Privacy Policy

Purpose and Background

Thank you for visiting and using this Site, www.awwa.org, which is owned and operated by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), headquartered in Denver, Colo., U.S.A. This Privacy Policy details AWWA’s policies and practices intended to protect the privacy of its members, customers, and others who use this Site.

We are committed to respecting your privacy and recognizing your need for appropriate protection of your personal information, such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and interests that you voluntarily share with us online. The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to let you know what personal information we may collect from you when you visit this Site, how we use such information, and the choices you have regarding the use of, and your ability to review and correct, your personal information.

Your use of this Site constitutes your acceptance of this Privacy Policy and consent to the practices it describes. Using this Site also constitutes your agreement to the AWWA Web Site Terms of Use, described elsewhere. All content of this Site is copyrighted. For details, please see the AWWA Copyright Policy, described elsewhere. All of these documents are posted on this Site, accessible to all visitors by hypertext links on the Site  footer and elsewhere.

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all the terms of use and policies referenced above as they contain important notices and requirements that govern your use of this Site.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or have reason to believe AWWA has not adhered to it, please contact

AWWA Customer Service
6666 W. Quincy Ave.
Denver CO 80235

Telephone: 800.926.7337 (303.794.7711 if outside the U.S and Canada)
E-mail: custsvc@awwa.org

How We Collect Your Information

You can visit many of our Site pages anonymously, without providing any personal information. But when you visit our Site, we automatically collect and log certain nonpersonal electronic data, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and online activity data.

Use of cookies. We use “cookies” that are placed on your computer when you visit our Site, if you allow them to be so placed and do not delete them. These small text files include nonpersonal information used to automatically recognize and login repeat visitors to facilitate ongoing access and use of certain Site content and features. AWWA believes that this technology enhances online customer service and saves users from restating their preferences on each visit.

You may nevertheless adjust settings to your browser to prohibit our collection and use of cookies, although please note that this may delay the efficiency with which you may navigate through the Site in the future.

Site registration. If you choose to register with us to use certain features and functions of our Site, we ask you to provide certain personal information voluntarily. If you choose not to provide the information requested, you may be unable to access and use certain services and content on our Site.

AWWA restricts its collection of personal information to demographic characteristics which help it understand and better serve the interests and needs of its members, customers, and Site visitors, and to information used in authorized transactions.

Examples of circumstances under which AWWA may collect your personal information online include:

• Your requests for information about AWWA membership or in applications to serve on AWWA volunteer groups.
• Your inquiries regarding and registrantion to attend conference and educational events and requests for hotel reservations and exhibit space.
• Your purchases from the Bookstore and The Water Library.
• Your submittal of a response to AWWA's calls for papers or presenters at conferences and other events.
• Your submittal of an application and your resume to apply for job listings posted in the Career Center and your submittal of company and employment information if you wish to post a job listing in the Career Center.
• Your participationn in online discussion forums and blogs and submission of comments and inquiries using online forms, including the Contact Us form and surveys.

Children. AWWA does not intentionally or knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. AWWA neither identifies information as originating from children nor does AWWA target its marketing, communications, this Site or any goods or services to children.

How We Use Your Information

Personal Information Used Internally and for AWWA Marketing Purposes. We generally use your personal information for our own business and administrative purposes, such as, without limitation, responding to your questions or comments; identifying products, programs, and events that might interest you; tracking your membership and online purchases;and coordinating volunteer opportunities.

Name, address, fax, e-mail address, affiliations, job title, gender, age and other similar information is used by AWWA to understand its audiences and to offer member benefits and products to members, customers, and Site visitors who are likely to be interested in them.

Personal Information Used in the Rental of Mailing Lists. AWWA rents personal addresses collected from members and nonmembers. Prior to renting an address, the requesting renter must provide AWWA with their exact intended use of the address and a sample of the mailing piece. AWWA's decision on whether or not to rent an address is based on the educational nature of the mailing piece or whether it furthers AWWA's or its members overall interests or is consistent with AWWA's mission. AWWA does not rent telephone numbers, fax numbers or e-mail addresses.

