Privacy Policy

Who we are

This website, https://cs4water.net, is operated for the CS4Water Conference 2027, which will be held at the Emeris Newlands Campus in Cape Town, South Africa, from 29 June to 1 July 2027.

The conference is co-organised by IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, GroundTruth, Emeris, Pulsaqua, Earthwatch Europe, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Citizen Science Association for Southern Africa (CSA_SA), and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) in partnership with the Government of Flanders.

PULSAQUA is the organisation responsible for personal information collected through the conference website and conference systems. Authorised members of the Conference Organising Committee may process that information where needed to organise and administer the conference.

PULSAQUA

Address: Linker Rottekade 292, 3034 CV Rotterdam, Netherlands

Business address: Groenendaal 33E, 3011 SL Rotterdam, Netherlands

KVK: 68374682

BTW: NL002242222B52

Email: info@cs4water.net

South African privacy contact

GroundTruth is the South African conference organiser responsible for coordinating compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and, where applicable, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA).

GroundTruth

Address: 9 Quarry Road, Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, 3245, South Africa

Company registration number: 2004/118210/23

Information Officer: P. Mark Graham

Email: info@cs4water.net

Information we collect

We collect information directly from you when you join the mailing list, contact us, register for the conference, submit or review an abstract, make a payment, or participate in the conference. We also collect limited technical information automatically when you use the website.

Mailing list. If you sign up for conference updates, we collect the details entered in the Microsoft Forms sign-up form, normally your name, email address, and organisation.

Correspondence. If you email us, we retain your message and contact details so that we can respond and manage the matter it concerns.

Registration and payments. Dryfta is used for conference registration and payments. Registration fees are received and administered by Emeris as the conference budget holder. The connected payment service processes payment details. We do not directly receive or store complete payment-card details.

Abstracts and reviews. Dryfta is also used for abstract submission, review, and programme administration. This may include author and reviewer details, affiliations, biographies, abstracts, review comments, and decisions.

Dietary and accessibility information. You may choose to provide dietary or accessibility requirements so that suitable arrangements can be made. We use this information only for that purpose and share only what is necessary with the venue or relevant service provider.

Photography and videography. General photography and videography may take place during the conference. No livestreaming is planned.

Technical information. The website server may automatically record limited technical information, such as an internet protocol address, browser type, pages requested, and the date and time of access. This information is used only for security, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• send requested conference updates and related information;
• respond to enquiries;
• process registrations and payments;
• manage abstracts, reviews, speakers, and the conference programme;
• make dietary, accessibility, and other attendance arrangements;
• administer, secure, evaluate, and improve the conference and its systems;
• meet legal, financial, and regulatory obligations; and
• create an appropriate record of the conference.

We do not sell personal information, use it for unrelated advertising, or use it for automated decision-making or profiling.

Legal grounds for using your information

Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, we use personal information with your consent, where necessary to provide conference services or take requested steps before registration, where required by law, or where we have a legitimate interest in communicating with participants and organising, securing, and documenting the conference. Where sensitive information is provided, such as dietary or accessibility information, we use it only as permitted by applicable law and, where required, with your explicit consent.

Under POPIA, we process personal information with consent, where necessary for an agreement, to meet a legal obligation, or where otherwise permitted by law. You may withdraw consent at any time. This does not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

Information published about speakers and authors

Names, organisations, speaker biographies, abstract titles, and abstracts may appear in the conference programme, on Dryfta, or on the conference website. This information forms part of the public conference record. If you submit information about a co-author or another person, you should ensure that they know about this privacy policy and that you are authorised to provide their information.

Photography and videography

Photographs and video footage may be used to document and communicate about the conference, including on the conference website, in conference reports, and in conference-related communications. We will make reasonable efforts to respect concerns about identifiable images. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform the registration desk or contact us at info@cs4water.net. Separate permission will be sought where appropriate for planned interviews, testimonials, or featured recordings.

Who can access or receive information

Access is limited to authorised Conference Organising Committee members and service providers who need the information for a conference purpose. Service providers may include Microsoft Forms, Dryfta, the connected payment service, the venue, catering or accessibility providers, and website or technical support services. They may process information only for the relevant service and are subject to applicable data-protection obligations.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect the security or rights of participants and organisers, or to obtain professional advice. We do not give attendee details to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

International access and transfers

The conference is organised by institutions in South Africa and Europe, and some service providers may process information in other countries. Personal information may therefore be accessed or stored outside the country in which it was collected. Where required, we use appropriate contractual, organisational, or legal safeguards for these transfers, in accordance with the GDPR, section 72 of POPIA, and other applicable law.

How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet any legal, financial, or reporting obligations. In general:

• mailing-list details are kept until you unsubscribe or conference communications end;
• registration, payment, and administrative records are kept for as long as needed for conference administration and applicable legal or financial requirements;
• dietary and accessibility information is deleted shortly after the conference when it is no longer needed;
• abstracts, programmes, and other public conference records may be kept for as long as they remain part of the conference record;
• correspondence is kept for as long as needed to address the matter and for a reasonable administrative period; and
• technical logs are kept for a limited period for security and troubleshooting.

Your rights

Depending on the law that applies, you may have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, request a copy, correct inaccurate information, request deletion, restrict or object to certain uses, or receive information in a portable format. These rights may be subject to legal conditions and exceptions.

You may unsubscribe from conference mailing-list messages at any time. To exercise your rights or ask a privacy question, contact info@cs4water.net. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, and we will respond within the time required by applicable law.

Complaints

If you believe we have handled your personal information unlawfully, please contact us at info@cs4water.net first so that we can try to resolve the matter. You may also complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa at inforegulator.org.za. Where the GDPR applies, you may complain to the relevant supervisory authority. In the Netherlands, this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens at autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl.

Cookies and website technology

The website is built with WordPress and hosted via Metaregistrar (Netherlands). We do not use analytics, advertising cookies, or tracking plug-ins. The website may use limited cookies or similar technology that is necessary for it to operate securely and correctly.

The website does not allow public comments, public user accounts, or direct file uploads, and it does not use an embedded contact form or website analytics.

Microsoft Forms, Dryfta, and the connected payment service are separate online services and may use their own cookies or similar technology when you use them. Their privacy and cookie notices also apply to their services. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement and the Dryfta Privacy Policy. The payment provider’s privacy notice will also apply once that provider has been confirmed.

Security

We take appropriate and reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. If a personal-data breach or security compromise occurs, we will assess it promptly and notify the applicable regulator and affected individuals where required by law.

People under 18

The conference and its online services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 through the mailing list, registration, or abstract-submission process.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as conference arrangements develop, particularly when registration opens or service arrangements change. The date at the top shows when the policy was last updated. Any material changes will be published on the conference website.

Contact

Questions about this policy or the use of personal information may be sent to info@cs4water.net