Support Agreement & Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Comprehensive support and hosting terms for OnlineWaterBill platform. Includes 24/7 phone support through your first billing period, then ongoing support via email and the built-in ticketing system, plus lifetime cloud hosting and service commitments.

Comprehensive Support

24/7 phone through first billing period, then email and built-in ticketing — plus lifetime cloud hosting

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1. Agreement Overview

This Support Agreement and Service Level Agreement (SLA) outlines the terms and conditions for support services and cloud hosting provided by OnlineWaterBill to the Client for the OnlineWaterBill platform. This agreement covers technical support, cloud infrastructure hosting, and service availability commitments.

The Client should also review the OnlineWaterBill Service Agreement, which covers payments, Stripe, fees, data, and liability beyond what this SLA addresses. If the two documents conflict, the Service Agreement controls for payment processing, settlement, chargebacks, and fee or liability matters tied to billing and collections; this SLA controls for support, ticketing, hosting, uptime, and response-time commitments stated here.

The Client does not need to sign this SLA as a separate document. When the Client signs the Service Agreement, the Client also accepts and agrees to this SLA as published at onlinewaterbill.com/sla.html as of that signing date (or as provided in writing with the Service Agreement).

2. Service Description

2.1 Platform Services

OnlineWaterBill provides a cloud-based water billing and management platform that includes:

  • Customer account management
  • Online bill payment processing
  • Meter reading functionality
  • Automated billing and invoicing
  • Email notifications
  • Reporting and analytics
  • Customer self-service portal
  • Administrative dashboard

2.2 Cloud Hosting

The platform is hosted on secure, scalable cloud infrastructure that provides:

  • 24/7 system availability
  • Automatic backups
  • Data redundancy
  • Security monitoring
  • Performance optimization

3. Support Services

3.1 First billing period — 24/7 phone support

From platform deployment through the end of the Client's first complete billing period, OnlineWaterBill provides 24/7 telephone support so bookkeepers and staff can become comfortable operating the program. The first billing period means the first full billing cycle after the platform is used for live billing, according to the Client's billing schedule (for example monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly).

During this phase, OnlineWaterBill provides:

  • Technical support for platform usage
  • Bug fixes and issue resolution
  • Configuration assistance
  • Training and onboarding support
  • System monitoring and maintenance

3.2 Ongoing — 24/7 support

After the first billing period ends, OnlineWaterBill provides ongoing 24/7 support through email and the built-in ticketing system (Section 7.1) for technical assistance, bug fixes, configuration, training documentation, and related needs.

4. Setup and Configuration Assistance

4.1 Initial Setup Services

OnlineWaterBill will assist the Client with setup and configuration of the platform based on their specific needs. This includes:

  • Association Configuration: Customizing platform settings to match the association's operational requirements
  • Customer Information Import: Assisting with importing current customer and account data the Client provides for go-live, including:
    • Customer names and contact information
    • Service addresses
    • Account numbers
    • Meter information

    Historical billing records: The Client is responsible for maintaining archival copies of billing and usage history from before or outside OnlineWaterBill. OnlineWaterBill does not import prior billing history or legacy invoice data from other systems.

  • Billing Rate Setup: Configuring billing rates and fee structures, including:
    • Base water rates
    • Usage tiers and pricing
    • Service fees and connection charges
    • Tax rates by county or jurisdiction
    • Late fees and penalties
    • Other association-specific charges

4.2 Setup Process

The setup process will be conducted in collaboration with the Client to ensure:

  • Accurate import of the customer and account data the Client supplies for onboarding
  • Proper configuration of billing rules and rates
  • Alignment with the association's business processes
  • Training on platform usage and administration

4.3 Data Format Requirements

The Client will provide customer and account data for import in a format agreed upon with OnlineWaterBill (typically CSV, Excel, or other standard formats). OnlineWaterBill will assist with data formatting and validation as needed. The Client remains responsible for retaining any historical billing records the association is required to keep outside the platform.

5. Cloud Hosting Terms

5.1 Hosting Services

OnlineWaterBill will provide cloud hosting services for the lifetime of the Client's usage of OnlineWaterBill, including:

  • Server infrastructure and maintenance
  • Database hosting and management
  • Content delivery network (CDN) services
  • SSL/TLS certificate management
  • DNS management
  • Security updates and patches

5.2 Hosting Duration

Cloud hosting services will be provided for the lifetime of the Client's usage of OnlineWaterBill. Hosting services continue as long as the Client actively uses the platform, regardless of the support channels described in Section 3.

5.3 Data Ownership

All data stored on the platform remains the property of the Client. OnlineWaterBill will provide data export capabilities upon request.

5.4 Data Retention

OnlineWaterBill offers 7-year data retention for all client data stored on the platform. This includes customer records, billing history, payment transactions, meter readings, and all associated data. Data will be retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of creation or last modification, ensuring compliance with record-keeping requirements and providing historical data access for clients.

6. Service Level Commitments

6.1 Uptime Guarantee

OnlineWaterBill commits to maintaining 99.5% uptime for the platform while the Client uses the service, excluding scheduled maintenance windows.

Uptime Calculation:

  • Uptime = (Total Minutes - Downtime Minutes) / Total Minutes × 100
  • Downtime is measured from the time a service interruption is reported until service is restored

6.2 Scheduled Maintenance

  • Scheduled maintenance will be performed during low-usage hours (typically 2:00 AM - 4:00 AM local time)
  • Scheduled maintenance does not count toward downtime calculations
  • Maximum scheduled maintenance: 4 hours per month

6.3 Emergency Maintenance

Emergency maintenance may be performed without advance notice to address critical security issues or system stability problems.

