Water Industry Pledges Support for Supply Chain
Apr 22, 2020
The importance of the water industry supplier community, and the steps being taken to protect it during the Covid-19 pandemic, were under discussion at British Water’s weekly video conference with members. The Better Together meetings, hosted by chief executive, Lila Thompson, are providing support to British Water members during the crisis.
Some 65 participants at the meeting on 3 April heard from South West Water chief executive and British Water chair Chris Loughlin, Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher, the Environment Agency’s Toby Willison, and Water UK’s Sam Larson, as well as other senior leaders from the industry and supply chain.
Speaking from a utility perspective, Loughlin said: “Looking after and protecting the supply chain is one of our top priorities. We absolutely, essentially, need the supply chain to be there when we come out of this. We need to protect the skills and expertise that are integral to the industry’s whole delivery mechanism.”
He added that steps were already being taken by water companies to put in place a framework for payments to suppliers to support them. “We’re trying to develop a protocol, some principles, on how well we maintain cashflows going to the supply chain. This is absolutely in our minds.”
Other issues discussed on the call included:
- Ofwat’s understanding of the need for water companies to rethink spending priorities in light of the crisis
- The regulator’s pride in how the industry has stepped forward to support vulnerable customers and those who will struggle to pay their bills
- What individual companies are doing to support employees, customers and the communities they serve
- The importance of communication between water companies and the supply chain, based on openness, transparency and collaborative working
- The need to applaud the supply community for keeping our assets maintained and operated, along with other key workers
- How the industry is maintaining the momentum of important projects, and how to progress those that are currently on hold
Thompson said: “British Water recognises that its members, partners and stakeholders are having to make difficult decisions at this time. We want to assure you that we are proactively taking steps to support your businesses in a number of ways, including our Friday video calls with senior leaders on the impact of Covid-19 on the sector.
“We are seeing an increase in numbers joining the calls and I am receiving great feedback. I would encourage all members to join us so they can voice their concerns and hear valuable insight, advice and guidance from industry peers.”
About British
Water British Water is the lead representative and business development organisation for the UK water industry supply chain.
More News and Articles
Apr 24, 2024
News
Sustainable drainage solutions: German Start-up transforms urban water management.
Germany boasts a well-established infrastructure for managing rainwater and wastewater, yet many developing countries lack such systems. Addressing this gap, …
Apr 22, 2024
News
HDD tooling that gets the job done
Horizontal directional drilling is a dynamic process that constantly changes and adapts to suit a range of applications across utilities and infrastructure. Operators looking to get the most from their equipment …
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Maintaining aging potable water pipe infrastructure is a constant challenge …
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation …
Apr 15, 2024
News
Spotlight on gender diversity at Pipe Core
Since founding in 2008, Pipe Core’s team has grown across all areas of the business and is now in a position where there are more females than males across the organisation. Research published in Harvard …
Apr 12, 2024
News
New Wave of Startups Scale Innovation to Solve Global Water Challenges
Innovators from Around the World Join Xylem’s 2024 Accelerator Program to Deploy Breakthrough Innovations for Utilities and Industrial Users of Water
A new group of startups …
Apr 08, 2024
News
Integrated sustainable electricity and clean drinking water systems
Altitude Water and New Use Energy Solutions have partnered to create integrated, mobile solar-plus-water generation systems that produce sustainable electricity and clean drinking …
Apr 05, 2024
News
How to Evaluate Hydraulic Fracture Risk in HDD Design
The design of horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations often requires an evaluation of the potential for hydraulic fracture of the soil layers through which an HDD passes. Evaluating …
Apr 02, 2024
News
Historic Project Linking Rome and Vatican City Uses Advanced Technology and Local Knowledge to Keep Water Flowing
Relocation of Major Sewer Infrastructure Enables Construction of Pedestrian Link for 35 Million Visitors to the 2025 Jubilee
Water …
Mar 27, 2024
News
USU Study Looks at Water Main Break Rates in the U.S. and Canada
Report Highlights Correlation Between Material and Diameter
Utah State University (USU) has published new research on water main breaks in the United States and Canada, examining …
Mar 26, 2024
News
Update BE-21: New Material in Course and Modules on Trenchless Pipe Installation
Online training on the topic of pipeline installation in civil engineering: Trenchless technology for underground drainage construction can be a resource-efficient, …
Mar 25, 2024
Article
Bacteria as a new weapon in wastewater treatment
In early November, San Diego based startup Aquacycl officially opened its first European office and test center at the Water Campus in Leeuwarden. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) …
Contact
British Water
Lila Thompson
Chief Executive
1-45 Durham St
SE11 5JH London
United Kingdom
Phone:
+44 20 3567 0950