NGWA online privacy statement
Overview
NGWA respects the privacy of its members and other visitors to its Web site. In summary, NGWA does not collect any information through the Web site without the knowledge and consent of the user. In addition, all personal information collected through the site is provided on a voluntary basis by the user through a visible means of data entry. As part of this privacy pledge, the following provides a more detailed explanation of how the information provided to us is used and displayed on www.ngwa.org.
Information collection and use
NGWA is the sole owner of information collected on www.ngwa.org. NGWA uses the information to offer special services, to facilitate the flow of information between NGWA and its users, to support and improve the Association’s programming, and to help keep the Association’s database systems current. All personal information collected on www.ngwa.org is provided voluntarily via the submission of the various applications, surveys, forms, and other online services located throughout the site.
Usage tracking
Our site, www.ngwa.org, analyzes its Web server logs to track the site’s usage patterns and gauge its performance. Although the server automatically tracks the visitor’s domain name to determine the site’s overall number of visitors, no attempt is made to correlate that information with individual users.
NGWA releases limited aggregate site data for marketing and informational purposes. In addition to distributing general site statistics, this includes providing the number of views and clicks on particular pages or advertisements to sponsors and advertisers.
Additionally, some HTML e-mail communications are designed to track page views and clicks in order to gauge their performance and determine response rates. This data appears only in aggregate form and no personally identifiable information is collected.
Legal disclaimer
Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order, or legal process served on our site.
Logging in and personalization
In order to gain access to certain features on the site, users log in. NGWA members will be required to submit a username and password. However, users who are not members of NGWA may also be required to create a username and password to access parts of the site. To do so, nonmembers will be required to create a user account and provide additional personal information, such as name, contact information, and address information, to create a database record for the individual. User information is stored in NGWA's database system, though passwords are always encrypted. No one but the user has access to his/her individual password information.
NGWA recommends that users log out of the site at the end of each session if they have any concerns about privacy, or are using a computer in a public place such as a library or Internet café.
In addition, to optimize the site for NGWA’s users, certain areas of the site are personalized upon log-in. The information used to provide this personalized content is based on the data contained in the user’s individual NGWA record. To review or update any of this information, please contact NGWA at 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791) or use the My NGWA link on www.ngwa.org.
Disclosures to third parties
Membership directory
NGWA makes member contact information available to other members through the online membership directory. If they wish, members may opt out of appearing in both the online and print directories by contacting NGWA at 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791).
Discussion forums and chat rooms
Registered NGWA members may have access to several online discussion forums and chat rooms. It should be kept in mind that any personal information disclosed in these areas can be collected and used by others. At the same time, members may also receive unsolicited messages from other parties as a result of participation in these areas.
Task groups, committees, and other working groups
Contact information may also be made available on www.ngwa.org for members of the NGWA Board of Directors, NGWA committees, task groups, and other groups associated with NGWA, particularly in cases where the group encourages input from the greater ground water industry. In addition, NGWA creates listservers for many of these groups to facilitate communication among their members.
List services
For its industry clients, NGWA offers several paid list services. Through these services, clients may obtain mailing information for individuals and facilities in NGWA’s database that match a requested demographic set (such as facility type, number of holes, region, title, etc.). This contact information may include an individual’s name, title, facility name, and preferred mailing address, and is intended for the purposes of creating a mailing list or maintaining a customer database. However, e-mail addresses are NOT provided with this service.
Online ordering
Our site, www.ngwa.org, houses several areas in which NGWA products and services may be purchased. All NGWA Internet transactions are handled through a secure server, and credit card information is never transferred via confirmation e-mails. Though it cannot guarantee the security of any third-party site, NGWA, as a practice, works to ensure that any external site used for ordering NGWA products and services adheres to the appropriate standards for security and privacy.
Use of cookies
NGWA uses several cookies to enhance the online experience for its registered users. Cookies are files that contain information created by a Web server that can be stored on the user's hard disk either during a particular session (a "per-session" cookie) or for routine use (a "persistent" cookie).
Per-session cookies are used to validate a user’s access to the site and to save the user’s shopping cart in selected areas of the site. Users who have concerns about storing cookies on their computers should instruct their browsers to accept only per-session cookies, but will need to log in to the site each time they visit. At the same time, users who choose not to accept cookies may not be able to experience all areas of the site.
Use of e-mail addresses
Because NGWA is a professional membership organization, NGWA will use the e-mail addresses provided to it to notify constituents of special announcements, new online services, or other products and services offered by the Association. NGWA also regularly distributes several e-mail newsletters to its constituents. NGWA is sensitive to the concerns of its users and works to segment its distribution lists so that only recipients who would benefit from the communication are included on the list.
Users may opt out of receiving these communications by contacting NGWA at 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791), or following the unsubscribe instructions and link at the bottom of the particular communication.
NGWA does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the e-mail addresses collected to any outside organization.
Links to third-party sites
Our site, www.ngwa.org, contains links to other Web sites. NGWA has no control over, and is not responsible for, the privacy policies or content of these other sites.
Comments and concerns
NGWA recognizes the importance of privacy to its users. If you have any concerns about how your information may be used, please contact NGWA at 800 551.7379 (614 898.7791) or by sending an e-mail to customerservice@ngwa.org.
NGWA's physical address is: NGWA, 601 Dempsey Road, Westerville, OH 43081, USA.
The foregoing policies are effective as of January 1, 2007. NGWA reserves the right to change this statement at any time to reflect changes in its policies and procedures. This statement and the policies outlined herein are not intended and do not create any contractual or other legal rights in or on behalf of any party.