Thriving environment

Our business is intrinsically linked to the environment as we rely on it for our raw product, water. For this reason we do all we can to ensure there is a clean, resilient and sustainable supply available for current and future water customers whilst ensuring there is enough water available to support the needs of the environment too. Click 'Discover More' to find out more from our Head of Environment, Emma Goddard.

Low carbon sustainable business

We’re committed to playing our part to tackle the causes of climate change and transitioning to low-carbon operations, achieving net zero by 2030. Click ‘Discover more’ to find out more from our Carbon Strategy and Economic Manager, Matt Hersey.

Securing the future of water

Resilient water resources are needed to ensure we have enough water to supply our customers into the future, while ensuring enough remains in the environment so habitats can thrive. Click ‘Discover more’ to find out more from our Head of Water Resources, Nick Price.

Future ready business

Our people are dedicated to providing you with the best service possible, whether they’re out in the field searching for leaks, managing our operational sites, testing the quality of your water or answering your queries. Each and every person within the business is dedicated to delivering you the safe reliable tap water supply you expect. Click 'Discover more' to find out more from our Head of HR, Sian Jenkins.

Last updated 08-07-25

Preserving and enhancing the natural environment for both our customers, future customers and ourselves is extremely important to us.

The Water Industry National Improvement Programme is focused on enhancing the natural environment and for this measure between 2020 and 2025 we must deliver 65 improvement schemes.

This measure tracks the completion of required schemes in each year, as per the latest WINEP programme published by Defra and kept as a live programme by the Environment Agency.

Each year we will record whether we have ‘met’ or ‘not met’ that deadline. This new target is for us to reach all our deadlines.

All WINEP schemes will be included including those reported under other performance targets.

The performance target will measure against the latest WINEP tracker in the year in which performance is being reported. Therefore, performance for 2021/22 is reported based on the latest WINEP programme on 31 March 2022 and the schemes which have been delivered by this date.

How have we performed?

The 2024/25 year has been reported as ‘Not Met’. This is because two schemes were not delivered, nor were they signed off by the Environment Agency. These two schemes were:

  • Abstraction reductions related to our Itchel source –  We have not been able to apply for an abstraction licence variation to reduce abstraction because of outages at other sources due to pollution incidents. We are putting in treatment solutions at these other sources and, once completed, these will enable us to take the abstraction reductions at Itchel. 
  • The requirement to switch off a raw water transfer between Darwell Reservoir and Hazards Green Water Treatment Works, due to the risk of transferring Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS). Building additional resilience into the infrastructure required to replace the raw water main has led to delays in delivery. We are working closely with our regulators to explore additional monitoring and mitigation to minimise the risk from invasive species posed by the raw water transfer until the replacement schemes can be completed. 

Overall, for our bespoke WINEP ODI for the 2020/2025 period, we have delivered 58 schemes, with five schemes agreed to be extended into 2025/2026, and two schemes non-delivered (65 schemes in total).

Case Studies

Customers listening to a water treatment works tour

Giving customers a sneak peak behind-the-scenes

woman and child watering plants in garden with watering can

Showcasing our 25 Year Environment Plan