SES Water unveils plan to secure future water supplies
14/11/22
SES Water has launched a public consultation on how it plans to secure wholesome and reliable water supplies for its customers now and in the future.
The company, which supplies more than 745,000 people in parts of Surrey, West Sussex, Kent and south London, has published its draft Water Resources Management Plan.
The plan looks 50 years ahead and works out how much water will be needed to supply the area’s growing population, while also being ready for climate change and making sure the local environment is protected.
Its proposals focus on reducing the demand for water by tackling leaks and helping customers cut how much they use through the completion of a large-scale smart metering programme.
The actions the company plans to take includes:
- reducing leakage on water pipes even further – by at least 50 per cent by 2050, to minimise waste
- providing smart water meters to customers – this would be under a 12-year programme from 2025 to help give customers a much better understanding of how they use water and where they can look to use less
- helping households and businesses to use less water – by continuing to provide advice and practical support on easy ways to save water
- (after 2030) sharing more water with neighbouring companies – to help make water supplies across the region more resilient
- (after 2040) moving more water around the supply area – by increasing the amount of water that can be pumped from its Woodmansterne Treatment Works in Surrey to elsewhere in the supply area
- (after 2050) increasing how much water it can store – by increasing the capacity of Bough Beech Reservoir, so it could be used to store more water for when the company, or neighbouring water companies, need it
SES Water Wholesale Director, Tom Kelly, said: “Our plan focusses heavily on bringing down the demand for water by further reducing leakage from our own network and helping our customers use less in their homes and workplaces.
“We’re in an official seriously water-stressed area and currently have one of the highest water consumption rates in England – some 150 litres per person per day – so we know there is more we can do to help people reduce how much they use.
“Our plan has been shaped by the first ever regional water resources plan for the South East of England. This is to make sure the six water companies serving the area, including ourselves, are working in a fully joined-up way and are making the best use of the water we have across the region.
“Installing meters is an effective way to encourage people to use water more efficiently as they only pay for what they use. Smart meters help us have a more meaningful conversation with customers about how much water they use and what they can do to reduce their use even more. That’s why we are going to start installing them within the next year.
“At the heart of our proposals is the goal of providing communities we serve with an excellent service people can rely upon – to supply them with the water they need for daily life, while also protecting the environment. That’s why we’ve increased our focus on making our service even more resilient at dealing with both short-term events, like the drought we’re experiencing this year, and more long-term challenges.”
The public can have their say on the company’s draft Water Resources Management Plan through the public consultation that runs until Monday 20 February 2023. Visit: www.seswater.uk.engagementhq.com/draft-wrmp to read the consultation document and give feedback.
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