What is a cookie?

A cookie is a small text file that may be stored on your computer when you visit websites. Information, such as your choice of language for a website, is recorded in this text file. When you visit the website again at a later date, this cookie is sent back to the site in question. This allows the website to recognise your browser and remember your choice of language, for example.

Cookies generally also have an expiry date. For example, some cookies (known as session cookies) are automatically deleted when you close your browser, while others (known as permanent cookies) remain on your computer for longer, sometimes even until you delete them manually.

Our website uses cookies. Some cookies are necessary for the website to work properly and cannot be refused if you wish to visit the website. Other cookies are used for other purposes, which are explained in detail below. You can refuse them if you wish via our settings centre, which can be found here.

More information about cookies and the rules applying to them is available here.

Why do we use cookies?

Société wallonne des eaux ("SWDE", hereafter "We", "Us", "Our") uses different types of cookies on its website https://www.swde.be/:

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are technically essential and strictly necessary. That means these cookies are necessary for the website to work properly or to ensure its security. You cannot refuse these cookies if you wish to visit our website.

Functionality cookies

The placement of these cookies on your device depends on your prior consent. You can therefore refuse to have these cookies installed on your device via our settings centre which can be found here. This does not mean access to our site will be denied. However, certain functions, such as video playback, may not be available.

Performance cookies

Cookies are used, for example, to quantify visits (traffic) to the website, detect any ergonomic problems, understand visitors' needs and optimise the browsing experience, or to put surveys and polls online to be completed by visitors if they choose to do so.

Cookies for targeted advertising.

These are targeted advertising cookies that allow us to offer you advertising for goods or services that may be of interest to you. Their use is subject to your prior consent. You can therefore refuse to have these cookies installed on your device via our settings centre which can be found here. This does not mean access to our site will be denied.

1. Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies allow the site to function optimally. You can object to this and remove them using your browser settings. However, there is a risk that navigation will be impaired.

Name of cookie	Retention period
LANGUAGE	1 year
Stores the visitor's language preferences
SSESS	1 month
Session cookie (for logged-in users)
Dismissible_message_bar	13 months
Remembers whether the user has closed an alert message
OptanonAlertBoxClosed	13 months
Cookie placed by Cookipro (OneTrust). Stores the visitor's preferences concerning cookies (Cookiepro)
OptanonConsent	13 months
Cookie placed by Cookipro (OneTrust). Stores the visitor's preferences concerning cookies (Cookiepro)
swdepass	1 year
Cookie used to store the "remember me" password in e-Services
swdeusername	1 year
Cookie used to register the user name in e-Services
Ume.logon.locale	1 year
Cookie used to register the logon language in e-Services
cookie_message	6 days
Cookie placed via the customer area
cookiesession1	1 year
Cookie placed via the customer area
sap-usercontext	Session time
Cookie placed via the customer area
_ok, _oklv	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It provides functions allowing websites to interact with visitors. It contains a site identifier, used for security purposes.
olfsk	1 year
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It keeps a history of discussions between pages.

2. Performance cookie

GOOGLE ANALYTICS

In order to tailor the site to the needs of our visitors, we measure the number of visits, the number of pages viewed, the activity of visitors on the site and the frequency of their visits. Google Analytics is the statistical tool used by SWDE.

These cookies, owned by Google Analytics, will collect your IP address to determine the city/location from which you are connecting. After using these cookies, Google Analytics will make your IP address anonymous. No information related to these cookies is transferred to other third parties or used for other purposes.

You can manage your preferences for these cookies via our cookie manager. You can also choose to decline cookies and statistical analysis of your browsing data more generally via the opt-out procedure available here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en

Name of cookie	Retention period
_gid	Session time
This cookie name is associated with Google Universal Analytics. It stores and updates a unique value for each page visited.
_gat	Session time
This cookie name is associated with Google Universal Analytics. According to the documentation, it is used to limit the flow of requests, which restricts data collection on high-traffic sites. It expires after 10 minutes.
_ga	24 months
This cookie name is associated with Google Universal Analytics. It is used to distinguish unique users by assigning a randomly generated number as a customer identifier. It is included in every page request on a site and used to calculate visitor, session and campaign data for site analysis reports.

3. Functionality cookies

HOTJAR

SWDE also uses Hotjar to detect any problems with usability, to better understand the needs of visitors and to optimise the browsing experience. This tool also allows for online surveys and polls that visitors can choose to complete. These cookies, owned by Hotjar, will not collect personal data from visitors, with the exception of surveys and polls where visitors may give their consent to the collection of personal data.

In addition to your prior consent, you may choose to opt-out of cookies and statistical analysis of your browsing data more generally via the opt-out procedure available via this link https://www.hotjar.com/legal/compliance/opt-out.

