Wessex Water’s

A healthy startThe importanceof drinking water

Water way to plug leaks

Let it growOur gardening

top tips

Explore natureVisit Clatworthy

reservoir

Meet Pete one of our leakageinspectors – page 22-23

www.wessexwater.co.ukSummer 2017

Inside feature:

Community specialSupporting your local area – pages 15-18

Investing in our future

Work planned near you

Pages 20-21

t’s a region that’s full of communities – largeand small – and every day we’re doingsomething to support your local area.

And this goes beyond maintaining our pipework andtreatment plants to ensure you are continuouslysupplied with drinking water and your waste can besafely taken away and treated.

Through our community programme there’s lotsgoing on and in this issue of the magazine we take amore detailed look at what our staff do, how we fundlocal projects and the wider services providedthrough our education programme.

Many of our staff play active roles in thecommunities we serve, whether it is being a schoolgovernor, a local fundraiser or a parish councillor.You’ll get to meet some of these people on page 15and also find out about our Watermark awardscheme that could help support a project you’reworking on.

Also in this issue we explain what goes on behindthe scenes to proactively look for leaks along ourhuge network of water mains as well as exploreClatworthy Reservoir in Somerset.

If you ever have to get in touch with us you’llimmediately speak to someone – there are nobuttons to press or automated voices. Our featureon pages 12-13 takes a look at what our customerservices team do to ensure whatever your queryor problem it’s resolved quickly.

As we move into the warmer months there’s beentalk about “hosepipe bans”. While groundwaterlevels are below average for the time of year,there are no plans for any restrictions in our area.However, we’d always encourage customers touse water wisely and if you’re planning to dosome gardening check out our water efficient tipson pages 10-11.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

To contact us or find out more about Wessex Water see our contact details on page 31 or visit:

www.wessexwater.co.uk

Editor : Marilyn Smitheditor@wessexwater.co.uk

Design: Sally Amouroux

Editorial team: Ian Drury, Lauren East, Charlotte Hanna,George Keast, Pete Orchardand Jan Rance

Published by Wessex Water

The Wessex Water MagazineClaverton DownBath BA2 7WW

Print managed by TaskerStoneand distributed by Royal Mail

Disclaimer: While every reasonablecare is taken with all material submitted to The Wessex Water Magazine, the publisher cannot acceptresponsibility for loss or damage tosuch material. The opinions expressedor advice given in this publication arethe views of the individual authors anddo not necessarily represent the viewsor policies of Wessex Water.

This publication is copyright and maynot be reproduced in any form eitherin part or whole without written permission from the publishers.

Thanks to Graeme Mitchell,Cementation Skanska for providing thestorage tank picture on page 20.

4 In the news – a look at the storiesthat have made the headlines

5 Digging deep – Ryan Thomas and JohnLitherland talk about protecting our sewers

6-7 A new wave of optimism – working inpartnership to protect our beaches

8 Aerospace Bristol – the new home ofConcorde

9 A healthy start in life – highlighting theimportance of hydration to children

10-11 Mulching makes the world go round –unearthing the secrets of saving water in thegarden

12-13 Meet our customer services team –introducing the staff who are on hand tohelp you

14 Banish wipes to the bin – helpavoid blockages in your community

15-18 Community special – how we’re supportingcustomers across our region

19 From source to sea – a look at the journeyour water makes

20-21 Investing in our future – our commitmentto improving services and protecting theenvironments

22-23 Water way to plug leaks – meet the teamdedicated to finding and fixing leaks

24 Be Smart and save the date – where you cancome and see us across the region

25 Calling future customers – be part of theYoung People’s Panel shaping the business

26-27 Uncovering Clatworthy – discover a hiddengem in the depths of Somerset

28 Explore the island of the Gods – exclusiveholiday offer for Wessex Water customers

29 Partnership priorities – the independentbody helping to meet your needs

30 Your say your future – how you’re helpingus plan for the future

31 Contact us – how to get in touch

IWelcome

We want to hear from you...Write to us at Wessex Water Magazine, Public Relations, Wessex Water, Claverton Down,Bath BA2 7WW or email us ateditor@wessexwater.co.uk

10-11

Marilyn Smith,Group Director ofCorporate Affairs

What’s inside this issue

12-13

15-18

A round-up of how we’ve made the headlines

in the newsA winning partnership Two environmental projectssupported by our PartnersProgramme initiative have beencelebrating award winningsuccess.

Our biodiversity action plan(BAP) Partners Programmehelps to fund wildlife projectsacross our region whichcomplement our work toimprove water quality, ourcatchment partnerships and ourbiodiversity action plan.And two of the projects we’vebeen supporting since 2015have been acknowledged attwo different awardceremonies.

The South Wiltshire FarmProject took home first prize inthe Conservation Project of theYear category at the WildlifeLife Awards while the RiverAvon Restoration Programme –supported by the Wessex ChalkStreams Project – won the UKRiver Prize.

Contact centre amongUK’s top 10 Staff in our operational contactcentre have been recognisedwith a prestigious award fromthe Institute of CustomerService (ICS).

We’re one of only 10 companiesin the UK to achieve aServiceMark with distinction,the highest level ofaccreditation available to the500-plus members of the ICS.

The award recognised thatwe carried out surveys forboth staff and customers,implementing two actionplans based on the results. Thiswas followed by two days ofauditing by the ICS, who wereimpressed with the unique andpersonal service we offer toeach and every customer.

Contact centre manager LuciSheppard said: “It means a lotto have won this award – wewin a lot of awards for customerservice as a company but thisis the first one purely for thecontact centre.

“It’s great to have achieved thatrecognition and I’m hugelyproud of everybody."

A national challenge forapprentices Over the last few months ateam of apprentices fromacross the business have beencompeting in the BrathayApprentice Challenge.

It’s the first year we’ve enteredthe national competition,where teams compete to win bypromoting apprenticeships toschools and employers whiletaking on interactiveworkrelated challenges todevelop new skills.

Part of the challenge alsoinvolved coming up with a localcommunity project which wouldbenefit young people.

Working with St John’s PrimarySchool in Trowbridge, the teamused their newly acquired skillsto design and build an outdoorlearning facility.

“The team wanted their projectto reflect their apprenticeships,all of which involve learningoutside of the classroom, andfor many of the apprentices,

working outside is the best waythey learn,” said apprenticeshipmanager Becca Thurston.

“We’re immensely proud of thework carried out by theapprentices – from design tofinal build it has all been theirown concept and work. Thereis great potential in theapprentices and we’ve beenimpressed by their dedication,commitment and ability so early in their careers.”

New road helpsBournemouth communityA new access road will reducethe amount of traffic andheavy vehicles travellingthrough Throop in Dorset.

The road involved theconstruction of a 48-metrebridge, which has beeninstalled over the River

Stour, and will allowcontinued access toour Berry Hill sludgetreatment centrewhile divertingtraffic away fromThroop village.

Assistant projectmanager DanielArmson added:"Once the newroad is in use,

operational vehiclemovements will be reduced,benefiting local residents in the long term.”

