Anglian Water

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Anglian Water Services Limited
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Water industry
Founded1989
Headquarters Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Area served
East of England
Key people
  • Ros Rivaz (Chair);
  • Mark Thurston (CEO);
Products
Production output
  • 1.1 Gl/day (drinking)
  • 0.9 Gl/day (recycled)
Revenue
  • Decrease2.svg £1,351.8 million (2020-2021)
  • £1,419.9 million (2019-2020)
  • Decrease2.svg £391.6 million (2020-2021)
  • £399.1 million (2019-2020)
  • Increase2.svg £98.8 million (2020-2021)
  • £(76.8) million (2019-2020)
Number of employees
5,000 [1]
Parent AWG
Website anglianwater.co.uk

Anglian Water Services Limited [2] is a water company that operates in the East of England. It was formed in 1989 under the partial privatisation of the water industry. It provides water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment to the area formerly the responsibility of the Anglian Water Authority. The remaining functions of the authority were transferred to the Environment Agency. Anglian Water is regulated under the United Kingdom Water Industry Act 1991.

Contents

Supply area

Anglian Water supplies drinking water to all or parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire and Suffolk. [3]

Anglian Water provides drainage and sewerage to a wider area, stretching from the Humber in the north to the River Thames in the south, including the Great Ouse and a small part of Greater London around Upminster.

Corporate information

Anglian Water Services Limited is a private limited company that provides the majority of Anglian Water branded services and utilities and is registered in England and Wales with company number 2366656. [2]

Campaigners have questioned the morality of Anglian Water paying the highest dividends of any water company in England - £4.6bn - when the cash should be spent on improving. This was between the period 2012 and 2022.

Customer service

Anglian Water came joint first in the qualitative 'Satisfaction by company' league table for water and sewerage companies in Ofwat's Service Incentive Mechanism Annual Report 2012/13, [4] having ranked fourth in the same survey in 2011/12 [5] and fifteenth in 2010/11 [6]

Campaigns

Keep It Clear

The Anglian Water "Keep It Clear" campaign aimed to reduce sewer blockages in the region caused by fats, oils, grease and unflushable items like baby wipes. The campaign also worked with community leaders to inform the public and offered free sink strainers to stop food waste going down drains. Following a seven-week trial in Peterborough, blockages fell by more than 80 per cent. The model is now being rolled out to other "hotspot" towns and cities in the region. [7] [ when? ]

Drop 20

The "Drop 20" campaign encouraged the public to lower their water consumption by 20 litres (4+12 imp gal) per day to reduce the energy needed to deliver water and upkeep infrastructure. Anglian's reasoning behind the campaign was to reduce their environmental impact and for water conservation, as the region is quite dry in comparison to other areas of the country. The company commented:

"Where there's water, there's carbon – and quite a bit of it. Every bath, flush or glug has CO2 built into it, thanks to all the processes it takes to get it to the tap. So using less water is good news for the planet. It's good news for us too, because it's our job to keep supplies flowing to over 6 million customers in this dry region." [8]

Operations

As of 2006, it provided water for 2.6 million properties in a supply area of 10,600 square miles (27,500 km2). [9] In 1997 Anglian took over Hartlepool Water.[ citation needed ]

In August 2024, Anglian Water proposed to spend £5 billion constructing two major reservoirs, one located 30 miles (48 km) miles north of Cambridge between Chatteris and March, the other 30 miles (48 km) miles south of Lincoln. [10]

Anglian Water Leisure

Anglian operates several reservoirs, including Rutland Water, Grafham Water, Alton Water, Pitsford Water, Ravensthorpe and Taverham Mill. A separate leisure division of the company was formed to promote the use of these facilities for recreational use. Activities provided include water sports, fishing, bird watching, cycling and walking.

Performance

Leakage

In 2012/13 Anglian Water's leakage rate was 4.97m3/km/day; compared to 5.26m3/km/day in 2011/12, 6.10m3/km/day in 2010/11, 5.62m3/km/day in 2009/10, 5.60m3/km/day in 2008/09 and 2007/08. [11]

Drinking water quality

Drinking water quality in 2012 was 99.96%, as in 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2007. In 2008 it was 99.98%. [11]

Environmental record controversies

Anglian Water states that it has a "commitment to the environment" and takes its "responsibility as a custodian of the environment very seriously." [12] Compliance failures have, however, caused it to be described by the Environment Agency as a "repeat offender" regarding pollution. [13] [14] [15] Instances include:

In November 2023, following Conservative Party MP Steve Barclay's appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in a Cabinet Reshuffle, Anglian Water found itself as the subject of conflict of interest allegations, after it was revealed that Barclay's wife, Karen Barclay, was Head of Public Affairs for the water firm, and later its Head of Regional Engagement. It was later confirmed that Mr Barclay had correctly disclosed his wife's job on the most recent List of Ministers' Interests. [46]

Health and safety record

On 18 December 2015, Anglian Water Services Limited (AWSL) was fined £400,000 with costs of £41,711 after pleading guilty to breaches of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Luton Crown Court heard three workers were injured in two separate incidents at its water recycling centres in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and Saffron Walden, Essex. The court also heard Anglian Water Services Ltd had four previous prosecutions by HSE, the most recent in 2010, 2004 and 1997. An improvement notice was served on AWSL following a fall from a height accident in 2007. [47]

