Water companies, staff and business continuity

What is Portsmouth Water doing to minimise the impact of COVID-19?

‘We are continuously monitoring the Government’s updates and guidance regarding COVID-19 and are also taking precautionary steps to protect the health of our workforce:

• We have shared with our employees the preventative measures they need to take as guided by NHS and Government – frequent thorough handwashing, proper use and disposal of tissues etc.
• We’re continuously reviewing our Business Continuity Plans that include the possibility of dealing with a pandemic. We will continue to update these plans as necessary as we learn more about the COVID-19 situation, in order to meet our service obligations to our customers as well as looking after the well-being of our staff.
• We are continuing to work closely with our critical suppliers to ensure they are taking appropriate action and can continue to provide goods and services. 

Is my drinking water safe?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is known to spread from person to person through close contact, similar to how flu is transmitted. As it is a respiratory illness, it is not spread through tap water. In any case the virus would be eliminated very effectively by drinking water treatment, specifically the disinfection process (chlorination and ultraviolet treatment).

Is the need for more frequent handwashing causing any difficulties?

Handwashing represents a very small proportion of domestic water use and whilst analysis shows an increase in water demand since the Government’s hand wash guidance was published, it is not likely to cause any difficulties.

What if I or someone in my household has COVID-19 or cold or flu-like symptoms and has a scheduled appointment with someone from Portsmouth Water?

We need to ensure that our field staff are not exposed to the risk of COVID-19. If you have a visit arranged from one of our employees, we may call ahead asking whether or not there are people in your home who are self-isolating. If the answer to this is yes, we will rebook your appointment or find another way to remedy the problem, depending on what it is. If an employee calls without an appointment, he will ask the same question on the door step and if the answer is yes, he will be requested to report back to his manager so we can find another safe way to assist you.

What you can do

Please keep up-to-date with the latest information published in the media and on the Government websites; scrupulously follow the guidance at all times.

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