Annual Report 2016
STRATEGIC REPORT
20%
reduction
in workplace
accidents
“We will engage
with 30,000
customers
in debt each
year to help
them manage
their water
accounts and
consumption.”
12
Environmentally sustainable
operations
We hold a good long-term
track record on leakage and
work is ongoing to ensure we
continue to meet our targets.
This includes fitting many more
additional flow meters in the
Cambridge distribution network to
automatically monitor consumption
and support leak detection
performance improvements.
Reducing the carbon emissions
from the power we use to pump
water around our networks is a
key target and activities include
the installation of solar panels to a
number of operating sites during
the year.
We will continue to encourage our
communities to access our sites that
are open to the public as well as to
provide opportunities to support
increased knowledge of the water
cycle and the environment we
live in. A particular highlight was
the opening of the new nitrate
treatment plant at Fleam Dyke in
Cambridge which involved a local
school and the Mayor. This asset
will improve the quality of the water
we supply to the local community
for many years to come.
Fair customer bills for all
Our household customers have
some of the lowest bills in England
and Wales and we are working to
make sure they remain affordable.
We are committed to reducing
customer bills over the five year
AMP period and will continue
to support our most vulnerable
customers with a range of help
when they need it most. We will
engage with 30,000 customers
in debt each year to help them
manage their water accounts and
take control of their consumption.
We have a range of solutions for
customers that struggle with
bills including our Charitable
Trust, Water Direct and WaterSure
and the current year will see the
implementation of a renewed
strategy on affordability including a
new social tariff.
Consultation with customers
showed strong support for the
introduction of a cross subsidy
for the tariff to support those
customers in need of additional
support. Available to all customers,
it will provide a significant discount
on bills subject to eligibility based
on income and expenditure. We
aim to help 7,000 customers this
year with targeted support through
the new social tariff.