For news as it happens,or if you want to sharenews with us, follow us on Twitter @wessexwater

Advertise with usMake a splash and stand out from the crowd by securingadvertising in the next edition of the Wessex WaterMagazine. For further details call 01225 526329 oremail: editor@wessexwater.co.uk

What does a typical day involve?Ryan: It can be very varied, rangingfrom repairing a collapsed sewer ina customer’s garden to repairing aburst sewerage rising main in themiddle of a busy town centre.

John: We also change a lot ofmanhole covers, which if brokencan be dangerous to the public.Being new to the role, I really like thevariation of the work we do.

What do you find mostrewarding about your job?Ryan: It’s very rewarding when youcomplete a complex job. It’s a greatfeeling, especially when working ona customer’s property, knowing thatyou have solved the problem andleft the customer with 100%satisfaction.

John: I enjoy working on the largerschemes that often take muchlonger than the average R&M job.It’s rewarding to see the finishedproduct when it’s complete.

What is the biggestchallenge the R&M wasteteam faces?Ryan: Dealing with the oldcombined sewerage network andchanges with the weather patterns,as prolonged rainfall can cause thesewers to become overloaded.

John: Keeping on top of ademanding workload due to theageing pipework in the region aswell as vast housing developmentsbeing built which require connectionto the sewerage network.

What can customers do tohelp protect sewers?Ryan: Please only flush the three Ps:paper, poo and pee! Everythingelse, including wet wipes that arebranded “flushable”, needs to go inthe bin, as they can causeblockages.

John:The same goes for pouringfats, oils and greases down thekitchen sink, these can also causeblockages which damage sewers.We would urge customers to waituntil they have cooled, put them in anon-recyclable container anddispose of them in the bin.

How would you describeyour team in three words?Ryan: Motivated problem solvers.

John: Dedicated, hard-working andenthusiastic.

Digging deep

We caught up with Ryan Thomas and John Litherland from our repairand maintenance (R&M) waste team to show you how hard they workto look after our sewerage network.

4 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 5

meet the team...

6 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 7

ome to one of our region’s mostpopular beaches, Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset could not hide its

collective disappointment when thetown’s bathing water was rated ‘poor’under strict new EU guidelines inNovember 2015.

The common consensus was that thequality of seawater was no worse thanin previous years, but a decision wastaken to do more to tackle marine andbeach litter and encourage the proudcommunity to work together.

Harriet’s message was simple: keepingthe beach free from litter is everyone’sresponsibility, including localauthorities, water companies, dogwalkers, farmers, local residents, visitors and businesses.

As part of her job as coastal officerHarriet ran the independent communitycampaign group Litter Free Coast andSea Somerset, a project led by theSevern Estuary Partnership. Her rolewas funded by ourselves alongside theEnvironment Agency, Cardiff Universityand other partners.

Out and aboutOriginally from London, she completeda degree in environmental sciencebefore pursuing her lifelong interest inmarine conservation. A spell with theBlue Marine Foundation charity wasfollowed by six months of volunteeringin Ireland, and she has spent time inschools and deprived communities toraise awareness of coastal issues.

Now living in Bristol, she explained: “I was attracted to the Burnham role

because it was a real job, meetingpeople face to face rather than beingconfined to a desk.

“I quickly learned that the people ofBurnham love where they live, have agreat passion for the beach and wanteveryone to be proud of it. Thiscommunity spirit has been harnessed by

some key individuals, and I think theyliked that fact that I was independentand had no vested interest.

“We all want the same things, and that’sa reduction in marine litter andimproved bathing water quality.

“Education has been key, and mostpeople I met were incredibly supportiveand keen to play their part.”

Beach clean arrangedHarriet soon became a familiar face on the seafront, meeting as manystakeholders as possible and setting upa beach cleaning group which continuesto grow in numbers.

“Working in one place meant I couldreally get to know people, despiteBurnham being a massive catchmentarea,” Harriet said.

“Business owners in particular wereincredibly receptive, and there weresome real breakthrough momentswhere people realised that the verysimple steps they were taking weremaking a big difference to the beachand bathing water quality.

“For example, simply encouragingpeople to clean up after dogs.”

As a company, we’re investing £39million in a project to upgrade sewerageinfrastructure which will help improvebathing water quality at Burnham.

Harriet has now moved on to becomeproject manager of Mindfully WiredCommunications, a not-for-profitagency that deals primarily withfisheries in various locations includingDorset.

But she will always reserve a place inher heart for Burnham, and hopes shehas left behind an enduring legacy.

“I’ve got no doubt that groups like theFriends of Burnham Beach andBurnham Pooper Troopers will carry on the great work they’ve been doing,”she said.

“There is also a ‘Don’t Feed the Locals’campaign, helping to highlight theproblems caused by feeding seagulls.Hopefully mindsets are changing for the long term.

“You don’t need to be part of anorganised group to protect bathingwater, and I really hope I’ve got thatmessage across so Burnham beach canget a better classification in the nearfuture.”

A new wave of optimismLife was literally a beach for Harriet Yates-Smith, who spent a year as Burnham-on-Sea’s dedicated coastal officer. Pete Orchard finds out more about hermission to improve the town’s bathing water quality.

“The people ofBurnham lovewhere they live,have a greatpassion for thebeach and wanteveryone to beproud of it”

Harriet’s top tips for keeping ourbeaches and sea clean:

• pick up your litter• clean up after your dog• don’t encourage seagulls: feed the bin, not the birds• only flush the three Ps (paper, poo and pee) down the toilet• check your drains: wrongly connected plumbing can cause pollution• volunteer with Litter Free Coast and Sea.

Harriet, pictured above

H

8 Wessex Water Magazine

Introducing Aerospace Bristol –the new home of Concorde

erospace Bristol will be an exciting brand-new museum telling the fascinating global story of Bristol’s world-class aerospaceindustry. From the Boxkite biplane through to the modern day,

Aerospace Bristol, located in Filton to the north of Bristol, will transportvisitors through more than a century of remarkable aviation history and will proudly display Concorde as its stunning centrepiece.

Designed, built and tested in Bristol, Concorde 216 was the last of thesupersonic passenger jets to be built and the last to fly. You mayremember the wet Wednesday back in 2003 when thousands watchedher grace the skies for the final time. An amazing era of supersonicflight came to an end that day, but with the help of Concorde friendsand admirers, Aerospace Bristol will create a vivid testimony to thisamazing aircraft, celebrate the achievements of everyone involved and inspire a new generation of engineers to think big and act boldly.

Aerospace Bristol will welcome its first visitors on board when themuseum takes off at the end of the summer. If you would like to takepart in Aerospace Bristol’s public fundraising appeal, please show your support with a donation. Visit aerospacebristol.org or call01179 315 315 and receive a supporters badge when you donate£10 or more.

A

A hEALThY STArT In LIFE

Approximately 1.6 litres per day. That isthe recommended intake of water forchildren aged between four and eightyears old through fluids and food.

Unfortunately, a lot of the time childrenaren’t getting anywhere near thisamount. In fact, the UK National Dietand Nutrition Survey last year revealedthat on average children in this agebracket are drinking just 276ml ofwater per day.

