WelcomeWater, water to everywhere? the Water & Wastewater ConsumerResilience ReportCouncil 2019/20 for Water ccwater.org.uk ccwater.org.uk Water & Wastewater Resilience Report 2019/20 ccwater.org.uk • The amount of water lost through leakage on Overview ..................................................................................................................................3 a per property, per day basis, reduced last year Overview by 8%; this was a 7% reduction to the overall Introduction ........................................................................................................................4-5 lekage level. While it’s disappointing to see the same companies as last year among the Water Usage ........................................................................................................................6-8 worst performers, it’s encouraging to see that Within this report, we consider improvements have been made overall, with Metering ...................................................................................................................................9 the resilience of both the only one company missing their target. We know that customers feel strongly about a Leakage .............................................................................................................................10-11 water service and sewerage lack of action on leakage, so we hope to see service, by looking at the innovative approaches to ensure companies Supply Interruptions ..................................................................................................... 12-13 performance of companies over achieve future improvements to performance. • The average amount of time that consumers Sewer Flooding ...............................................................................................................14-16 the 2019-20 period in the key service areas that can have a were left without water reduced by 11% in 2019-20, to 11 minutes 45 seconds2. By 2024- Drinking Water Quality ..................................................................................................... 17 big impact on consumers. 25, all companies have a target of 5 minutes, so there is still a lot of work to do on being Conclusion ........................................................................................................................18-19 These are water usage, sewer flooding, leakage, better prepared for extreme weather events. supply interruptions, metering, and water quality. Being able to prevent and manage these The report gives an overview of performance incidents effectively is important, so the least in the sector, identifying poor performing amount of disruption is caused to customers. companies as well as examples of good practice that can be shared across the industry. The data • The quality of drinking water across Wales contained within this report has been supplied and England remains very high. The Drinking 3 directly to us by companies, unless otherwise Water Inspectorate’s report indicates that stated1. All company specific data is included in the Compliance Risk Index has improved the appendices of this report for reference. across both England and Wales over the last year. Although quality is high, we know Key Highlights not all consumers are happy with the quality of their drinking water. Companies • Daily water usage has reduced, but only need to ensure they do everything they slightly by 1% – this is a small step in the right can to address consumers’ concerns. direction, but there is still a big challenge for companies, with water resources under increasing pressure. Companies need to engage Complaints performance for each of meaningfully with consumers, explaining the the companies are covered in different bigger picture message on climate change and reports; these can be found here. population growth to encourage consumers to take steps to use water more efficiently. 1. • Performance in sewer flooding, both inside The actual data submitted to CCW has been validated. CCW then normalised and outside the home, has declined, with the data based on year end connection incidents increasing over the last year by values, other organisations may publish 14% and 15% respectively. We want to see information which is normalised differently. companies taking a more proactive approach 2. Supply interruptions are measured to sewer flooding - building resilience into as the average supply interruption their wastewater systems to prevent incidents greater than 3 hours. from happening, rather than relying on 3. http://www.dwi.gov.uk/about/ responding well when it does occur. annual-report/2019/index.html 2 3 Water & Wastewater Resilience Report 2019/20 ccwater.org.uk Introduction Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water communicated In recent years it has been hard not to notice effectively and proactively with its the impact that climate change is having on the customers during Storms Ciara and weather and, as a consequence, on our water and Denis when it was faced with multiple wastewater services. We have recently experienced challenges in the provision of water how quickly the weather can change, from a and wastewater services, such as the long period of comparatively dry weather to one shutting down of key water supply of the wettest winters on record. February 2020 assets, localised flooding of communities, was the wettest on record4, with a number of and landslides. Most notably Dŵr large storms in quick succession followed by an Cymru managed to maintain supply, extremely dry Spring and the driest May on record whilst limiting interruptions and for England and Wales. Resilience is about being communicating effectively with the prepared for these extremes in weather patterns, community and vulnerable customers, and reacting quickly when they do happen. despite the extended period their water works was out of operation. The company received positive feedback from customers during the incident. respondents who were confident about the long- develop long-term resilience plans and carry term availability of supplies appear to be poorly out stress tests to ensure systems are resilient. informed about the state of water resources in the Looking back over the 2015-2020 price control United Utilities - Following damage UK. For example, they cite, as a reason for their period, there have been improvements to the water to a water main in the Eden Valley We expect companies to be able to cope with view, that it rains a lot, that they have never had any industry’s overall performance. Leakage, supply area of Cumbria, during storm Ciara the impact that climate change is having, to be problems or that they live near a river or reservoir. interruptions, internal sewer flooding and external in February 2020, the company used prepared for sudden changes, and to prevent People generally base their views on their lived sewer flooding have all seen reductions. However, its fleet of alternative supply vehicles disruptions to consumers’ water and wastewater experiences. If there is no problem with their the performance measure that remains one of to keep supplies running for as long services. In 2019-20, we have seen scenarios water supply, then they have no apparent need to the biggest challenges for companies is reducing as possible during repairs. Although where water companies have been able to inform themselves of the related issues. Companies personal water usage, which has actually seen a up to 8,000 households ultimately react and respond positively to incidents. need to understand what influences consumers’ 2% increase since 2015-16. With water shortages experienced a loss of supply for some Our annual Water Matters research - which tracks views and perceptions in this area if they are to more likely in the future, the water sector needs duration of time – the time they were off customers’ perceptions of the services they receive raise awareness of the challenges they face and to take significant and immediate action on this. supply was minimised, and interruptions - has shown that 74% of customers in England and what they are doing to address these. Companies were avoided entirely for a further 2020-21 will see the start of the new five-year Wales are confident that longer-term water supply need to engage meaningfully on these issues if 10,000 households. The company was price control period. Based on the companies’ will be available without restriction. We wanted they want to encourage their customers to take very proactive in delivering water, and performance commitments on leakage, water to gain a better understanding of customers’ positive steps to use water more efficiently. compensated customers as appropriate. views on this issue, so we also asked them why use and supply interruptions, we expect to see big 7 they feel the way they do. Many of the 74% of A report published in May 2020 by the National steps forward in resilience. With the performance Infrastructure Commission sets out that events commitment definitions changing for these causing widespread disruption and damage, same three metrics from 2020-21, this will be the such as the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018 and final year that we are able to make comparisons flooding during the winter of 2019-20, will between companies on the current definitions. only increase with climate change. The report We hope that going forward, the new definitions 4. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2020/2020-winter-february-stats