If you give your consent, Hotjar may use the following cookies:

Name of cookie	Retention period
_GAEXP	71 days
Google Analytics uses this cookie to determine whether visitors are participating in its marketing experiences.
_GCL_AU	3 months
This cookie is used by Google AdSense to measure the effectiveness of advertising on websites that use its services.
AJS_ANONYMOUS_ID	1 year
The information collected allows us to know if a visitor has visited the website before and to count the number of visits.
AJD_GROUP_ID	1 year
This cookie is used to determine whether a visitor is logged in and to aggregate visits from different website visitors.
AJS_VISITOR_ID	1 year
Collection of website usage data (targeting/advertising).
AMPLITUDE_ID	10 years
This cookie uses a system of three identifiers to track visitors: the device identifier, the visitor identifier and the Amplitude cookie identifier. First, the Amplitude cookie collects the device ID and visitor ID, and then generates an Amplitude ID, which is the ID used to track unique visitors across the platform. The Amplitude cookie identifier stores all events (interactions with content) performed by anonymous visitors.
_HSSRC , _HSTC, HSFIRSTVISIT, HUBSPOTUTK, MESSAGE UTK	13 months
These HubSpot cookies are set by Hotjar to track visitor's visits to websites and record the identity of the visitor. The utk cookie is also used to recognise visitors who chat via a chat stream tool.
INTERCOM-*	9 months
This cookie configured by Intercom is set by Hotjar for its real-time chat system. This cookie is used to store visitor information in an anonymous way.
*MP_, MP_HJ_MIXPANEL**	1 year
This Mixpanel cookie is set by Hotjar to track the visitor and collect information about how they use the site.
_FBP	3 months
This Facebook cookie is set by Hotjar to provide a range of advertising products such as real-time offers from third-party advertisers.
swde_enquete_trigger	30 days
Cookie placed by the Hotjar service to trigger the display of a poll.

OTHER COOKIES

Nom du cookie	Durée de conservation
_atuvs	30 minutes
This cookie is established by Addthis to ensure that you see the updated number if you share a page and return to it before our “number of shares” cache is updated.
_atuvc	13 months
This cookie is established by Addthis to ensure that you see the updated number if you share a page and return to it before our “number of shares” cache is updated.
hblid	1 year
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It identifies a unique visitor between two visits.
_okbk	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It provides functions allowing websites to interact with visitors. It contains a site identifier, used for security purposes.
_okcs	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It is used to store information about the state of the chat, preserving the specific features of the session.
_okgid, _okck	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It is used to check whether the visitor's browser allows cookies to be stored.
wcsid	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. Session identifier, used only to keep track of a single chat session.
_okdetect	Session time
Cookie placed by the Olark Live Chat service. It detects changes in storage context due to SSL or host transitions (helping to maintain your chat between pages).
Glassbox-session-id	Session time
Cookie placed by the prezi.com service. Cookie used for analytical purposes concerning the use of services.
csrftoken	1 year
Cookie placed by the prezi.com service. It is used to protect against cross-site request forgery attacks.

4. Cookies for targeted advertising

The SWDE website uses third-party services to enhance the interactivity of its site.

Cookies are set directly by third-party services. On your first visit you will be asked whether or not you wish to give your consent to the use of these cookies. They will only be set on your device if you accept them. You can set your preferences at any time via the cookie manager available in the menu at the bottom of the page.

Name of cookie	Retention period
_atrfs	Session time
Cookie placed by the AddThis service. It is used to collect non-personal information about visitor behaviour and non-personal visitor statistics.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE	6 months
This cookie is placed by YouTube. It is used to track information about YouTube videos embedded on a website.
YSC	Session time
This cookie is placed by YouTube and is used to track views of embedded videos.
CONSENT	24 months
Performance cookies used by Google to record visitors' acceptance of cookies used by its services
_fpb	3 months
Used by Facebook to display advertising. The cookie contains an encrypted Facebook user ID and browser ID. It will receive information from this website to better target and optimise advertising.
Anj, uuid2	90 days
Cookie placed by the AppNexus service. It contains data indicating whether a cookie ID is synchronised with their partners.
uvc	13 months
Cookie placed by the AddThis service. It measures how often we see an AddThis user
xtc	13 months
Cookie placed by the AddThis service. It records content sharing on social media by users
_ptref	1 day
Cookie placed by the prezi.com service. It targets ads based on psychological profile and geographical location.
_ptuma	400 days
Cookie placed by the prezi.com service. It targets ads based on psychological profile and geographical location.

This Cookie Usage Policy was updated on 22 January 2025.