Soft and fizzy drinks with high sugarcontents and very few nutrients arebecoming more common in children’sdiets and are a contributing factor to the rise in childhood obesity,dietrelated diseases such as diabetesand various problems with dental health.

Our education adviser Gillian Smithstresses the importance of drinkingwater to children when she visits localschools, or hosts school trips at ourvarious sites around the region.

“On top of teaching the children aboutthe water cycle and the way we treattheir drinking water, I think it’s key thatwe highlight the benefits of water tothem and promote a healthy lifestylefrom a young age,” said Gillian.

“I often use my ‘BBT mantra’ in schoolvisits – water is good for your Brain,Body and Teeth. We also play a gamewhere they have to guess which fruitsand vegetables have the highest watercontent, which teaches them thatwater doesn’t always have to be drunk.”

On top of the need to stay healthy,there is also more of a need for childrento stay hydrated than there is foradults.

This is due to children having a higherproportion of body water and beingless tolerant of heat, meaning they getdehydrated quicker.

Gillian’s top tips!• Make water more fun by using fruit infusing water bottles for your kids. Add all sorts of healthy fruits to give water extra flavour like raspberries, cucumber or lemon.• Many teachers use star charts where children earn stars and rewards for the number of glasses of water they drink – this can easily be adopted into your home.• You can significantly reduce your child’s intake of sugary drinks by diluting them, or by making healthier alternatives, such as real fruit juice with sparkling water.

With childhood obesity and the health risks associated with it being regarded as one of the most serious globalpublic health challenges of the moment, making sure children drink enough water and limiting their intake ofsugary drinks has never been so important. George Keast reports.

“I think it’s key that wehighlight the benefits ofwater to them and promotea healthy lifestyle from ayoung age”

Wessex Water Magazine 9

10 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 11

Wessex Water Magazine 17

Mulching makesthe world goround

Pete Orchard met John Leach, managing director of Prior Park Garden Centrein Bath, to unearth the secrets of water efficiency beyond the patio doors.

espite below-average rainfall lastwinter and in the first half of2017, there is thankfully no

prospect of a hosepipe ban in our regionthis summer.

But nobody likes to think they are usingwater excessively, particularlycustomers on a meter whose bills aredirectly affected. So what are John’s toptips for keeping your precious plantshydrated?

“When you put plants in the ground thefirst few weeks are the most stressfultime for them, so it’s important to mixsome planting compost with the soil –or garden compost – and keep it moist,”he said.

“Make sure your plants get a good drinkand not a drip, which for most of themmeans a thorough watering once aweek rather than a sprinkling every day.

“Covering the soil with a mulch afterwatering is vital. The nicest-lookingmulches are bark or stone chips, whichshould be spread about two inchesthick.

“You can also use garden compost oreven old carpet or newspaper, but youmust remember to take that sort ofmaterial away when it rains. The beautyof the chips is that the rainwater will gothrough.”

John recommends using water retainingcrystals such as SwellGel to reduce theneed for watering. Certain popularspecies thrive in dry conditions, andabelia, ceanothus, sedum, euphorbia,cytisus and lavender are among hisfavourites.

He added: “If planting in very hotconditions it’s a good idea to give plantssome shade, so use a net curtain orhorticultural fleece to stop the foliagedrying out quicker than the roots cantake up the moisture.

“Containers work very well in smallergardens but watering is still the key tosuccess. If someone is away a lot, orerratic with their watering, they shoulduse water retaining crystals to mix withthe compost and you’ll find they hold aconsiderable amount of water.

“You must mix them with the compostbefore you plant – they can’t usedretrospectively. You can also get a dualpack with water retaining gel and slowrelease fertiliser combined, meaning youfeed the plants throughout the season.”

Prior Park has been trading in Bath for43 years, and John has witnessed thegrowing popularity of water butts as ameans of storing rainwater.

Rather more high-tech are themicroirrigation systems, controlled bycomputers, which can be used bygardeners who are rarely at home.

“People are certainly more aware of theneed to conserve water now than whenwe first opened in 1974,” said John.

“Water butts are a great idea,particularly if you’re on a water meter,and with a little bit of ingenuity it’spossible to save a lot of water.

“Put a diverter into the downpipe fromyour guttering to save the rainwater,which is not only free but is suitable forericaceous (lime resistant) plants likecamellias or rhododendrons.”

DJohn’s top lawn tip:When conditions are dry don’tcut the grass too short as itwill retain less moisture. Raisethe blades on your mower.

John’s favourite dry weather plants:Abelia: An evergreen shrub, flowers frommidsummer through to the autumn. Can grow upto 6ft tall, easy to grow and drought resistant.

Ceanothus: Mostly blue flowered, all varietiesare extremely drought resistant.

Cytisus: Commonly known as ‘broom’, a memberof the pea family that flowers in early summer.Very easy to grow and, once established, doesn’tneed any extra watering.

Lavender: All varieties love well-drained soil andcan cope with hot summer conditions. Don’t planttoo early in the year when it’s cold and wet – Mayonwards is ideal.

12 Wessex Water MagazineWessex Water Magazine 13

Meet our customer services team If you ever need any advice, it’s good to know we have a dedicated team to help withyour operational enquiries while staff are also on hand to answer your billingquestions.

We caught up with some of the team to find out what’s key to our unique and personalcustomer service.

Paige Bennett – customer service adviser

How is Wessex Water different when it comes to customer service?What makes us different is our customer orientated approach –there’s no automated voice when you phone, every call is answeredpersonally by an adviser within a few rings.

Most frequently asked question?“Is this a free service?” No one expects our service to be free!

How many enquiries do you deal with per day? It can range from around 60 to 100 calls a day depending on the weather as this can affect drainage and any water outages that day.

How would you describe your team in three words?Caring, welcoming and hard-working.

Joe Taylor – multifunctional customer service adviser

Describe a typical day? I help respond to all the written operational enquiries that come in – fromcustomers’ emails, letters and questions on social media – there are manydifferent ways for customers to get in touch.

What’s the most challenging part of the role? A lot of coordination goes into correspondence – we work with a variety ofdifferent departments to make sure customers receive accurate andinformative advice.

Funniest question ever received?Customers asking how quickly different brands of loo roll dissolve in a sewer.

What makes your job interesting?Answering enquiries and gathering information means I’m always learningnew things about the industry. The positive feedback we get back fromcustomers is rewarding.

Joseph Ricketts – customer care team adviser

What does a normal day involve?It’s the care team’s job to keep customers updated about our work –this can be from a simple call to reassure the customer that everythingis in hand to letting customers know when a team is on route.

How does your team go the extra mile?We’re always looking at different ways to communicate with customers.From our call back service, to providing updates via text messaging andthe Live Chat service on our website. There’s also a satisfaction surveywhere customers can provide us with feedback.

What’s your top tip for customer service? Listening to the individual needs of each customer.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Working in a role that brings me in contact with a variety of different people.

Andy Burland – billing centre team leader

Is the service you provide just about bills?Definitely not. Although we send your bills, it’s about so much more! Ifwe see an unusually high meter reading we can explain how to check forleaks. We also give advice on switching to a water meter and helpcustomers who are struggling to pay their bills.

