We recognise there are a variety of devices that the community choose to connect with us. These include personal computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
Our website is designed to respond to the type of device being used to view and interact with our website to then display in the most effective way.
We have made every effort to ensure this website is easy to read, and have used 'plain English' wherever possible.
Visually, we take care not to use all capitalised, small cap, or italicised text. Our text is styled only with sans serif font family, and with no kerning.
The layout justification on our text headings and paragraphs are either left justified or centred, and never block or fully justified across the page.
Our website has been designed to help you quickly and easily access all the information you need.
You can find your way around the website using:
- The search tool at the top of every page.
- The navigation menu across the top of every page.
- The page links located in the footer of every page.
- Breadcrumb navigation that allows browsers to keep track of their location within the website hierarchy.
In order to maximise accessibility, our website allows full tab-based navigation:
- When you hold down on the menu item or hyperlink, press enter to activate.
- Hold down the shift and tab keys to reverse the tab cycle.
- At the top of each page there are options to skip to the main content area of the page. This is to assist users of screen readers and those who are zooming in to view the website.
You can use your browser's resizing function to scale the font. The latest version of several popular web browsers allow users to easily increase the font size for better readability.
- Increase font size: Hold down the Ctrl key (Command key on a Macintosh) and press the + (plus) key.
- Decrease the font size: Hold down the Ctrl or Command key and pressing the - (minus) key.
Additionally, the Ctrl key (Command key on a Macintosh) and scroll the mouse centre wheel forward or backward, also increases or decreases the font size. Both of these methods also work on PDF pages.
In order to provide screen reader users access to the information and what it conveys, we ensure that titles, text, and alternative (alt) text is given for all images and pictures on this website.
Wherever it is possible, all hyperlinks contain descriptions of information found in the link’s destination.
In addition to this, all internal links will open in the same window to improve usability for those with vision impairment. External links will open in a new tab.
Cascading style sheets (CSS) have been used to format page content on this site.
This enables keyboard-only users to disable the formatting provided and apply their own formatting. Style sheets are disabled within an internet browser's settings or preference options.
In most web browsers, you can use the 'Tab' key to move between links without having to use your mouse. When you are on a link you wish to visit, pressing 'Enter' will take you to the linked page.
If you are in a form, you can also use the 'Tab' key to move between form elements (such as text boxes and radio buttons). Where there are options (for example in a drop-down menu) you can use the arrow keys to select your desired option. When you want to submit or cancel a form, tab through to the relevant button and press the 'Enter' key.
For those with vision impairments, we have endeavoured to maximise the ability to use a screen reader with this website. Visitors using recent versions of screen readers can navigate using the following keystrokes:
Headings
- H to navigate forwards through the headings
- Shift + H to navigate backwards through the headings
- 1 to navigate to the next level 1 heading (or a number between 1 and 6 to navigate to the next heading on this level)
- Shift + 1 to navigate to the previous level 1 heading (or a number between 1 and 6 to navigate to the previous heading on this level)
- Insert + F6 to provide a list of all headings.
Links
Press:
- Tab key to proceed through the links or shift + tab to cycle backwards through the links
- Insert + F7 to provide a list of all links.
Landmarks
Using JAWS® Versions 10-12, you can use the keyboard navigation in virtual mode:
- (semicolon) for next landmark
- Shift + ; (semicolon) for previous landmark
- Ctrl + insert + ; (semicolon) for a list of landmarks
Using NVDA 2011.2 the landmark keyboard combination in virtual buffer mode:
- D for next landmark
- Shift + D for previous landmark
Using NVDA + F7VoiceOver you can navigate a page via landmarks by:
- Choosing landmarks in the web rotor, then finger flicking up or down to move to the next or previous landmark.
Disclaimer
Third party applications
The Energy and Water Ombudsman is not responsible for third party applications or how they access the information on the our website, such as but not limited to, JAWS, NVDA, and ReadSpeaker screen readers, or other screen-reading software or devices.