CCW has released its annual household complaint-handling report (pdf). The consumer body says households served by two of England’s water and wastewater companies are being let down by a failure to understand and deal with the causes of high levels of complaints from their customers. Highlights include: 232,817 complaints were made to water companies in […]
An investigation by the Guardian and Watershed Investigations has highlighted how hundreds of potentially toxic road runoff outfalls are polluting England’s rivers. No regulator is monitoring the scale of impact of dangerous chemicals on wildlife or public health. Last month, National Highways reported it had assessed its discharge points and found 1,236 outfalls and soakaways […]
With party conference season coming to an end and a general election on the horizon, it’s worth looking at what a new government might mean for the water sector. The Labour Party said it would empower the water regulator Ofwat to ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses who are found to pump significant […]
Analysis published in the journal Nature Communications shows at least $2.8tn in damage from 2000 to 2019 through worsened storms, floods and heatwaves The damage caused by the climate crisis through extreme weather has cost $16m (£13m) an hour for the past 20 years, according to a new estimate. Storms, floods, heatwaves and droughts have […]
Visualising carbon and cost hot spots during design decision making. A new project led by Anglian Water and developed thought the Ofwat Innovation Fund aims to support organisations to explore how they can deliver low whole life carbon and cost solutions. Aligned to PAS2080, it provides the detail on the processes, systems, behaviours and culture […]
A new study published in British Medical Journal suggests floods are linked to increased deaths from heart and lung disease. It argues that governments must protect people for weeks after a flooding event, citing reduced access to health services and increased exposure to pathogens. Researchers looked at flood events in multiple countries and found mortality […]
Last week’s floods in New York City overwhelmed drainage systems after more than two inches of rain per hour. Residents living in basements and on ground floods were particularly affected. The events were widely covered, including dramatic videos and pictures, by Sky News, the BBC, the Guardian and elsewhere.
Water company business plans have been submitted to Ofwat. The five-year plans cover the period 2025 to 2030 and collectively amount to £96 billion of proposed investment, an 88% increase on the previous five years. According to the sector body Water UK, the investment “will secure water supplies against the rising prevalence of drought, ensure […]