So how do you help customers who can’t pay?We have a range of assistance schemes from short-term paymentarrangements to our Assist and Restart schemes, which help customersget ‘debt free’ within two years. We know some people find dealingwith their debts a bit daunting, which is why our understanding andfriendly team are here to sort things out. Most situations can be sortedout in under 10 minutes!

What’s the most unusual call you’ve taken? A customer once asked me how much would it cost to fill a bucket withwater. We usually work with bigger numbers so the only thing I could askwas “How big is the bucket?” (Which admittedly got a laugh!)

How is your call centre different to others? We know everyone says this – but we put customers at the heart ofeverything we do. Our trusted team are highly skilled to answer everycall, email and online chat quickly and with a friendly voice.

Did you know...• Available 24/7 including public holidays • Around 135,000 calls handled in 2016/17• 17,000 letters and emails sent • 7,600 Live Chat contacts • 2,700 social media interactions

• 98.64% of calls answered within 30 seconds • 224 record number of calls handled by oneadviser in a day • Three seconds average ring time before the phone is answered

12 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 13

Banish wipes to the binSpread the word about the scourge of “flushable” wet wipesand help avoid blockages in your community.

We resolve approximately 13,000blockages a year on our public sewers,with thousands more on customers’ ownprivate drains. Our research shows thatwet wipes are responsible for aroundtwo thirds of these blockages – astaggeringly high and frustratinglyavoidable statistic.

Often these wipes are branded andmarketed as “flushable”, simply becausethey can physically fit down the U-bendof any loo.

But they don’t break down anywherenear as quickly as regular toilet paper,and this can result in a nasty, knottyproblem below the ground.

“We frequently hear from customerswho have flushed wipes, often in goodfaith because they are brandedflushable, but have then suffered ablockage,” said sewerage manager NickBuller.

“As a result they have had their gardensor even their homes flooded withsewage, which is hugely disruptive anddistressing and can sometimes affectneighbouring properties too.

“Our advice is to only ever flush thethree Ps – paper, poo and pee – and tokeep wet wipes in the bin.”

Bizarrely, wet wipes are not the onlyunwanted items that have been fished

out of our sewers in the last 12 months.Bandages, toys, plastic bags and evenpieces of wood have all been recoveredby our operators.

But one simple lifestyle change – binningrather than flushing those wipes – canmassively reduce the odds of a blockagein your neighbourhood.

For our part, we’ll continue to lobbymanufacturers and supermarkets formore responsible packaging andadvertising. None of their current‘flushability protocols’ will convince usit’s a good idea to switch from regularpaper.

As you may have read in our lastmagazine, we’ve lodged a complaintwith the Advertising StandardsAuthority and Trading Standards thatcalls for a ban on the word flushable onwet wipes. This was backed by fellowwater companies and environmentalcharities Surfers Against Sewage,Marine Conservation Society, Litter FreeCoast and Sea and City2Sea.

And our video called ‘Four hours, fourblockages – all caused by wet wipes’shows how the aftermath of flushedwipes has become a daily problem foroperators. The video can be viewed onour Facebook page or atwww.wessexwater.co.uk/binit

rEMEMBEr: Cookingfats, oils and greasescan also causeblockages if poureddown the sink. Letthem cool beforescraping the solid fatinto your food wastebin for recycling, orpour them into a non-recyclable containerand put them with thehousehold waste.

14 Wessex Water Magazine

Community specialOur people in the communityThe vast majority of Wessex Water staff live within our region, and many play an active rolein their communities – from school governors and parish councillors to devoted charityfundraisers. Here is a flavour of what some of them have been up to.

The big buildSite inspector Derek Coombs was one of hundredsof volunteers who helped a family in need as part ofthe TV show DIY SOS: The Big Build.

The home renovation project in Bristol was in aid of24-year-old Ryan Pollard, who spent nearly fiveyears in hospital after a sudden brain condition lefthim severely disabled.

Desperate for him to come back home, his parentshad been travelling up to 100 miles a day to spendtime with him.

“Once I heard about Ryan’s story I asked theprogramme how I could get involved,” said Derek.

The nine-day projectincluded installationof a chairlift, wetroom, physio areaand social space.This enabled Ryanto move backhome on apermanent basis.

It cost an estimated£180,000 to complete and wasmade possible thanks to the volunteers whodonated their time and resources.

You’ll be able to see the transformation for yourselfwhen the show airs in early 2018.

Plodding alongOver the last few yearsmembers of ourtechnical servicesteam have taken on a40-mile trek throughthe Cotswolds to raisemoney for thechildren’s charityAction MedicalResearch.

Last year the teamcompleted the hike in 16 hours and 16 minutes, raisingmore than £2,000 for the charity and they hope to do thesame again this year.

Field support team leader Gary Griffiths, who captains theteam, said: “The terrain can be extremely difficult in places,especially during the night sections where you have tonavigate using GPS, maps and head torches to illuminatethe path.

“Despite the blisters and physical exhaustion the challengecan bring, we come together as a team to raise money forthe charity.”

Party on the driveElsewhere, adriveway partyhosted byPrince Scottraisedthousands forSarcoma UKand the RoyalUnited HospitalForever Friendsappeal.

Prince, key account manager for multiutilities and developer services,organised the party at his home inChippenham and was rewarded with abrilliant turnout.

He said: “I want to thank everyonewho came to the party and everyonewho helped to plan, organise andpromote it.”

Wessex Water Magazine 15

Community specialWatermarks still going strong after all these yearsAwards have been providing help for environmentalprojects since 1994

We founded our Watermark awardsmore than 20 years ago with thehelp of the ConservationFoundation.

Our aim was to supportorganisations across our region withtheir environmentalprojects.

Watermark awardsenable all kinds ofgroups to apply forfinancial assistancewhen they arecarrying outprojects in our area.

Schools, parishcouncils, youthgroups and communityorganisations are all eligible to applyfor grants of up to £1,500.

And every three months we givea Wessex Watermark gold awardworth £2,500 to a special project.

A panel of experts, chaired by thebotanist and ConservationFoundation co-founder DavidBellamy, considers all the awardapplications.

Organisations of all kinds havereceived Watermarks, including theGreater Bedminster Front Gardenawards in Bristol.

We provided a grant so that theycould promote sustainablegardening by sharing ways to save water and use drought tolerant plants.

We’ve also helped a Somerset schoolwith its plan to set up a swift nestingbox project.

The common swift is in decline inthe UK and the school’s eco-teamwanted to establish a swift colony

from scratch.

Another awardhelped a project tosave a rare andbeautiful butterflyfound in Dorset thatis suffering fromloss of habitat – theDuke of Burgundy.

Our Watermarkawards are also

open to research projects that havebeen identified in local authoritybiodiversity action plans (BAP).

And groups and organisations inDorset, Wiltshire and Somerset withenvironmental and wildlife projectsin areas beside our water supply grid scheme receive funding forenvironmental initiatives throughour grid community awards.

The grid awards helped restore ahistoric pond in Dorchester andsupported Wiltshire Bat Groupto purchase new monitoringequipment to study a rare species of bat.