Nonpersonal Information Used for AWWA Statistical Reports. Information we collect that does not identify you personally is used to monitor the use of and improve our Site, as well as for internal analysis. In particular, but without limitation, IP addresses are used to diagnose problems with the server on which this information is stored, analyze trends and statistics, administer our Site, track visitors’ movements, gather information to improve visitors’ online experience, and to facilitate their visit within the Site.

Information Collected by Third Parties

AWWA uses third parties to provide certain services for our Site, including administrative support for certain online activities such as, but without limitation, product purchases, payment processing, event registration, and reservations. In connection with providing these services, we may share your information with these third parties, and when appropriate, law enforcement authorities. In addition, these third parties may collect certain personal information such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and interests. Although we endeavor to select only reputable companies that share our commitment to user privacy, we are in no way responsible for the actions or policies of these third parties.

AWWA only shares your personal information with organizations that work on AWWA’s behalf. In certain instances we may also disclose your personal information when we have reason to believe that it is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against persons or entities who may be causing injury to you, us, or others.

Credit/Debit Card Account information. AWWA does not disclose credit or debit card information provided by members and customers. When members and customers choose to pay online using a credit or debit card, that information is processed directly through a third-party clearinghouse using appropriate security processes and data encryption. Member and customer credit and debit card information is not stored or maintained by AWWA.

Other Websites. Our Site contains links to third-party websites that are provided for your convenience. We do not endorse nor are we responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such sites.

Opting Out

AWWA recognizes that AWWA members and customers may wish to limit AWWA's use of personal information, and that this decision may occur after such information is provided to AWWA, via our Site or otherwise. To that end, this Site provides registered users the means to voluntarily opt-out of rented mailing lists and delivery of various AWWA communications by selecting preferences in their online account. You may also contact Customer Service to select opt-out preferences. You can also access and update your account information at any time if you are a registered user of this Site.

Opting out of such deliveries can deprive you from receiving or learning about benefits of membership or other association with AWWA.

Data Security

AWWA is concerned with its user’s data safety. As a result, AWWA utilizes SSL encryption for all commerce transactions to protect your personal information including name, address, and credit card. Additionally, systems are compliant with PCI regulations to further protect your information.

Site Security

To prevent unauthorized access to your personal information, we have put in place commercially reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial measures to safeguard and secure the information we collect through our Site. However, no data or information transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information and cannot be responsible for loss, corruption or unauthorized acquisition of information or data submitted to our Site, or for any resulting damages.

AWWA HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY GUARANTEE AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER. AWWA MAKES NO GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY REGARDING THE OPERATION OR PERFORMANCE OF ANY SECURITY MEASURE OR DEVICE INSTALLED ON ITS SITE OR USED IN PROCESSING ONLINE TRANSACTIONS OR THAT ALL DATA WILL REMAIN COMPLETE, ACCURATE, SECURE, OR INTACT. IF YOU BECOME AWARE OF A SECURITY BREACH OR THAT THE SECRECY OF YOUR ACCESS LOGINS HAVE BECOME COMPROMISED, PLEASE NOTIFY AWWA PROMPTLY BY CONTACTING AWWA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AWWA WILL ENDEAVOR TO CONTAIN THE ADVERSE IMPACT OF SUCH COMPROMISE. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU MAINTAIN BACKUP OF YOUR OWN DATA AND INFORMATION AS AWWA MAKES NO ASSURANCES AS TO THEIR ONGOING AVAILABILITY OF ACCURACY. THE FOREGOING STATES THE ENTIRE LIABILITY AND OBLIGATION OF AWWA WITH RESPECT TO DATA THEFT OR CORRUPTION.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

We will occasionally update this Privacy Policy. When we do, we will also revise the "last updated" date at the bottom of this Policy. Therefore, you should periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay abreast of our most current policies and practices. For material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by placing a prominent notice on the Site.

Last updated: April 15, 2009