servers are strictly prohibited and may be punishable by law, including under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996. 

Website Links to Other Websites are Not Covered by this Privacy Policy

As mentioned above, we provide links to third-party websites. Also, information provided in our internal forms may be shared, submitted or stored with third-party websites.  Once you access a third-party website, or submit information in a form that is shared, submitted, or stored with a third-party website, you are no longer subject to this Policy.  Instead, you are subject to the privacy policy(ies) of that third-party website.  You use these third-party websites, or submit information to third-party websites, at your own risk.  Mesa Water has no control over, and is not responsible for, such third-party websites.  See also “Disclaimer for External Links” herein.

Mesa Water Does Not Endorse Third-party Websites

Mesa Water is not responsible for the content of any third-party website whatsoever. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or provided by third parties, do not state or reflect those of Mesa Water and will not be used by Mesa Water for advertising or product endorsement purposes.  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process or service by trade name, trademark manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its enforcement, recommendation, or favoring by, or on behalf of, Mesa Water.

California Online Privacy Protection Act

CalOPPA is a state law, which requires commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. CalOPPA’s reach extends beyond the boundaries California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting personally identifiable information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. – See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf

According to CalOPPA, Mesa Water agrees to the following:

Users can visit our website MesaWater.org anonymously.

Our Privacy Policy includes the word “privacy” and can easily be found on the page specified above. You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes.

On our Privacy Rights Page, you can change your personally identifiable information that is collected through our website or online service by emailing us at info@mesawater.org.

Mesa Water is not responsible for enforcement or monitoring of CalOPPA. 

How does our site handle Do Not Track (DNT) signals?

We honor DNT signals. We do not track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a DNT browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?

We do not allow third-party behavioral tracking. 

The “Shine the Light” Law

Subject to certain limitations, California residents may ask Mesa Water to provide them with (1) a list of certain categories of personal information that we have disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year, and (2) the identity of those third parties.  To make this request, California residents may contact us at info@mesawater.org. For such requests, indicate “CA Shine the Light Request” in the subject field of your request.

Disclaimer of Liability

Neither Mesa Water, nor its employees, agents, or individual board members, shall be liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained in Mesa Water’s website and Mesa Water assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of such information.  Under no circumstances shall Mesa Water, its employees, its agents, or its individual board members be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages, however caused and on any theory of liability, arising out of the use of this website.  This disclaimer of liability applies, but it not limited to, loss of use, loss of data, loss of profits, personal or business interruption, failure of performance, error, omission, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer virus, communication line failure, or theft, destruction, or unauthorized access to, alteration of, or use of a record.

By using Mesa Water’s website, you expressly agree that you use Mesa Water’s website at your own risk and that the provisions of this Section apply to such use.  Mesa Water does not warrant that its website, or the services provided on the website, will be uninterrupted or error free.

Disclaimer of Warranties and Accuracy of Data

The data on Mesa Water’s website has been produced and processed from sources believed by Mesa Water to be reliable.  However, no warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability, or usefulness of any information.  This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of the information.  All information on Mesa Water’s website is provided on an “AS IS” basis.

Mesa Water expressly disclaims any and all other warranties including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, freedom from contamination by computer viruses and non-infringement of proprietary rights.

The user expressly agrees that the use of Mesa Water’s website is at the user’s sole risk.  Mesa Water does not warrant that the service of this website will be uninterrupted or error free.  The documents and related graphics published on this website or server could contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors.

Disclaimer for External Links

Mesa Water has links to other websites.  These include links to websites operated by other agencies and officials, other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses.  When a user leaves a Mesa Water website and visits another site, the user is subject to the privacy policy(ies) of that new site.  Mesa Water is not responsible for the contents of any off-site pages referenced.  The user specifically acknowledges that Mesa Water is not liable for the defamatory, negligent, inaccurate, offensive, or illegal conduct of other users, links, or third parties and that the risk of injury from the foregoing rests entirely with the user.  Links from Mesa Water Web pages on the internet to other sites do not constitute an endorsement from Mesa Water.  These links are provided as an information service only.  It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from other sites.  Mesa Water’s website contains links to other related websites and resources.  Since Mesa Water and its Websites are not responsible for the availability of these outside resources or their contents, the user should direct any concerns regarding any external link to its site administrator or webmaster.

Surveys

From time to time, Mesa Water may request that you complete an online survey. Completion of any such online survey is at all times voluntary and not required to continue to use the Mesa Water website. If you choose to provide information to help us better serve our users’ needs or conduct research, you acknowledge that information provided through that survey may be shared with external third parties in ways to further the purpose of the survey, but which do not compromise user privacy.

Children                                      

No portion of Mesa Water’s website requiring the collection of personal information is geared toward children (i.e., persons under the age of 18).  Accordingly, Mesa Water will never request personal information from minors and Mesa Water requires that any user under the age of 18 refrain from submitting personal information.  In the unlikely event that Mesa Water requests the information of minors, Mesa Water will always require prior parental consent.  Mesa Water is not responsible for the use of its website by any minor.  Mesa Water is not responsible or liable for any unsolicited information (personal or otherwise) provided to Mesa Water by a person under the age of 18.

Contacting Mesa Water about this Website or Privacy Policy

If a user finds any errors or omission on this website, it may contact Mesa Water at:

 

Mesa Water District
1965 Placentia Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA  92627
(949) 631-1200

Email: info@mesawater.org

Changes

This Policy may be periodically revised at any time.  Mesa Water will post any Policy changes on this website.  Mesa Water and/or its respective units and programs may make improvements and/or changes in the information and/or programs described herein and in Mesa Water’s website at any time.  By using Mesa Water’s website and services, you consent to the application, terms and conditions of this Policy as it exists at the time of use.

Disclaimer of Duty to Continue Provision of Data

Due to the dynamic nature of the internet, resources that are free and publicly available may, at some point in the future, require a fee or have access restricted, and the location of items may change as menus, pages and files are reorganized.