If you’re interested in applying on behalf of anorganisation, visit our website for more informationat: www.wessexwater.co.uk/watermark

“Its is great to see howover the years so manypeople have been andstill are so enthusiasticabout looking after theenvironment” Marilyn Smith, GroupDirector Corporate Affairs

Some of the Watermark award projects

Community specialEducating the next generation

It’s been almost 20 years since we launched our free education service, so we caught up witheducation adviser Sue Goodland to see what’s changed over the years.

“I have been actively involved with theeducation service since 1997. It’s agreat way of teaching our nextgeneration of customers about theservices we provide,” said Sue.

“We launched the service thefollowing year and soon afterintroduced our education centreswhere children can take trips to ourwater and sewage treatment works tolearn about the water cycle and whathappens to their waste.”

Since then the free service has provedsuccessful and we now have threeeducation advisers – Sue, DuncanForbes and Gillian Smith – who coverthe whole of our region.

As well as teaching school children ofall ages and abilities they’re also STEMAmbassadors and work with collegesand universities to encourage thetopics of science, technology,engineering and mathematics.

Sue added that the service doesn’tstop there as we also hold sessions forScout groups and adult learningorganisations such as the Universityof the Third Age (U3A).

“It’s fantastic working with such arange of organisations and as they say– learning never stops!

“And for us, our education service is agreat way to engage with localcommunities and share how we’rebecoming more sustainable and howpeople can help us by being morewater efficient and only flushing thethree Ps.”

With technology continuing toadvance and with more and morepeople visiting our sites, how has theway we teach changed?

“Naturally we’ve adapted newmethods over time – we use moreanimated videos and also have a funeducational app called WOWSER! butpersonally I think a great way to learnis being outside,” said Sue.

“There’s nothing quite like the livingand breathing experience of visiting ariver, or by being more hands-on andillustrating the work we do, like our‘sewage soup’ game, which showssome of the typical items that go intothe sewers.”

Whichever way suits you, all oureducation advisers tailor their lessons to the needs of the school ororganisation – something that makes the service unique.

To find out more about our freeeducation service or arrange to speakto one of our education advisers visitwww.wessexwater.co.uk/education

“It’s fantasticworking withsuch a range oforganisations andasthey say – learningnever stops!”

16 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 17

18 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 19

Community specialLet’s start a conversationCustomers have always been at the heart of what we do, and that means treating themall as individuals and being far more than your average water company.

You might not be aware ofsome of our schemes andinitiatives for customers who,for a variety of reasons, findlife more challenging thanothers. So here is a round-up.Dementia FriendsDementia affects around 850,000people in the UK and can becharacterised by a wide range ofsymptoms. Theseinclude memoryloss – in particularshort-term memory– mood changes,communicationproblems, spatialawareness issues,repetition andobsessivecompulsivedisorder.

We're committed to becoming moredementia-aware as an organisation,so our staff are encouraged tobecome Dementia Friends and learnmore about what it's like to live withthe condition.

"We believe in treating customers asindividuals and tailoring our help tosuit their needs, in a way that isinclusive and accessible," saiddirector of customer policy andengagement Sue Lindsay.

"This is done by empowered andhighly trained staff who have strongcustomer care values."

Anyone can become a DementiaFriend, and it doesn't mean raisingmoney for charity or donatingyour time on a regular basis. Itcould be as simple as helpingsomeone find the right bus orbeing patient in a supermarketqueue if someone with dementia is taking longer to pay.

Debt adviceHelp is at hand for anyone strugglingto pay their bills so please don't suffer

in silence.

If you’re worried about your finances,we offer a 60-secondonline debitcheck from debtcharity StepChangewhich will tell you ifyou need advice.Meanwhile, if you have particularrequirements due to

your age, ill health, a disability oradditional needs there is our PriorityServices register. Visit our website for more information.

"We have a range of affordabilityschemes that can help people gettheir finances back on track byassisting them with their water bill,"said customer policy manager AnnaSymonds.

"We want people to know that thereis help and support available andthat we have tailored solutions tomeet their personal circumstances."

Understanding mental healthOne in four people in the UK isaffected by mental health issueseach year, and we know thatspotting the signs can be difficult.

In May we joined forces withWiltshire Mind to produce ananimated mental health awarenessvideo, part of a range of trainingdeveloped for our employees.

Carolyn Beale, chief executive ofWiltshire Mind, said: “We weredelighted to work with WessexWater on the video and to helpbreak the silence and stigma thatcan be so damaging to those livingwith mental health problems”.

"We believe intreating customersas individuals andtailoring our helpto suit their needs,in a way that isinclusive andaccessible"

epending on where you live, yourwater comes from spring sourcesdeep underground in Wiltshireand Dorset, or from reservoirs.

Water from underground sources originallyfell as rain, snow or hail before seepingthrough the soil and into rocks like chalk,limestone and sandstone which store wateras aquifers.

We pump it to the surface before treating itand supplying it your home.

Groundwater fromaquifers usually has fewerimpurities and needs lesstreatment than reservoirwater.

We screen it to removeanything bigger than 5mmand treat it with chlorineto kill off any bacteria.And sometimes, if thewater has a high level ofcarbon dioxide, wereplace it with oxygenbefore supplying it to you.

If your water doesn’t come fromgroundwater sources, it will come fromsurface water reservoirs fed by streams andrivers, found mostly in hilly Somerset areas.

The reservoir water is moved through pipesto treatment works where it flows throughfine filters to remove algae, insects and anyother objects.

A small amount of chemical coagulant isadded to help bind any impurities so theystick together and can be trapped on sandfilters.

After coagulation the water is fed into achamber where air is forced through,pushing any dirty particles to the surfacewhere they are removed.

It flows on to fine sand filter beds, andsometimes through other filters such ascarbon, to remove the last particles of dirtand traces of any residual chemicals

Chlorine is added to kill any bacteria and thewater is tested before we pump it to a

service reservoir where it’s storedfor up to 24 hours beforeflowing to people’shomes.

It leaves servicereservoirs throughlarge diameter trunkmains that carrysubstantialamounts of wateraround the areaquickly.

From the trunk mains itflows into smaller pipescalled distribution mains,which becomeprogressively smaller.And attached to theseare service connections– narrow pipes carryingwater into individualhomes and to your taps.

Once you’ve used the water it leaves yourhome via the drains assewage, joiningsurface water fromroads, roofs andgardens. At thesewage treatmentworks it meetsindustrial effluentfrom places like foodfactories and dairyproductmanufacturers.

Most sewage isorganic so thetreatment works usenatural processes,similar to those foundin the aquatic environment.

The sewage goes through several processeswhich begin when it passes through screenswhich remove debris, rags and large objects.

The grit tank slows the flow enablinganything heavy, like grit or sand from

gardens and roads, to sink to the bottom where it is removed.

Next the sewage flows into tanks where thesolids sink to the bottom, fats and scumfloat to the top and all are removed assludge.

The sewage is treated biologically so theliquid passes through filters of stone orplastic on which bacteria grow.

We also use a second form of biologicaltreatment where bacteria are mixed withthe waste in large tanks using equipmentwhich either blows or beats air into themixture.

