Three programmes which put community engagement into practice

Yorkshire Water

In water company news, Yorkshire Water is planning a ‘sustainable community hub’ near Esholt treatment works. It will attract businesses to base themselves near one of its largest wastewater treatment works in order to use the energy and resources it creates. Winners of the Water Industry Achievement Awards included Anglian Water’s @One Alliance for Carbon Reduction Initiative of the Year and Northumbrian Water Group for their work on SuDs for Schools and Communities.

Green streams – Northumbrian Water’s Branch Out programme

Northumbrian Water’s Branch Out Programme creates partnerships to reconnect habitats for the benefit of people and wildlife. It encompasses projects aiming to help the region, build resilience and adapt to climate change while bringing benefits to water, wildlife and communities.

In 2015, through Branch Out supported a variety of partners with 21 projects providing close to £80,000 in funding. This funding has unlocked a further £891,482 in match funding for NWG’s partners.

A project to enhance and protect some of Northumberland’s most forgotten waterways is on stream with the help of a North East utilities giant. Northumbrian Water is working with the Northumberland Rivers Trust and other environmental experts and communities to back the Northumberland Living Waterways Urban Streams project.  This important work is improving waterways, creating wildlife habitats and reducing downstream flood risks in a number of locations across the county.

The project – awarded a grant of £10,000 via Northumbrian Water’s “Branch Out” environmental fund that backs projects linking local communities to the environment – will create areas of water-dependent biodiversity, establish reed-beds, wet woodland and ponds in or around the streams. Once areas are landscaped, volunteers and community groups will plant a range of aquatic vegetation and water-loving trees. 

Wessex Water – Water Blitz – water quality initiative

Wessex Water is inviting local communities to participate in the Bristol Avon WaterBlitz, a campaign to collect water quality samples from across the Bristol Avon catchment as part of the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership. Taking place from 10 June to 25 June, in support of the Festival of Nature 2016, the campaign aims to educate people about their local watercourse and help capture a snapshot of the condition of the water environment. The Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership and FreshWater Watch are asking individuals, schools and groups to take part in the WaterBlitz, to help collect 500 water quality samples within the Bristol Avon catchment and participate in the Festival of Nature 2016.