Customer Assessment Panel 2026
Each year, the Panel rates Westernport Water’s performance and provides commentary, published in the Annual Watermark sent to all customers.
About the Customer Assessment Panel
Our commitment to customers
As part of our promise to customers, we committed to delivering the outcomes and performance that customers sought as part of the 2023 Price Review process for the 2023-28 period.
We report back to customers through our Annual Watermark information brochure, which will include a customer-led performance assessment on how we performed against the following customer outcomes:
- Provide me with high-quality drinking water
- Keep my essential services affordable
- Resolve sewer blockages quickly
- Keep water interruptions to a minimum
- Reduce your environmental impact and adapt to climate change
- Be there when I need you.
Customer Assessment Panel membership
The Panel will comprise of 16 members and consist of diverse representatives from the community, ensuring a wide range of perspectives.
Members may include:
- residential customers
- permanent and non-permanent customers
- business and commercial customers.
Customer Assessment Panel Selection
The selection process aims to create a Panel that reflects the broader customer base and can provide valuable insights into various perspectives.
Panel members will be selected by a panel of Westernport Water employees who will consider each applicant’s qualities and attributes to ensure a diverse and representative group.
Some of the key criteria considerations include:
- Customer type
- Demographic diversity
- Communications skills
- Availability and Commitment
- Community involvement
- Awareness and understanding of the CAP’s purpose.
Q&A
Why do you need an Assessment Panel?
We value the insights and perspectives of our customers. Your experiences and opinions matter to us, and we are committed to creating ways for you to participate in shaping the future services.
We committed to establishing a customer panel to review our performance and provide commentary on our performance annually against a new set of outcome commitments.
What’s the main purpose of the Panel?
The primary objective of the Customer Assessment Panel is to:
- foster open communication between Westernport Water and its customers
- provide commentary on Westernport Water’s performance against the Outcomes Framework during 2025-26
- enhance transparency and accountability in delivering on commitments to customers.
What does the Customer Assessment Panel do?
The Panel will be empowered to rate Westernport Water’s performance during 2025-26 and to provide commentary on that performance to accompany the Annual Watermark brochure sent to all customers.
Customer assessments of our performance will ensure that customer voices contribute directly to the evaluation and enhancement of our services.
The role of the Customer Assessment Panel is to assess and provide honest feedback to Westernport Water by:
- reviewing its performance against Price Submission customer outcomes
- rating its performance against a set of key metrics reported to customers each year in the Annual Watermark
- recommending amendments or changes to the outputs and/or output targets for consideration.
What’s the time requirement for Panel members?
The Panel are required to:
- watch a pre-recorded 1-hour orientation webinar at a time of their choosing, (optional for returning panel members)
- participate in a 3-hour on-line feedback session via Microsoft Teams in July. Date will be confirmed once panel members are confirmed.
What’s the responsibility of the Customer Assessment Panel?
- Attend one scheduled meeting in July to discuss Westernport Water’s performance.
- Review and provide feedback on performance against customer commitments.
- Disclose relevant interests and take reasonable steps to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
- Protect and preserve the confidentiality of any information provided or discussed at meetings explicitly identified as commercial-in-confidence or confidential.
- Abide by Westernport Water’s Customer Engagement Code of Conduct, which includes an obligation to treat members of the Panel and Westernport Water staff respectfully and courteously.
Will Customer Assessment Panel Members be remunerated for their time and expenses?
Customer Assessment Panel members will be renumerated for their attendance and active participation with a $250 sitting fee to be paid as a bill credit.
To qualify for remuneration, Panel members must watch the orientation webinar (optional for returning panel members) and attend the 3-hour on-line feedback session in July.
Customer Assessment Panel – Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference (pdf. download) serves as a guide for members by defining roles and responsibilities and shared understanding of aims and expectations.
Customer Assessment Panel – Code of Conduct
This Code of Conduct outlines the expectations for the behaviour and ethical conduct of all members participating in the Panel to ensure a positive and constructive atmosphere. The Code of Conduct is the key tool to ensure that all members of the Panel act honestly and ethically, and that all members have a fair chance to be heard.
2024-25 Customer Assessment Panel – Assessment of our Performance
Annual Watermark
Take a look at our Annual Watermark brochure 2024-25 and learn about how we performed in the second year of our five-year plan (2023-28).
Page updated 29 August 2025