In both processes the bacteriafeed off the waste, helping toclean the water before itpasses to a final settlementtank. Our treatment processesprovide ideal conditions forbacteria and other smallanimals to thrive and treat theeffluent.

Here any remaining solidssettle out leaving water cleanenough to be returned to theenvironment.

We use ultraviolet light todisinfect this liquid, ensuringit’s safe to leave the treatment

works and flow back into the river or sea.

Sludge removed earlier in the treatmentprocess is treated in digesters to produce anagricultural fertiliser and methane gas whichcan be harnessed as energy.

And then water falls as rain, snow or hailand the whole process begins again…

From source to seaJan Rance traces the journey water makes from the time it falls as rain,through its use in the water supply and then how it’s cleaned and putback into rivers and the sea.

D

of the water we supplyis from groundwatersources and 20% fromsurface water.

80%

We supply almost

1.3 millioncustomers with nearly

280 millionlitres of water a daythrough

12,000kmof underground pipes

Wessex Water Magazine 19

20 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 21

mong the multi-millionpound schemes we’reinvesting in, is a £39mproject to improve bathing

water quality at Burnham-on-Sea.To do this we are increasing thesewerage capacity at 12 schemesin Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea, including at West Quay, BristolRoad, Colley Lane and Sloway Lane.

This essential work involvesupgrading our treatment works,constructing new storage tanksand laying new pipework, whichwill reduce stormwater beingreleased into the River Parrett andthe West Huntspill River. This willultimately improve the waterquality at Burnham-on-Sea andhave a positive impact on theenvironment. Work will be

completed in 2020. We have alsohelped fund a coastal officer toraise awareness and encouragelocal people and organisationsto get involved in environmentalinitiatives (see pages 6-7).

Reducing flooding riskJust north of Bristol, we areworking on a new phase of theFrome Valley relief sewer whichwill ultimately connect to ourtreatment works at Avonmouth.

The first sections of the FromeValley relief sewer were laid inareas of North Bristol and Yatein South Gloucestershire in the1980s and 1990s. The nextphase involves constructing a5km long, 1.8m diameter sewerpipe that will run from the north

Investing in our future Improving services for customers and protecting the

environment is something we’re fully committed towhich is why between 2015 and 2020 we’reinvesting more than £2 billion across our region.

of Frampton Cotterell, westwards toBradley Stoke. Most of the work willbe carried out in fields rather thanroads.

Once built, the sewer will divertwaste water flows from Yate toBristol sewage treatment works inAvonmouth via a route around thenorth of Bristol, rather thanalongside the Frome Valley andthrough the centre of Bristol.

Diverting the flows will provideadditional capacity for new housingdevelopments and significantlyreduce the risk of sewer flooding inthe area. Work started this April andwill be completed by summer 2018.

Improving drinking water qualityIn places across our region, thewater supply pipes are old anddeteriorating. We’re replacingvarious water mains due to a numberof bursts and reports of discolouredwater. We replace the existing watermains with new plastic pipes tominimise the likelihood of watersupply interruptions and leakage aswell as improve water quality.

Where we can, we use an innovativetechnique to renew the water mainswhich allows pipes to be replacedwithout having to excavate longtrenches along the roads. Thisminimises disruption.

Over the past year, we have investedmore than £1 million to improve thewater supply in Weymouth. Thisincluded work in Weymouth BayAvenue, Dorchester Road and LowerSt Alban Street.

We did everything we could tocomplete work as quickly and safelyas possible including extendinghours and increasing our workforcewhere appropriate.

Our investment in this area willprovide long-term benefits for thearea by reducing the risks of waterdiscolouration and interruptions tothe water supply from leaks andbursts.

A

Bridgwater work:improving bathingwater quality bybuilding a largestorage tank

Working in our areaIf you’ve ever wondered what work our teams are carryingout as you pass them on the street, there’s now a way to findout online.

‘Work in our area’ is an interactive map which shows the latestincidents happening across our region including street works,water supply issues and reported leaks.

All you have to do is enter a valid postcode to view any work which is happeningnearby – it’s also available to use from your mobile device, so you can find out onthe go. Visit www.wessexwater.co.uk/work

Water way to plugleaks

ater that comes out ofyour tap has to travelthrough a network ofpipes to get to your homeand on its way leaks can

occur. Lauren East met our leakageteam to find out how we deal withthem.

Our extensive network of pipes spanan incredible 7,200 miles or 11,600kilometres – that’s enough to stretchfrom our region to Indonesia, Asia.

As we move water from ourreservoirs and treatment plants toyour home, with so many miles ofpipes, it’s inevitable that occasionallythere will be leaks.

That’s why every day we’re replacingageing water mains that havereached the end of their life and areprone to bursting. But we don’t stopthere – we have a team of dedicatedpeople whose job it is to detectwhere leaks are and when theyoccur.

With a region that’s predominantlyrural, that’s a mammoth task, but onethat we’ve become particularly goodat over the years. And despite thembeing mostly underground anddifficult to spot, we’ve in fact halvedleakage over the last 20 years.

“Eliminating leaks all together wouldbe an impossible task as they canoften occur due to factors such asground movement or severetemperature changes,” explainedAshlea Lane, director of water supply.

“While some customers would like tosee all water mains replaced, thiswould be a hugely costly process thatwould see bills rocket and causesevere disruption to the communitieswe serve.

“That’s why our focus is on renewingpipes that are prone to bursting byusing innovative techniques todetect leaks and repair them asquickly as possible.

“And of course water that leaks fromthe pipes is not lost, just simplyrecycled back into the environment.”

‘Ears how we do itSome might say looking for a leak in anetwork so large it’s like looking for aneedle in a haystack, but with thehelp of clever technology that showswater use trends and some good oldfashioned listening, every dayleakage inspectors like Pete Woodare detecting leaks and saving water.

And it’s often when you’re at sleep atnight, that our team of leak detectorsare hard at work.

Pete said: “While we often have agood idea by using clever monitoringequipment on where water is

potentially being lost from ournetwork, finding the exact locationof the leak can sometimes be tough.

“However, during the night when it’squiet and less water is being used,we’re able to listen to sections ofwater main and quickly locate whereleaks are.

“While it may look odd if you spot uswith a listening stick to our ear, it’s apractice that has been used for yearsand remains effective.”

Last year alone we fixed 10,060leaks as well as 4,285 leaks onprivate supply pipes courtesy of ourfree leak repair service. And whilewe’re continuously on the lookout formore leaks, the team welcome helpfrom customers reporting any theyspot.

As well as spotting drips, listen outfor leaks in your own home – try itnight when it’s easiest to do.Problems such as dripping watertank overflows are not alwaysobvious to hear when there’sbackground noise.

Each and every leak is important tous, so if you spot one report it onlineat www.wessexwater.co.uk/leaks

• Find out more about thefascinating work of Pete and theteam by watching a video of themat work – it’s available to see on ourwebsite and social media pages.

name: Pete Wood

Job role: Leakage inspector

Pete’s role at Wessex Wateris like that of a detective –every day he is looking forclues and trying to tracesomething that is under-ground and often goes unnoticed to the untrained eye.

