Introduction
This checklist is for water districts planning to improve, redesign, or modernize their public website.
A modern website can help customers find advisories, office information, service forms, contact details, requirements, announcements, and basic customer service guidance without needing to visit or call the office for every inquiry.
The checklist is designed for planning-stage use. It can help management, customer service staff, IT personnel, consultants, and website vendors discuss the basic information and features that should be prepared before implementation.
When to Use This Resource
Use this checklist when a water district is:
- Planning a new official website
- Updating an outdated website
- Improving public advisories and customer service information
- Preparing online forms or downloadable requirements
- Reviewing website security, hosting, and backups
- Planning future online billing, customer portal, or system integration
- Preparing a scope of work for a website vendor or internal IT team
Template or Guide Body
# Water District Website Modernization Checklist
## 1. Public Information
Basic public information should be easy to find.
Checklist:
- [ ] Official water district name is clearly displayed.
- [ ] Office address is complete and updated.
- [ ] Office hours are posted.
- [ ] Contact numbers are posted.
- [ ] Official email address is posted.
- [ ] Service area or coverage area is described.
- [ ] Board, management, or key office information is included if approved for publication.
- [ ] Citizen's charter or service standards are linked or available where applicable.
- [ ] Privacy notice or privacy policy is available if forms collect personal information.
Notes:
[Add notes on missing or outdated public information.]
## 2. Customer Service Information
Customers should be able to understand common services and requirements.
Checklist:
- [ ] New service connection requirements are listed.
- [ ] Reconnection requirements are listed.
- [ ] Disconnection or voluntary closure process is explained.
- [ ] Change of account name or ownership process is explained.
- [ ] Complaint or service request process is explained.
- [ ] Payment channels are listed.
- [ ] Emergency contact or hotline details are posted, if available.
- [ ] Frequently asked questions are included.
Notes:
[Add notes on customer service content.]
## 3. Public Advisories
The website should support timely advisories for customers.
Checklist:
- [ ] Water interruption advisories can be posted.
- [ ] Maintenance schedule advisories can be posted.
- [ ] Billing and payment advisories can be posted.
- [ ] Office closure or holiday schedule advisories can be posted.
- [ ] Emergency advisories can be posted.
- [ ] Advisories include date, affected area, reason, expected duration, and contact details.
- [ ] Old advisories can be archived for reference.
Suggested advisory fields:
- Advisory title
- Date posted
- Affected area
- Reason for advisory
- Expected schedule or duration
- Customer instructions
- Contact details
## 4. Forms and Downloads
Forms and requirements should be organized and easy to download.
Checklist:
- [ ] Application forms are available where approved.
- [ ] Service request forms are available where approved.
- [ ] Customer complaint forms are available where approved.
- [ ] Requirements are listed clearly.
- [ ] Downloadable files are named clearly.
- [ ] Forms are reviewed before publication.
- [ ] Forms include version date or last reviewed date where practical.
Recommended file naming:text
new-service-connection-form-v1-2026.pdf
customer-service-request-form-v1-2026.pdf
water-district-requirements-new-connection-2026.pdf
## 5. Accessibility and Mobile Responsiveness
The website should be usable by customers on phones and common devices.
Checklist:
- [ ] Website works on mobile phones.
- [ ] Text is readable on small screens.
- [ ] Buttons and links are easy to tap.
- [ ] Contact information is easy to find.
- [ ] Forms and downloads are accessible on mobile.
- [ ] Images have helpful alternative text where practical.
- [ ] Color contrast is readable.
- [ ] Pages load within a reasonable time.
## 6. Security
Basic website security should be planned from the start.
Checklist:
- [ ] Website uses HTTPS.
- [ ] Admin accounts use strong passwords.
- [ ] Admin access is limited to authorized personnel.
- [ ] Website software, plugins, and themes are updated.
- [ ] Unnecessary plugins are avoided.
- [ ] Contact forms include spam protection.
- [ ] File uploads, if any, are restricted and reviewed.
- [ ] Personal data is not exposed publicly.
- [ ] Privacy and data collection practices are reviewed before online forms are launched.
## 7. Hosting and Backups
Hosting should be reliable and maintainable.
Checklist:
- [ ] Hosting provider is identified.
- [ ] Domain and DNS ownership are documented.
- [ ] SSL certificate setup is documented.
- [ ] Backup schedule is defined.
- [ ] Restore process is known.
- [ ] Website administrator contact is documented.
- [ ] Renewal dates for domain, hosting, and SSL are tracked.
- [ ] Emergency technical contact is identified.
## 8. Compliance Reminders
The website should support transparency and service information while respecting privacy and approval procedures.
Checklist:
- [ ] Public-facing content is reviewed before publication.
- [ ] Personal information is not posted without proper authority.
- [ ] Forms collecting personal data include privacy notice where appropriate.
- [ ] Official documents are published only after approval.
- [ ] Service standards and requirements are reviewed by the appropriate office.
- [ ] Public advisories are checked for accuracy before posting.
## 9. Future System Integration
Future features should be planned carefully before implementation.
Possible future integrations:
- Online billing inquiry
- Payment channel links
- Customer portal
- Service request tracking
- SMS or email notifications
- Billing system integration
- Customer database integration
- Dashboard or reporting tools
Planning reminders:
- [ ] Identify whether integration will use an existing billing or customer system.
- [ ] Confirm who owns and maintains the customer data.
- [ ] Review privacy, security, and access control requirements.
- [ ] Confirm whether a third-party provider is involved.
- [ ] Define support responsibilities between the water district, vendor, and third-party system.
- [ ] Test integrations in a safe environment before public use.
Online billing or customer portal integration should be planned carefully. It may involve third-party systems, data privacy requirements, payment provider requirements, cybersecurity review, and coordination with the existing billing or customer information system.
## 10. Launch Readiness
Before launch, confirm:
- [ ] Key pages are complete.
- [ ] Contact details are correct.
- [ ] Advisories section is tested.
- [ ] Forms and downloads work.
- [ ] Mobile view is tested.
- [ ] HTTPS is active.
- [ ] Backup is configured.
- [ ] Admin users are confirmed.
- [ ] Sitemap is available.
- [ ] Analytics or search tracking is planned, if applicable.
- [ ] Content review and posting responsibility is assigned.Notes for Customization
Adjust the checklist based on the size of the water district, staffing capacity, current website condition, hosting arrangement, and customer service priorities.
For small water districts, start with the basics: accurate contact information, advisories, requirements, downloadable forms, mobile responsiveness, and secure hosting.
More advanced features such as customer portals, online billing, and system integrations should be planned as separate projects with proper technical, privacy, security, and operational review.
Disclaimer
This checklist is provided for general planning and drafting assistance only. It is not official technical, cybersecurity, data privacy, procurement, or compliance advice. Users should review and adapt it according to their office policies, applicable requirements, system environment, and approval procedures.
Related Resources
- Office Digitalization Starter Guide
- Google Workspace Folder Structure for Small Offices
- Water System Project Proposal Template
- Public Advisory Template for Water Service Interruptions
- Customer Service Request Form Template