Shaping our wastewater future The approach we’ve taken to create collaborative planning objectives for our first Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP) Strategic Context document January 2021 Introduction Contents A message 3 Introduction from our CEO 4 Creating our first DWMP Creating our first DWMP our first Creating Since joining Thames Water in September, I’ve I’m delighted with the progress we’ve achieved 17 Setting shared planning objectives been spending time listening and engaging so far, particularly the scope of work we’ve with our customers, colleagues, investors and collaboratively defined, alongside the creation of 23 Our next steps stakeholders – and I’m using this information to the 12 integrated planning objectives. This work help shape our future. has created a strong foundation for the rest of our 25 Work with us DWMP’s development. I know that our success is dependent on us all working brilliantly together. I’m passionate about You may have heard me talk about the importance understanding everyone’s views, so we can build of us being a force for good in the communities both long and short-term plans that will meet with we serve. This is something I feel strongly about. Setting shared planning objectives Setting shared the needs and expectations of our customers, As an example of the difference we can make, communities and environment. I’ve made public my opinion that the discharge of untreated sewage into the environment is I’ve been struck by the dedication and enthusiasm unacceptable. I want our long-term plan to support of everyone I’ve met. While each group has their us in addressing this issue, alongside many others own interests, we all share a common goal when it that will help us protect our environment for future comes to our business. Everyone wants Thames to generations. Together we can make a huge and successfully achieve our purpose: ‘to deliver life’s positive impact. essential service, so our customers, communities and the environment can thrive’. I look forward to continuing to work together to deliver positive outcomes for our customers, the Our next steps Through working closely and collaboratively communities we serve and the natural environment with different stakeholders, I’m delighted to say around our special region. we’re developing our first ever Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan. This will be our long-term, collaborative plan to ensure a resilient and sustainable wastewater service for the next 25 years and beyond. I want to thank every stakeholder who has contributed to the DWMP process so far. Your with us Work Thames Water involvement will continue to be fundamental for this to be a success, so we’ll keep working closely together as we move forward with building the plan. Sarah Bentley Shaping our wastewater future Shaping our wastewater Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water. We welcome your views on this Strategic Context document. Please share them with our dedicated DWMP team via [email protected]. 1 2 Introduction Our DWMP vision Working in partnership to co-create a 25-year plan for drainage and wastewater that sustainably benefits communities and the natural environment in our region Creating our Introduction first DWMP DWMP our first Creating We’re delighted to be leading the development of the We’re pleased to have successfully completed the This is the first time we’ve produced a long-term plan identifies the actions that are required to make sure DWMP for London and the Thames Valley region. first stage of our DWMP, known as the Strategic for our wastewater business. Based on the national we can continue delivering our services reliably and Context stage, where we set out the principal drivers framework* that was developed jointly by regulators sustainably, while also achieving positive outcomes for Co-created in partnership with stakeholders, the for our long-term plan. We’re encouraged by the and industry bodies including Ofwat, Defra, the our customers, communities and environment. aim of the DWMP is to identify future catchment level of stakeholder engagement we’ve encountered Environment Agency, Water UK, Welsh Government, risks to our drainage and wastewater treatment so far, especially in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. Natural Resources Wales, Consumer Council for Water, In this first DWMP, we’ve prioritised the scope to focus systems and develop integrated solutions to address We’re always looking for ways to develop and ADEPT and Blueprint for Water, the DWMP is creating on the future pressures we consider collectively, as an planning objectives Setting shared them. Through collaboration, we’ll deliver positive improve our stakeholder engagement approach to the roadmap for how we adapt our wastewater industry, to have the greatest impact on drainage and outcomes for our customers, communities and make sure we’re creating the most collaborative plan service to cope with future challenges. wastewater services, and that can be forecast using environment more sustainably and efficiently than we can. As we move through the next stages of the nationally agreed data. These are climate change, we could achieve in isolation. DWMP framework, we look forward to furthering our What’s a DWMP? population growth and urban creep. stakeholder discussions and creating opportunities As the pressures of an ever-changing world for collaboration. A DWMP is a long-term costed plan that’s focused on Our DWMP will ultimately deliver a costed and increasingly impact what we do, it’s even more partnership working and sets out the future risks and strategic action plan of interventions, and their important that we plan ahead to protect and This is a living document that we’ll revisit as we collate pressures for our drainage and wastewater systems. It sequencing, for the next 25 years. enhance our services for the future, and the DWMP stakeholder feedback. Ultimately, we anticipate that process enables us to do just that. It also directly this document will form the first chapter of DWMP24 What we could achieve by working together Our next steps underpins the long-term strategic ambitions and for initial consultation in the summer of 2022, and priorities of our business. These have seen us invest final publication in March 2023. Customers and nearly £600 million in asset resilience to improve our communities wastewater network since 1990, as well as achieve a • Fair charges Drainage and 99.74% compliance rating for our sewage treatment • Improve health wastewater cing flood works in 2020. All of this work helps us to prevent du ri and wellbeing e sk services sewer flooding impacting our customers and pollution R • Increase amenity • Reduce sewer incidents affecting our local environment. I m DWMP flooding y p t i l • 100%compliance r The o outcomes a v u • Zero serious with us Work i q n Thames Water environment g r e pollution incidents e t • Increase diversity n a vir l w • No deterioration onmenta • Environmental Shaping our wastewater future Shaping our wastewater net gain 3 4 Introduction How does the DWMP fit with our strategy? How is a DWMP developed? The DWMP planning process, and the outcomes fully underpin our AMP7 business plan (2020 A DWMP is developed using the nationally-agreed framework that includes the following five-stage process. DWMP our first Creating that can be achieved by working in partnership to 2025) and our developing aspirations for DWMP development process with stakeholders, directly align with our business the 2024 Price Review. We’re carefully aligning Stage 1 purpose, three long-term strategic priorities and the development of our DWMP to enable our Strategic the four pillars of our public value framework. wastewater business to support our strategic Programme context Additionally, the outcomes of the DWMP process ambitions and priorities over the next 25 years. appraisal Stage Stage DWMP 51 21 Our Purpose: To deliver life’s essential service, so our customers, DWMP Risk-based development development catchment communities and the environment can thrive process screening Setting shared planning objectives Setting shared Strategic Ambitions Stage Stage 41 31 Deliver brilliant Invest in resilient Generate Options Baseline-risk and customer engagement systems and assets public value development vulnerability and appraisal assessment (BRAVA) Public Value framework How we’re collaborating with stakeholders to develop our DWMP Protecting the Helping those Positively impacting Creating It’s not possible for DWMPs to be developed by Informed by the industry-agreed framework and environment in need communities public realm water companies alone. They’re led by water existing planning boundaries/groups within our companies but developed collaboratively with region, and with the aim of developing the most Our next steps Committing to net zero Keeping bills affordable Growing our Community Building on the success of carbon by 2030 and through our social tariffs Investment Programme Walthamstow Wetlands other organisations and groups that have a shared comprehensive and collaborative DWMP we can, beyond and our nature reserves responsibility and/or interest in drainage, flooding we’ve chosen to engage our stakeholders across Supporting customers Reaching every schoolchild and environmental protection. three levels: Looking after the health of through our priority with our education Delivering a net gain in rivers services register programme biodiversity Aiming for zero pollutions Continuing support for the Providing a public voice for Improving