“Last year alonewe fixed 10,060leaks as well as4,285 leaks onprivate supplypipes courtesy ofour free leakrepair service”

W

22 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 23

eep a look out for us aswe visit towns across ourregion as part of oursummer roadshow.

Over the next few monthswe’ll be hitting the road and we’dlove to meet you.

It’s a great opportunity for you tofind out about the services weprovide and to ask us anyquestions you may have.

There’s fun for all the family withquizzes and competitions as well asplenty of helpful advice to help yousave water in the home and avoidany blockages.

Be sure to see us as there will befree giveaways as well.

BE SMART and save the date

K WHERE WE ARE• Saturday 8 July RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton

• Friday 28 July Town Tour, Butter Cross, Market Place, Chippenham

• Wednesday 2 August Town Tour, Taunton, High Street

• Wednesday 16 August Town Tour, Falkland Square, Poole

• Thursday 24 to Monday 28 August The Great Dorset Stream Fair, South Down, Tarrant Hinton, Blandford, Dorset www.gdsf.co.uk

• Saturday 9 September Bristol Doors Open Day, Bristol sewage treatment works www.bristoldoorsopenday.org.uk

n a first for the UK water industry,our Young People’s Panel was set upto hear from customers of the futurewith strong opinions about water,

wastewater, the environment and whatgood service looks like.

The 2016 panel comprised 21 sixthform students from across our regionwho had the opportunity to experiencerunning a business, as well as receivinga formal reference for use in universityor apprenticeship applications and a£100 reward.

Andy Pymer, managing director ofWessex Water Services, said: “Thestudents came and spent a day with usto learn about the business, spendingtime with various managers.

“We then sent them away for a coupleof months to collaborate in fourdifferent teams, looking at how wemight promote water metering and alsodeliver fantastic customer service.”

The students met again at ouroperations centre in Bath andpresented their ideas to a panel that

included Andy and director of customerpolicy and engagement Sue Lindsay.

Trophies and prizes were presented tothose with the best ideas, which wehave committed to taking forward as abusiness.

“We were joking about it being a bit likeThe Apprentice, giving the students achance to pitch their ideas and seewhether they flew or not,” Andy said.

“It’s been really beneficial for us toengage with these young people and

hear a whole load of ideas we hadn’treally thought about before.

“These are our customers of the future,and they came and showed us how theyuse apps and how they would expect tointeract with us.

“They were enthused about the workthat Wessex Water does and we’ve hadquite a lot of interest from them aboutworking here in the future, so it’s beena great opportunity to promote thecompany.”

Explaining how she got involved in thepanel, Hardenhuish School studentLauren Simms said: “We heard about itthough geography at school and wentthrough an application process beforebeing selected.”

Taunton School’s Edward Shattockadded: “Before this I was definitelygoing to university but now I’mconsidering doing an apprenticeshipinstead.”

To find out more about the 2017 panelvisit www.wessexwater.co.uk/ypp

CALLING FUTURE CUSTOMERSPioneering sixth form students are helping to shape our business -and you could be next

I

24 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 25

Clatworthy uncovering

Lauren East visited Clatworthy reservoir, a hidden gem in Somerset whereits variety of habitats and wildlife make it the ideal setting for all the family.

ituated on the edge of ExmoorNational Park, Clatworthyreservoir lies in the Brendon

Hills where the undulating hillssurrounding the water offers thescenic setting for both walking andfishing.

The 130 acre reservoir is home toplenty of secret bays and bankangling friendly points where youcan fish for rainbow and brown troutreared at the reservoirs own fishfarm.

Rangers Les Carter and Danny Ford,who help manage the reservoir, areresponsible for the 1,000 brown troutand 7,000 rainbow trout raised on thefarm per year.

“The fish arrive to us weighing 2lbbefore they are split into separateponds of 2,000 – which gives themplenty of room to grow,” said Les.

“We then closely monitor the feedingof the fish and depending on thewater temperature this can be doneby hand twice a day.

“Around 20 fish are then weighedfrom each pond every four weekswhich gives us an average weightand based on this we can measuretheir feed to maximise their growthrate.”

Once the fish get to around 3.5lb to4lb the team hand load and deliverthe fish to Clatworthy reservoir andour other trout reservoirs, SuttonBingham and Hawkridge, over aperiod of 12 weeks.

You can watch how our rangerscarry out the restocking by visitingour fisheries Facebook page –www.facebook.com/castingoff

S

Take a walk around the woods When visiting Clatworthy make sureyou discover the range of habitatsand wildlife by taking the ‘ClatworthyRound’ - a five-mile nature walk onthe perimeter of the reservoir whichoffers fantastic views of the waterand the surrounding countryside.

On the walk you’ll discover fourlarge woods which are classed as ‘ancient woodland’ meaningthey’ve existed for more than 400years.

The site is home to range ofwoodland birds and in the springyou can find large carpets ofbluebells. Walk quietly enough andyou might also spot one of the roedeer that live in the woods – ornotice their footprints in the mud.

Picnic benches are located atintervals along the trail but if youfancy a shorter walk try the‘Woodland Trail’, which isapproximately one mile.

This route takes you across the damand past the ramparts of the IronAge Hill Fort – one of few known hillforts of its kind and classified byHistoric England as a scheduledancient monument due to itsnational importance.

Both walks have steep and unevensections so sturdy footwear isadvised and please keep to thepermitted path.

Conserving Clatworthy To help conserve the wildlife atClatworthy we have set up abiodiversity project which aims to

look after the ancient woodlandhabitats and important grassland.

Biodiversity project officer TomReynolds said that the project hasalready had some excitingoutcomes.

He added: “Already we’ve seenpied flycatchers, a rare anddeclining breed of bird, set up homein some of the nest boxes we’vebuilt during the project. We havealso discovered dormice and hadcommon crane visit the reservoirover the winter.

“Four colonies of small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly havebeen recorded around the reservoirand two species of bat are nowusing a ‘bat hut’ which has beenenhanced through the project.”

To find out more about the wildlifeand recreational activities foundat our other reservoirs visitwww.wessexwater.co.uk/fishing

26 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 27

Explore the Island of the Gods

Highlights• Adult-only resort• Complimentary 50-minute daily spa treatment per person• Complimentary group in-house activities• One complimentary sunset cruise

Discover Bali with Trailfinders from £12998 night holiday staying at Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali

This exclusive Wessex Water package consists of:• Return flights from London to Bali• 8 nights at Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali with breakfast,

lunch and dinner, transfers and 3 free nights• Save over £750 per couple!

For more information and to book call your local Trailfinders:Trailfinders Bournemouth 01202 411 600Trailfinders Bristol 0117 929 9000Trailfinders Exeter 01392 458 200

quoting Wessex Water.

Price is per person, based on two sharing, subject toavailability.

Valid for selected departures 01 Jul 2017 – 31 Mar 2018. Peak season supplements apply.

Book by 15 Oct 2017.

An exclusive offer for Wessex Water customers

Partnership prioritieshelp meet your needsIt plays a key role in monitoring andreporting on how we are delivering ourbusiness plan for the five-year periodthat ends in 2020.

Members come from variousorganisations representing customersand stakeholders, including ConsumerCouncil for Water, Age UK and theEnvironment Agency.

