Effective Date: 02/25/2025
Last Revision Date: 02/25/2025
1. Introduction
Rivanna Solid Waste Authority (“RSWA”) and Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (“RWSA”) (collectively, the “Rivanna Authorities,” “us”, “our,” or “we”) respects your privacy and explains how we collect, use, maintain, disclose, and protect your information in this privacy policy (the “Privacy Policy”).
This Privacy Policy applies only to information we collect through our websites at rivanna.org, rivannawater.org, and rivannasolidwaste.org (each a “Website” and, collectively, the “Websites”) and in email and other electronic communications sent through or in connection with the Websites on which it is posted. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information that we collect from any other source, including any third-party websites you may access through our Websites. These third-party websites may have their own privacy policies, which you should read before providing information on or through them.
Please review this Privacy Policy carefully and do not access or use the Websites if you do not agree to this Privacy Policy. By continuing to access and use the Websites, you agree to this Privacy Policy, which we may update from time to time. The date the Privacy Policy was made effective and last updated is identified above. Your continued use of the Websites after we revise this Privacy Policy means you accept any changes or updates, so please check this webpage periodically for updates, as they are binding upon you.
The Websites and all content on our Websites are provided as-is, as further described in our Websites’ Terms and Conditions, available at rivanna.org/terms-and-conditions.
2. How Do We Collect Information?
When you access or use the Websites, we may collect information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person (“personal information”).
When you access or use the Websites, you may provide certain information that identifies you, which includes:
- Information that you voluntarily provide, such as when you email us or fill out a form on the Websites, and/or request or subscribe to certain services we may offer through the Websites, such as: your first and last name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, birth date, or other identifiers by which you may be identified or contacted.
- Professional or employment-related information if you apply for a job with us.
- Records and copies of your communications with us, including your emails.
- To provide feedback to us or to complete surveys (as described in more detail below).
If you participate in a survey, send an email, fill out a feedback form, or subscribe to a newsletter or RSS feed while using our Websites, we may collect the following specific information:
- Surveys: Any information you volunteered in response to a survey including any personal identification/contact information provided.
- Email correspondence: The email address, contents of the e-mail and any personal identification/contact information you provide.
- Feedback Forms: All comments you have provided and any personal identification/contact information you have also provided.
- Newsletter/RSS feed: email (required), first name and last name (optional), and time stamp.
When you access and use the Websites, we may also use cookies, pixels, or similar technologies to automatically collect details about: (1) your access to and use of the Websites; (2) your device and internet connection, including your device’s unique device identifier, operating system, and browser type; and (3) information about the location of your device.
- Cookies: A cookie is a small text file created by a web server and stored on your computer hard drive. Cookies save unique information that the web server can access while you are browsing the Websites. Typically, cookies save information such as your preferences, the date you last looked at a specific page, or a random number used to identify your particular web session. Cookies help us measure how many visitors come to our Websites and how many of these visitors are new or returning.
Cookies placed on your computer by our web management tools are written so they can only be used by our web tools, and they only retrieve specific information. We do not gather information from you, from other cookie files, or access any other information on your computer. Most web browsers allow you to deny or accept the cookie feature (refer to your browser’s help function for details). However, setting a browser to reject cookies may, in certain instances, prevent you from taking full advantage of certain features of the Websites. - Google Analytics: We and/or our vendors may also use a tool called “Google Analytics” to collect information about your use of the Websites. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the Websites, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other websites they used prior to coming to the Websites. We use the information received from Google Analytics to improve the Websites, which does not include personal information that identifies you (rather, Google Analytics collects only the IP addresses, and we do not combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with personal information). We recommend that you review the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy.
3. Children and Minors
The Websites do not target and are not intended for minors as defined under applicable law. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors and only collect information regarding minors when submitted by a parent or guardian. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. Please contact us at info@rivanna.org if you believe we may have the information of a child.
4. How Do We Use Information?
We may use personal information that we collect about you or that you provide to us to:
- Provide the Websites and any other information, products, or services that you request from us.
- To process transactions.
- To communicate with you, including when you have requested or subscribed to certain services from us, such as our newsletter.
- To notify you in case of an emergency. In the event of a water outage or other emergency, citizens will need to be notified.
- To personalize your experience and respond to your individual needs.
- To improve and support our customer service.
- Fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it.
- Carry out our obligations and enforce our rights.
- Collect and process applications for employment.
- To understand usage patterns and issues with the Websites and to improve them.
5. How Do We Share/Disclose Information?
We may disclose personal information that we collect or that you provide:
- To our subsidiaries and affiliates.
- To contractors, service providers, and other third parties we use to support our business and Websites, so long as such third parties agree to keep such information confidential.
- To a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets.
To fulfill the purpose for which you provide it and/or for any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information. - With your consent.
- For legal purposes, including to investigate fraudulent use or other misuse of the Websites, and to comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request (including Freedom of Information Act requests).
- If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of us or others.
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. We currently do not use or share personal information for targeted advertising as that term is defined under applicable laws.
6. Third Party Websites & Links
Any links to other websites are provided as a convenience to users of the Websites. When you link to another website, you will no longer be on our Websites and, you are subject to the privacy policy of the linked website.
We do not warrant the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published on, and do not endorse any content, viewpoint, product, or service of, any third parties’ websites. Rivanna Authorities, its officers, employees, and agents are not liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of information on a linked website, and any person that relies on any information obtained from a linked website does so at his or her own risk.
7. How Do We Retain & Secure Information?
We retain personal information for legitimate business purposes and to meet legal and regulatory requirements and in accordance with our retention policy.
Rivanna Authorities takes reasonable precautions to maintain the security, confidentiality, and integrity of the personal information it collects through the Websites, including, but not limited to, authentication, monitoring, and auditing. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day practices of the Websites. However, this is no guarantee of confidentiality. If you are communicating sensitive information, consider sending it in by postal mail or contacting us by phone.
8. What Are My Choices?
We provide you with the following choices regarding your personal information that we collect or that you provide to us in connection with the Services:
Opting Out of Certain Uses of Your Personal Information
As mentioned above, you can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you disable or refuse certain cookies, some parts of the Websites may then be inaccessible or not function properly.
Accessing, Correcting, & Deleting Your Personal Information
You may also contact us at info@rivanna.org to request to access, correct, or delete any personal information that you have provided to us, subject to certain conditions and exceptions. If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when submitted, you may contact us. In all cases, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing any requests.
Other Rights
You may also request a copy of the personal information that we have collected from you and/or request that we transfer your personal information to you or another organization, under certain conditions. We will not discriminate against you if you exercise any rights under this Privacy Policy.
Any personal information provided on or through the Websites is stored and processed in the United States. If you access the Websites from a location outside of the United States, please be aware that the laws in the United States may not offer the same degree of privacy protection as the laws in your jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal information about individuals residing in the European Union.
9. Contact Us
To ask questions or comment about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
- By Mail at: 695 Moores Creek Lane Charlottesville, VA 22902
- By Phone at: 434-977-2970
- By Email at: info@rivanna.org