He tautoko whakaarotau
Priority assistance
An extra layer of support for those who need it.
What is priority assistance?
Priority assistance is all about empowering everyone to access to all our services, with ease.
If you or a loved one is sight or hearing impaired, has health or medical issues, or requires a translator, we can offer free, practical support. Whether it’s letting you know when water is off, to making sure you have access to water, or checking your meter on your behalf – we offer a raft of extra care options.
We also recognise that some customers might always require access to water, depending on their household or business. So, it’s important that we know about these situations.
How do I register for this service?
How do I register for this service?
Before you apply, please read about what we can offer you or your loved one below.
Visually impaired - You can choose to have our team do a free meter check on your behalf.
- Nominate a friend or family member to self-read your meter monthly.
- You can nominate a friend or relative to receive your bills on your behalf. We’ll set them up as your ‘nominee’ so they can help manage your account.
- Once you sign up to receive your bills via email, we have enhanced the body of our emailed invoices to work with the text reader. This will include your balance, due date, meter reading and whether your current bill has been generated from an actual or estimated reading. We will let you know how your daily usage compares to an average Auckland household.
- Choose to be notified of water outages in your area, and you can also select to have bottled water delivered to your home free of charge during outages. That way, you're never without water.
- You can choose to have our team do a free meter check on your behalf.
- Nominate a friend or family member to self-read your meter monthly.
- You can nominate a friend or relative to receive your bills on your behalf. We’ll set them up as your ‘nominee’ so they can help manage your account.
- Once you sign up to receive your bills via email, we have enhanced the body of our emailed invoices to work with the text reader. This will include your balance, due date, meter reading and whether your current bill has been generated from an actual or estimated reading. We will let you know how your daily usage compares to an average Auckland household.
- Choose to be notified of water outages in your area, and you can also select to have bottled water delivered to your home free of charge during outages. That way, you're never without water.
Non-English speakers Good news - you don't need to register for ‘priority assistance’ to access our translation service. Just contact us by phone or LiveChat and let us know you require a translator. A friend or family member can also contact us on your behalf.
We can offer language support in te reo Māori, Hindi and Mandarin.
If our team can’t help today, your call will be transferred to ‘Ezy Speak’ where an interpreter can talk to you straight away or arrange a call back. Launch live chat.
Good news - you don't need to register for ‘priority assistance’ to access our translation service. Just contact us by phone or LiveChat and let us know you require a translator. A friend or family member can also contact us on your behalf.
We can offer language support in te reo Māori, Hindi and Mandarin.
If our team can’t help today, your call will be transferred to ‘Ezy Speak’ where an interpreter can talk to you straight away or arrange a call back. Launch live chat.
Long-term health issues, restricted mobility or disability - You can choose to be notified of water outages in your area and have bottled water delivered to your home free of charge during outages. That way, you're never without water.
- You can choose to have our team check your water meter if you are concerned.
- We can set up a friend or family member as an alternate contact on your account.
- You can choose to be notified of water outages in your area and have bottled water delivered to your home free of charge during outages. That way, you're never without water.
- You can choose to have our team check your water meter if you are concerned.
- We can set up a friend or family member as an alternate contact on your account.
Difficulty hearing, deaf or speech impairments?
You can nominate a friend or family member to receive your bills on your behalf. We’ll set them up as your ‘nominee’ so they can help manage your account.
Our website chat function gives you direct access to our billing and faults teams. You can chat with them online about your account or any water outages in your community.
The Relay Assistant service allows an operator to act as a bridge between you and our team when communicating over the phone. Customers type their queries on a home terminal and the Relay Assistant will relay those queries to our team. The system gives you or your loved one the ability to communicate with our team over the phone.
You can choose to be notified of water outages in your area, and you can also select to have bottled water delivered to your home free of charge during outages. That way, you're never without water.
Does your building require water at all times?
Water outages or emergency repairs in your area can happen when you least expect it. We understand that for some customers it's essential to always have water.
If your building provides support to more than 10 vulnerable children or community members we can ensure an alternate water supply is always available.
Register below to let us know the reasons why you always require water.
We could help with:
- You can choose to be notified of water outages in your area and have bottled water delivered to your building free of charge during outages.
- When a water outage is expected to last for more than four hours, we will support you by providing an alternate water source.
- We can set up alternate contacts on your account to liaise with the right people.
Register for priority assistance
If you think you could qualify, please register using our application form.
How will I know if my application has been approved?Our team will contact you using your preferred contact method.
Our team will contact you using your preferred contact method.
How long does the approval process take?Our dedicated team aim to have your application processed within 10 working days.
Our dedicated team aim to have your application processed within 10 working days.
For how long is the priority assistance service available?Until you advise us that you no longer require the service, or your circumstances change.
Until you advise us that you no longer require the service, or your circumstances change.
What if I can’t complete the online application, can someone do this for me?Yes, you can nominate a person you trust to fill out the form on your behalf.
Yes, you can nominate a person you trust to fill out the form on your behalf.
Can I nominate someone to help with my account?Yes, you can authorise a trusted friend, caregiver or family member to speak with us about your account.
Yes, you can authorise a trusted friend, caregiver or family member to speak with us about your account.