The partnership provides us with adviceon policy areas such as customerengagement, customer service,affordability, tariffs and our preparationfor the next price review.

It looks at how we are doing against thekey priorities that customers identifiedwhen we consulted them during the lastprice review.

This includes areas like:• affordable bills• excellent customer service• reduced leakage• supplying the highest quality drinking water• improving bathing waters• protecting rivers, lakes and estuaries• minimising sewage flooding• resilient services• reducing our carbon footprint.

The body not only advises but alsochallenges us about our priorities andthen publishes its advice to our board on whether we are meeting ourperformance commitments.

And it goes out and about in our regionto see the work we’re doing.

The partnership visited our Bristol Roadsewage pumping station site inBridgwater – a £6m investment that’spart of our £39m Burnham bathing waterimprovement programme –

for a practical demonstration of ourregulatory commitments and how we’readdressing them.

Looking ahead to the five-year periodfrom 2020, the partnership is helpingus to develop the next business plan toensure that, when the time comes, itmeets customers’ needs.

In particular, it is looking at ourengagement and research intentionsfor the business plan 2020-25.

Considering our interpretation ofcustomers' views and how they arereflected in the next business plan.The partnership is supported by anindependently chaired catchment paneland a futures panel. This enables it tomeet and liaise with stakeholders,including local councillors, academicsand other interested individuals.

Each year it publishes an annual reportoutlining its discussion topics, majorconclusions and its assessment of ourprogress in delivering performancecommitments.

The partnership has its owndedicated website where you canfind further information, agendasand minutes of partnership meetings,www.wessexwaterpartnership.co.uk

Wessex Water Partnership is an independent body representing the interests and needs of customers.

how can you trust what we say? In a world of post-truth and alternative facts it’s difficult toknow what to believe.

So we are committed to providing our customers andstakeholders with transparent, easy to understand,complete and accurate information that meets your needs.

This means that you can judge and compare our serviceperformance and how we are protecting the environment.

Each year we review the strengths and weaknesses of the information we provide, our internal procedures and governance to ensure there is little likelihood of reporting poor information.

Then we publish a draft assurance plan. You can find thecurrent one and further information on our website,www.wessexwater.co.uk/information-assurance

Wessex Water Magazine 29

your say your future

As we start updating our plans for 2020 onwards ourfocus is on customer priorities. We’ve already carriedout several months of consultation to update ourlong-term strategic vision document, which you canread on our website. We’ve included the views ofhouseholds, businesses and young people who arenot yet customers as well as organisations thatrepresent customers including Citizens Advice andAge UK.

What have you told us so far?An affordable, reliable and safe supply of high qualitydrinking water together with sewage that is disposedof safely both now and in the future remain your toppriorities.

When we explain the challenges of a growingpopulation and a changing climate you’ve told us youwant us to work in partnership with the communitiesthat we serve to help keep costs and bills down. Youagree we should be working with others who impacton our water environment, such as farmers and localauthorities.

You’ve also told us that you’re willing to play your partin the solutions – but that we need to help you dothis, for instance by actively helping people to use lesswater and informing and educating about whatshouldn’t be put down the sewer.

What happens next?In 2018 we will submit our plans to Ofwat, thegovernment regulator, for the period 2020-2025.

Once they’ve checked that we have properly reflectedcustomers’ views and that we are spending moneyefficiently we agree with them the bills we’re allowedto charge and the service level targets that we’lldeliver in return. And if we don’t meet thesecommitments this will reduce the amount we areallowed to charge.

During all of this time we will continue to talk withyou about our more detailed plans as they develop.

We will do this through this customer magazine,through market research and through the WessexWater Partnership, which is explained on page 29 ofthis magazine. We would love to hear your views soplease sign up to our online panel atwww.wessexwater.co.uk/haveyoursay

It’s really important that we understand your priorities when weplan ahead, as this will affect the bills you pay and the quality ofthe services you can expect to receive.

“When we explain thechallenges of a growingpopulation and achanging climate you’vetold us you want us towork in partnership withthe communities that weserve to help keep costsand bills down”

Questions about your bill• Payment arrangements • Metering • Moving house • Problems paying • High water use • Priority Services

0345 600 3 600 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)

Email: customer.services@wessexwater.co.uk(please quote your customer number and telephone number)

Write to: Wessex Water, 1 Clevedon Walk, Nailsea,Bristol BS48 1WA

www.wessexwater.co.uk

Questions about your water supply or sewerage• Loss of supply • Leak • Water quality problem• Sewage flooding • Blocked sewer

0345 600 4 600 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, emergencies only at other times)

Email: operational.enquiries@wessexwater.co.ukwww.wessexwater.co.ukWe welcome calls via the Text Relay service.Calls to 0345 numbers usually cost the same as standard UK landlinenumbers. Please check with your telephone service provider. To protect our customers and staff telephone calls may be recorded.

Wessex Water supplies water and sewerage services to an area of the south west of England, covering 10,000 square kilometres includingDorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire. Within our region Bristol Water supplies water to thecity of Bristol and surrounding areas including some parts of Somerset. Bournemouth Water supplies water to Bournemouth and to just south ofSalisbury.

Contact us

30 Wessex Water Magazine Wessex Water Magazine 31

Your letters...As a customer of Wessex Water, a copy of your recent editionwas posted to me. It was satisfying to learn that WW areencouraging staff to become Dementia Friends. As a parentcarer of a disabled young adult and as someone who works toprovide information and access to services offering support tounpaid carers, I wondered whether you could include a briefarticle aimed at unpaid carers. You couldn't list contacts for allarea carers support organisations, but www.carers.org has asearch function to enable people to find their local carersupport service.

D Cooper, Wiltshire

Editor – That’s a great suggestion.

Well done for putting out such an interesting, useful andwell-presented magazine. I learnt several things I didn't knowbefore, will be looking out for the Home Check when it reachesmy area and wish you well with your campaign against wetwipes and fat down drains.

D Starkey, Trowbridge

I did an experiment with wet wipes in a jar with water andnoticed that after 10 days it was still the same. I’d encourageother readers to do the same and see the effect that they don’tdissolve.

Customer, By Email

I was interested to receive the magazine and I noticed youwant to hear from me. There is no specific reference to hardwater which is surely the greatest failure in the company’sservice. It is always a pleasure to visit other parts of thecountry and revel in the local softness. Water treatment isthe job of Wessex Water and should not be left to the effortsof consumers.

Customer, By Email

Editor – About 80% of the water we supply is from groundwatersources – it is generally hard after dissolving calcium and magne-sium salts as it percolated through layers of limestone, chalk or rock.here are some tips to help reduce limescale in the home:www.wessexwater.co.uk/Limescale

I read your article about wet wipes with interest. I did usewet wipes until I visited one of your stands explaining theproblems they cause. I was given a free sample of a gel thatcan be used as an alternative to wet wipes. Despite lookingin my local supermarket I am unable to find anything similar.Could you let me know of any where I can purchase the gel?

Customer, By Email

Editor – The product was Freshu, which is now discontinued.however, FreshX is similar and available from many Sainsbury’sstores.