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Hydrolink

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 11 August 2026

1. Introduction

Hydrolink Africa Ltd ("Hydrolink", "we", "us", or "our"), a subsidiary of Edutech Research & Innovation Hub Ltd, is committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal data collected through the Hydrolink Smart Water Metering Platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your information in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and other applicable regulations.

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Account Holders (Landlords / Utilities)

  • Name, email address, phone number
  • Company or property name, county/location
  • Account type and billing preferences
  • Payment history

2.2 Tenant Data (entered by landlords)

  • Full name, phone number, email address
  • National ID or passport number
  • Move-in and vacate dates, unit number

2.3 Device and Usage Data

  • Water meter readings (m³) and timestamps
  • Device serial numbers, firmware version, SIM card numbers
  • Connection logs and sync events

2.4 Technical Data

  • IP address, browser type, device information
  • Platform usage logs and session data

3. How We Use Your Data

  • Service Delivery: Provide metering, billing, and payment services
  • Tenant Communications: Send SMS invoices, payment confirmations, and reminders to tenants on behalf of landlords
  • Account Management: Maintain user accounts, process orders, and manage support tickets
  • Analytics: Aggregate and anonymize consumption data for reporting
  • Security: Detect fraud and protect the integrity of the Platform
  • Legal Compliance: Meet obligations under Kenyan law

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data on the following legal bases:

  • Contract performance: Processing necessary to deliver services under our agreement
  • Legitimate interests: Security monitoring, fraud prevention, service improvement
  • Consent: Marketing communications (opt-in only)
  • Legal obligation: Compliance with Kenyan tax and regulatory requirements

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell personal data. We may share data with:

  • SMS Gateway Providers (e.g., Africa's Talking) — to deliver tenant notifications
  • Payment Processors (e.g., M-Pesa/Safaricom) — to process payments
  • Cloud Infrastructure Providers — data hosting under data processing agreements
  • Regulatory Authorities — when legally required

All third-party processors are bound by data processing agreements that require equivalent data protection standards.

6. Tenant Data — Landlord Responsibilities

Landlords who upload tenant personal data to the Platform are acting as independent Data Controllers under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019. Landlords must:

  • Obtain informed consent from tenants before entering their data
  • Inform tenants that Hydrolink will process their data to send billing SMS notifications
  • Ensure the data entered is accurate and up to date

7. Data Retention

  • Account data: retained for the duration of the contract plus 7 years (tax compliance)
  • Meter readings: retained for 5 years
  • Tenant data: retained for 2 years after vacate date, then anonymized
  • Support tickets: retained for 3 years

8. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including TLS encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, bcrypt password hashing, JWT-based authentication with expiry, and regular security audits. Despite these measures, no system is 100% secure; we encourage strong, unique passwords and prompt reporting of suspicious activity.

9. Your Rights

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, you have the right to:

  • Access personal data we hold about you
  • Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Erase your data (subject to legal retention obligations)
  • Object to processing for direct marketing
  • Data portability — receive your data in a structured format
  • Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC)

To exercise your rights, email info@hydrolinkafrica.com with the subject "Data Rights Request". We respond within 30 days.

10. Cookies

The Hydrolink web platform uses only technically necessary cookies (session authentication). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. You can disable cookies in your browser, but this may affect platform functionality.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify registered users by email at least 14 days before material changes take effect. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

For privacy-related queries or to exercise your rights:

Data Protection Officer, Hydrolink Africa Ltd
Westlands Commercial Center, Nairobi, Westlands