Customer Services Charter for Developers

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1 Customer Services Charter for Developers July 2015 Foreword Gavan O Neill, General Manager for Service Delivery (Waterways & Land) I am pleased to endorse this Customer Services Charter from Melbourne Water s Waterways and Land group. With the population of the region likely to increase by more than 3 million people by , it is important the region remains vibrant and livable. It is also critical that Melbourne Water and developers work together to deliver high quality infrastructure. Without strong partnerships and an appetite for exploring new and innovative approaches, Melbourne will face further pressures on water resources and environmental flows to meet urban demands for water. Updates and reports will be made available on our website every quarter to demonstrate that we are delivering on our assurances. This Charter 2 sets out: How Melbourne Water supports development in our operating region What you, as developers, can expect when you deal with us Our collaborative approach to establishing new guidelines and technical material The timeframes for responding to service requests (appendix A). 1 Plan Melbourne: Metropolitan Planning Strategy (May 2014) 2 This Charter and appendices will not replace any existing agreements and associated reporting obligations currently in place, except where there is clear agreement by both parties to do so. The Charter was developed in consultation with key representatives from the development industry and will be reviewed every two years, as a minimum.

2 About development at Melbourne Water Melbourne Water s vision is to improve the quality of life and prosperity in the region by providing safe, secure and reliable water services, desirable urban spaces and thriving natural environments supported by healthy waterways and bays. In relation to regional drainage, floodplain and waterway management, we: Ensure that adequate drainage and flood protection standards for development are achieved Ensure that the bed and banks of waterways are protected and enhanced Are a referral authority under the Planning and Environment Act 198 with the ability to specify conditions pertaining to the use or development of a property Ensure that Development Services Schemes are prepared to plan the infrastructure required to ensure new urban development meets appropriate standards for flood protection, water quality, waterway health and amenity. Ensure that infrastructure requirements are costed and used to establish contributions under the Water Act What you can expect when you deal with us We commit to: Providing you with prompt, professional and quality advice Making consistent decisions Communicating decisions clearly and setting out conditions that are easy to understand Providing you with guidance to help inform your decisions Keeping you informed on the progress of matters at regular intervals Monitoring our performance in the services we provide you, seeking feedback and striving to improve Making every effort to compensate you for reimbursable works in a timely manner. Please note, timeframes are currently subject to the rate of development and the available capital funding in each financial year. We will contact you to discuss Works Offers that are likely to refer to extended reimbursement timeframes. Response timeframes We aim to respond to you in a timely manner. For general enquiries, the following timeframes apply: Response types Time (Business days) Telephone messages 1 correspondence acknowledgement of receipt 2 Updates on progress/investigation 3, or as mutually agreed Some matters are governed by statutory response timeframes and we will strive to meet these in all cases. More complex requests or investigations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. We will contact you within the specified timeframes to discuss our proposed approach for providing you with a response.

3 Meeting with Melbourne Water Staff members are available for meetings on request. Please contact the relevant team to schedule an appointment during business hours. We will nominate a date and time to address standard matters, no more than two weeks from the receipt of the meeting request. For complex matters, we will nominate a date and time, no more than four weeks from the receipt of the meeting request. To ensure you receive the best possible advice, please provide the following in advance of the meeting: A description of the matter you wish to discuss A proposed agenda Plans, reports and any material relevant to the matter. Optimal service To ensure optimal service, we ask that you: Provide us information and drawings that are accurate and complete Take the time to visit our website, review our guidance material and understand your obligations Provide us with constructive and professional feedback on our service Contact us immediately if you believe we have made an error. Guidelines, engagement and feedback We are committed to publishing new guidelines and making improvements to our informational material in the interests of better informing your decision-making. When developing new guidelines we will: Engage with nominated representatives of the development industry Seek input on draft guidelines from broader representatives of the development industry Seek input on issues and use peak bodies to frame our response Make final guidelines easily accessible and simplify their use with examples and templates Review existing informational material on a regular basis with the aim to provide greater clarity to the Industry Aim to allow for a consultation period of no less than days when preparing new guidelines. Timelines will vary in circumstances where the impact is immaterial or where the guidelines raise complex or new policy issues. In these instances, we will consult relevant representatives of the development industry. We are committed to being receptive to feedback, considering alternative approaches and being transparent about respective risks and drivers.

4 Complaints and disputes We are committed to promptly responding to: Verbal complaints within two working days Written complaints within 10 working days. If your complaint cannot be resolved in the above timeframes, we will ensure you are informed of the progress by providing you with: The name of the person responsible for responding to the complaint The estimated length of time in which you can expect to receive a response. If you are not satisfied with the reply, you also have the right to: Request a review of the matter by providing details of your dissatisfaction. In this instance, we will appoint an alternative case manager to review the matter and provide you with a fresh response Seek external resolution by contacting the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria. Free call

5 Appendix A Please visit for support in making the requests outlined below: Services Description No. Sub Services Timeframes (calendar days) 1 Build overs 2 Stormwater connections Applications & Approvals - for development impacting existing assets * P: Melbourne Water s consent is required for any structures built over, or, near any of our underground assets or easements. Assets include pipes, drains and water mains 3 Utilities installations 4 Shared pathway agreements 5 Fencing 6 Right of way requests Maintenance of existing levees Jetty build/ construction Pre-development advice and specifications (feasibility) Provision of scheme plans 3 VicSmart assessments Land Development P: Melbourne Water is a referral authority for permit applications lodged with council. They are referred to Melbourne Water if the development is likely to impact waterways, drainage and floodplains. Once referred, we will assess the applications and provide advice in relation to its suitability. Included as part of this is administration of drainage schemes 4 Planning permits to Local Council 6 Certification of plan 6a Design certification functional design comments and acceptance Offer of conditions (works) Offer of conditions (non-works) Stormwater quality offsets Compliance statements (non-works) Flood levels 14

6 1 Inspection after request 14 2 Practical completion 14 Capital Works Assessments P: Melbourne Water has responsibilities to oversee the construction process once the scheme design is complete. Our role ensures the assets are transitioned to Melbourne Water and any necessary maintenance requirements are in place 3 4 Detailed design comments and acceptance Endorsement of maintenance agreement once content has been agreed to by MW and Local Council Calculation of reimbursements 14 * Some additional fees and charges may apply, including bonds and inspection costs.