References

  1. "Who we are". Anglian Water. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Anglian Water Services Limited overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. 1 April 1989. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. "About us".
  4. "Service Incentive Mechanism report 2012" (PDF). Ofwat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  5. "Service Incentive Mechanism report 2011" (PDF). Ofwat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  6. "Service Incentive Mechanism report 2010" (PDF). Ofwat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  7. Fox, Nicolette (30 May 2012). "Anglian Water helping drain strain". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  8. "Why Drop 20? | How you can help | Environment | Anglian Water". Anglian Water. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  9. Anglian Water Services website Archived 16 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Morby, Aaron (8 August 2024). "Contractor consultation starts on £5bn reservoir building plan". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Annual Report and Accounts 2013" (PDF). Anglian Water. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  12. "Our commitment to the environment". Anglian Water. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
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  18. Jury, Louise (16 July 1993). "Muddying the waters". The Guardian . Manchester. ProQuest   293441822.
  19. Ryan, Sean; Reeve, Simon (8 January 1995). "Waterfirms top league of polluters". The Times . London. p. 1. ProQuest   318235852.
  20. "Polluter fined". The Daily Telegraph . London. 21 February 1997. p. 9. ProQuest   317647255.
  21. "Oil On Water Trouble". Daily Mirror . London. 28 February 1997. p. 2. ProQuest   337877900.
  22. Muir, Huir (28 July 2000). "Ken says Tube bid firms are 'scum'". Evening Standard . London. p. 1. ProQuest   29298004.
  23. "Water firm fined £10,000". Birmingham Post . Birmingham. 6 January 1999. p. 8. ProQuest   326472025.
  24. "Firm fined over manure in water". The Independent . London. 9 February 1999. p. 4. ProQuest   312828907.
  25. Houlder, Vanessa (22 March 1999). "ICI Chemicals tops league table for pollution fines". Financial Times . London. p. 7. ProQuest   48234166.
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  27. "Premier Oil court case adjourned". The Independent . London. 6 September 2001. p. 16. ProQuest   312000604.
  28. "Anglian Water fined £21,000". The Independent . London. 6 September 2001. p. 16. ProQuest   312000523.
  29. 1 2 Arthur, Charles (1 August 2003). "Fury as water firm's £200,000 fine for pollution is slashed". The Independent . London. p. 6. ProQuest   312239571.
  30. Beard, Matthew (25 July 2002). "Water companies and farms singled out as Britain's worst polluters". The Independent . London. p. 2. ProQuest   312076909.
  31. 1 2 "Water company fined for sea pollution". BBC News . 20 February 2003. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  32. Penman, Andrew; Greenwood, Michael; Dennis, Guy (25 June 2003). "Polluters raise stink". Daily Mirror . London. p. 32. ProQuest   39060599.
  33. "Red faces over green offences". The Independent on Sunday . London. 27 July 2003. p. 2. ProQuest   336898904.
  34. Penman, Andrew; Greenwood, Michael; Dennis, Guy (31 July 2003). "You dirty rats: Polluters laugh off puny fines". Daily Mirror . London. p. 50. ProQuest   339086551.
  35. Penman, Andrew; Greenwood, Michael (22 June 2004). "Anglian Water Services". Daily Mirror . London. p. 41. ProQuest   339301788.
  36. Penman, Andrew; Greenwood, Michael (27 July 2004). "Cleansing in a mess". Daily Mirror . London. p. 39. ProQuest   339401140.
  37. Sherwood, Bob (6 November 2009). "Watchdog urges tougher fines for polluters". Financial Times . London. ProQuest   229293640.
  38. Farrington, Joshua (28 July 2010). "Anglian Water's £55,000 penalty: Utility firm fined for sewage leak". Brentwood Gazette. Brentwood. p. 1. ProQuest   732449796.
  39. Smith, Sam (12 January 2011). "Firm fined £35k for sewage leak that killed fish". Brentwood Gazette. Brentwood. p. 13. ProQuest   835104396.
  40. Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; Foggo, Daniel (15 May 2011). "League table exposes worst water polluters". Sunday Times . London. p. 16. ProQuest   866475670.
  41. "Power cut causes leak of sewage into river". Brentwood Gazette. Brentwood. 17 August 2011. p. 3. ProQuest   883832301.
  42. "Stream polluted by water board". Lincolnshire Echo . Lincoln. 1 December 2011. p. 35. ProQuest   907124788.
  43. Peace, Richard (17 October 2012). "Anglian Water fined for pollution". East Anglian Daily Times . Ipswich. ProQuest   1112299422.
  44. Hamilton, Jessica (9 March 2013). "Sewage spill put beauty spot at risk". Eastern Daily Press . Norwich. ProQuest   1315265953.
  45. "Anglian Water fined £300,000 after pump failure kills fish". The Construction Index. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  46. Stephens, John (14 November 2023). "Exclusive: New Tory environment chief Steve Barclay is married to exec of sewage-dumping water firm". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  47. "Water supplier fined after three maintenance workers injured". UK: Health and Safety Executive. 18 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.