Water Minister Rebecca Pow has met representatives from Southern Water to review their improvement plan and discuss action to bolster water security into the future. The Minister and Southern Water’s CEO Lawrence Gosden discussed Southern Water’s current performance following Ofwat’s Water Company Performance Report 2022-23, and how the company can increase its monitoring and resilience, particularly in the face of supply interruptions for customers in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran. In the past couple of weeks, the supply of fresh water to the taps of some 31,000 properties on the Isle of Wight has been put at risk. In Ventnor, water was lost completely at times as the network struggled resulting in the town being sacrificed to save other areas. The company’s performance across numerous areas, including pollution incidents, drinking water compliance and customer satisfaction, was also discussed. CEO Lawrence Gosden outlined the measures Southern Water is taking to improve its performance including:
- A £35 million investment to accelerate plans to reduce spills across at least 30 storm overflows in the Solent, North Kent Coast, and Chichester and Langstone Harbours. This funding will be put toward exploring more innovative and sustainable interventions, such as building constructed wetlands.
- Investment in new pumping stations and new control systems, completely rolled out sewer monitors, and expansion of their control room to proactively see when equipment is about to fail.
- Replacement of 30% of water supply with new supply options to improve resilience for customers.
- A commitment to becoming a 3 star (good) rated company by EA in the next two years by taking action to reduce pollution incidents.
- Ensuring future investment, the company is also confident they have put together a high quality PR24 business plan, putting forward a business plan worth £7.8 billion to improve outcomes for customers and the environment.
As per Ofwat’s draft determinations of in-period outcome delivery incentives for 2022-23, Southern Water will have to return £42.9 million to customers through bills after missing key targets. Water Minister Rebecca Pow has said:
“The meeting with Southern Water has proven constructive, and while the company must improve its disappointing performance rating, I was encouraged to learn of the positive measures being undertaken so far, including better self-reporting of pollution incidents and further investment in infrastructure, such as new pumping stations and control systems. “I challenged Southern Water to take vital action now to build resilience into the future and better serve their customers. I have been clear that if companies do not make improvements, especially on sewage pollution and supply interruptions, we will not hesitate to enforce change. “The Government has a plan for more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement, and we are determined to work with water companies to make sure it is delivered. For example, targets set by government to reduce storm overflows are very strict and are leading to the largest infrastructure programme in water company history.”
The £49.2m that SW has to” return to customers through bills” will, almost certainly, be cancelled out by increases in bills. Since the fine is meant to be a punishment, then the money should be paid into a totally different independent fund by SW and that fund used to support those who cannot afford the cost of any essential services.
The amount is not a fine but instead it is money that will be refunded to customers for not delivering services. Bill increases are regulated and they can’t increase the water bill if they are performing poorly.
New pumping stations, now that is a great idea, I would like to nominate the pumping station in Nicholas Close Brading for upgrading, it certainly could do with it, the pipe is 2 inches round and it can’t cope, its been repaired so many times I have lost count.
Recently Southern Water sent me a diatribe declaring where our water is sourced from’.
generally the rivers Test and others on the South Coast. It seems that our own reservoirs on the IoW are not being utilised . Following; this was my reply to SW:
That’s gratifying to know, these are the same rivers you have been polluting with raw sewerage on a regular basis for years . May I suggest that no CEO’s receive bonuses or shareholders receive dividends for a ten year period until the present mess is rectified. Roll on Nationalization.