7. Support Response Times

7.1 Support Channels

Support is provided through the following channels:

  • Email: info@onlinewaterbill.com
  • Phone: (479) 858-2002
  • Built-in ticketing system in the OnlineWaterBill platform

During the first billing period: All three channels are available. Telephone is staffed 24/7 per Section 3.1 so bookkeepers and staff can reach help by phone at any time.

Thereafter: Ongoing support is provided 24/7 through email and the built-in ticketing system (Section 3.2). Telephone is not an ongoing support channel after the first billing period.

7.2 Response Time Commitments

Priority Level Description Initial Response Time Resolution Target
Critical System down, payment processing failure, data loss 2 hours 8 hours
High Major feature unavailable, significant performance degradation 4 hours 24 hours
Medium Minor feature issues, configuration questions 1 business day 3 business days
Low General questions, feature requests, documentation 2 business days 5 business days

Ticket response targets: For non-critical issues, initial response targets in the table apply during business hours (Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:00 PM Central Time). Tickets may be submitted 24/7. Critical issues receive 24/7 response regardless of channel or phase.

Priority level: OnlineWaterBill reserves the right to determine and assign the priority level for each issue or ticket in good faith, according to the categories above. That classification may differ from how the Client initially labels or describes the issue in email, phone, or the ticketing system.

7.3 Support Scope

Support includes:

  • Platform usage assistance
  • Bug fixes and technical issues
  • Configuration and setup help
  • Training and documentation
  • Performance optimization

Support does not include:

  • Custom feature development
  • Third-party integration development
  • Historical billing or legacy invoice import from other systems (unless separately agreed in writing)
  • On-site visits or training
  • Training for end-users (customers of the water association)

8. Performance Standards

8.1 Response Time

  • Page load times: < 3 seconds under normal conditions
  • API response times: < 1 second for standard operations
  • Payment processing: Real-time transaction processing

8.2 Scalability

The platform is designed to handle:

  • Verified to support at least 50,000 customers
  • High concurrent user loads
  • Large transaction volumes

8.3 Data Backup

  • Automated daily backups
  • 30-day backup retention
  • Point-in-time recovery capability

9. Security Commitments

9.1 Security Standards

  • PCI DSS compliance for payment processing
  • SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmission
  • Regular security audits and updates
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Secure data storage

9.2 Data Protection

  • Compliance with applicable data protection regulations
  • Secure data handling procedures
  • Confidentiality of client data
  • Regular security monitoring

10. Client Responsibilities

10.1 Client Obligations

The Client agrees to:

  • Provide accurate and complete information for setup
  • Designate authorized personnel for support communications
  • Report issues promptly with sufficient detail
  • Maintain secure access credentials
  • Comply with platform terms of use
  • Provide timely feedback during issue resolution

10.2 Data Accuracy

The Client is responsible for:

  • Accuracy of customer and billing data entered into the system
  • Maintaining up-to-date customer information
  • Validating meter readings and usage data

11. Service Exclusions

The following are excluded from support services:

  • Issues caused by client error or misuse
  • Problems resulting from unauthorized modifications
  • Third-party service outages (payment processors, email services)
  • Issues related to client's network or internet connectivity
  • Custom development work beyond standard platform features
  • Training for end-users (water association customers)

12. Limitation of Liability

12.1 Maximum Liability

OnlineWaterBill's total liability for any claims arising from this agreement shall not exceed $1,000.

12.2 Excluded Damages

OnlineWaterBill shall not be liable for:

  • Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
  • Loss of profits or revenue
  • Loss of data (except as covered by backup procedures)
  • Business interruption damages

13. Termination

13.1 Termination by Client

The Client may terminate this agreement with 30 days written notice. No refunds will be provided for prepaid fees or unused portions of the term.

13.2 Termination by OnlineWaterBill

OnlineWaterBill may terminate this agreement:

  • For material breach by the Client
  • With 30 days written notice

13.3 Data Export

Upon termination, OnlineWaterBill will provide data export in a standard format (CSV, JSON, or database dump) within 30 days of termination.

14. Renewal and Extension

14.1 Additional services

The parties may agree in writing to additional services (for example extended telephone availability or custom work) beyond Section 3. Terms will be negotiated separately.

14.2 Hosting Continuation

Cloud hosting services are provided for the lifetime of the Client's usage of OnlineWaterBill as specified in Section 5.2, and do not require separate agreement or renewal.

15. Changes to Agreement

This agreement may be modified only by written consent of both parties. OnlineWaterBill reserves the right to update service terms with 30 days advance notice, but will honor commitments made in this agreement for the term of this agreement.

16. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform obligations due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, internet outages, or third-party service failures.

17. Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arkansas, United States of America.

18. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from this agreement shall be resolved through:

  1. Good faith negotiation between parties
  2. Mediation (if negotiation fails)
  3. Binding arbitration in Newton County, Arkansas

19. Entire Agreement (support and hosting only)

This document, together with the OnlineWaterBill Service Agreement when signed by the Client, describes the relationship. The Client accepts this SLA by signing the Service Agreement alone; a separate countersignature on this SLA is not required. For support and hosting services only as described in this SLA, this document supersedes prior inconsistent oral or written understandings on those same topics.

20. Contact Information

OnlineWaterBill
Email: info@onlinewaterbill.com
Phone: (479) 858-2002
Location: Newton County, Arkansas

This agreement includes 24/7 phone support through the Client's first billing period, ongoing support via email and the built-in ticketing system thereafter, and lifetime cloud hosting as specified. For questions or clarifications, please contact OnlineWaterBill at info@onlinewaterbill.com or (479) 858-2002.