Privacy and Terms of Service

Effective 10/2024

1. Statement of Website Purpose.

In establishing and maintaining an official website, www.mwdoc.com, the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (“MWDOC”) sole and limited purpose is to provide relevant information to the public and to customers about or related to MWDOC’s programs, services and facilities, structure, organization, events, public meetings and other state law requirements, Board of Directors, activities, MWDOC initiatives, outreach and educational opportunities that the MWDOC undertakes as an agency and on behalf of its clients.

The MWDOC website is not intended to establish a forum or other means by which public discourse, exchange of opinions, or discussion on issues of any nature may occur.

The MWDOC website comprises all documents, databases, log files, web pages and other information residing on any MWDOC-owned or managed web server for any duration of time temporarily or permanently. This includes but is not limited to information stored in html, asp, word, pdf, or database storage formats.

The MWDOC is committed to protecting, to the best of its ability, the privacy of visitors to and users of its official website, and it is the policy of MWDOC to limit the collection of personal information resulting from visiting the MWDOC website. MWDOC’s information management practices conform to the requirements of the California Public Records Act (Government Code § 6250 et seq.) and all other applicable laws pertaining to information privacy. This Privacy Policy only applies to the www.mwdoc.com website as run by the MWDOC.

2. Definitions.

For purposes of the MWDOC official website, www.mwdoc.com, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed thereto:

“Electronically collected personal information” is information automatically collected by MWDOC when you visit the MWDOC’s website, including your domain name or Internet Protocol address, and statistical information about which web pages you visit. If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific information (i.e., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the website, sending an e-mail, or participating in a survey) more detailed data will be collected. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the MWDOC website.

“Personal information” is information about a natural person that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history, readily identifiable to that specific individual. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information; however, it is considered “electronically collected personal information.”

3. Privacy Policy.

MWDOC adheres to the following principles in connection with the collection and management of personal information:

  1. MWDOC collects personal information on individuals only as allowed by law, and limits the collection of personal information to what is relevant and necessary to accomplish its lawful purpose. For example, MWDOC may need to know an individual’s e-mail address or telephone number in order to answer the individual’s questions or in order to provide requested assistance.
  2. MWDOC does not collect home, business or e-mail addresses, or account information from persons who simply browse the www.mwdoc.com website. Personal information about individuals is collected through the MWDOC website only if an individual provides such information voluntarily through electronic mail, registration forms, surveys, or other similar interactive features of the MWDOC website. This information will be used to facilitate the MWDOC’s response to that person, improve the content or navigation of the MWDOC website or provide survey information to users.
  3. MWDOC uses Google Analytics to help improve the MWDOC website and Google tracking cookies may be used to provide information to Google Analytics. The MWDOC website may use Google Analytics to track website statistics. Google tracking code used by every website or application that employs Google Analytics, stores information that identifies device IP addresses, but our website is anonymizing that information and only part of device IP addresses are being used. Consequently, no information identifying of either you or your device is stored at Google via utilization of Google Analytics on the MWDOC website. You can find out more about Google Analytics anonymized IP addresses by clicking here.
  4. MWDOC’s use of your e-mail. You may choose to provide MWDOC with personal information, such as your e-mail with a comment or question. We use the information to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes we forward your e-mail to other public agencies that may be better able to help you. We use your e-mail to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to further improve our website, or to forward the e-mail to another agency for appropriate action. Submission of an email to MWDOC, MWDOC staff and/or communication through the MWDOC website does not create any attorney-client relationship or any other privileged or confidential relationship. Accordingly, do not disclose any information to MWDOC, via e-mail or other electronic means that you wish to remain private or confidential.
  5. MWDOC’s use of your phone number: You may choose to provide MWDOC with personal information, such as your phone number for communications regarding MWDOC programs. We use the information to complete the activity for which it was provided, such as responding to your request or to providing requested assistance. Phone numbers and opt-in consent will not be shared with third party providers or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.
  6. MWDOC uses personal information only as specified within this Privacy Policy, and consistent with the purposes described herein, unless MWDOC obtains the consent of the subject of the information, or as required or allowed by federal or state law. The California Public Records Act exists to ensure that the MWDOC remains open and transparent, and that the public’s right to access MWDOC public records is maintained. At the same time, the California Public Records Act includes enumerated exemptions that recognize the public’s right to access public records is not unlimited. These exemptions serve various needs, including when necessary to maintain the privacy of individuals. In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Policy and the California Public Records Act or any other law governing the disclosure of records, the applicable law will control.
  7. How MWDOC collects and uses your information. We do collect personal information directly from individuals who volunteer to use some of our services. Collection of this information is required to deliver the specific services, but use of these services is voluntary.
  8. If any type of personal information is requested by the MWDOC website or volunteered by its users, it is governed by applicable state and federal law, including the California Public Records Act and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law.
    The MWDOC reserves the right to revise this policy without prior notice when to doing is so deemed to be in the best interest of MWDOC.

4. Stored Information by MWDOC.

If you do nothing during your visit to the MWDOC website but browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

  1. A partial Internet Protocol address and domain name is collected, but not the e-mail address. The partial Internet Protocol address is used to direct Internet traffic to you without identifying you individually and generate statistics used in the management of this website;
  2. The type of browser and operating system you used;
  3. The city and zip code you used it from;
  4. The date and time you visited this website;
  5. The web pages or services you accessed at this website;
  6. The website you visited prior to coming to this website;
  7. The website you visit as you leave this website, and;
  8. If you downloaded a form, the form that was downloaded.

The information we automatically collect or store is used to improve the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. This information does not identify you personally and is used for gathering website statistics. The information we automatically collect and store in our logs about your visit helps us to analyze our website to continually improve the value of the materials available. Our website logs do not identify a visitor by personal information, and we make no attempt to link other websites with the individuals that browse the MWDOC website.

MWDOC may provide or distribute certain lists and statistical reports of regulatory information as provided by law, but no personal information is sold or distributed, and all relevant legal protections still apply to the website.

MWCOC will provide additional explanations of this privacy policy, if requested. If any individuals have any further questions about this privacy policy, they are encouraged to contact Dave Anderson via email danderson@mwdoc.com, by phone at (714) 593-5020, or by mail to:

Municipal Water District of Orange County
18700 Ward Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708