By Basant El-Faramawy
Regulators have warned South West Water that its repeated failure to tackle leakage is putting customer supplies at greater risk as severe drought persists across parts of south-west England. In a joint letter dated 26 October, Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the privatised company, which serves 1.8 million people, that leakage stands 18.5% above forecast and has increased since the previous year.
Regulators' warning
The letter states that leakage of 113.5 million litres a day — equivalent to 45 Olympic swimming pools — is 5.7 million litres higher than last year and poses a risk to security of supply. The regulators said the company had failed to meet leakage reduction and burst pipe repair targets for seven years, and that the ongoing drought conditions amplify the risk to customers. They gave South West Water six weeks to submit an action plan to address the problem.
Drought conditions worsen
The warning came as the National Drought Group met on Thursday, with about 82% of England still in drought. Severe drought has been declared in parts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The Met Office says 120% of typical rainfall is needed over seven months to bring the country fully out of drought. Storage at Wimbleball reservoir, which supplies customers in east Devon, north Devon, Somerset and west Dorset, has fallen to 16%. Smaller South West Water reservoirs in Devon and Cornwall are also a concern.
Impact on communities
The continued severe drought affects about 325,000 people and thousands of businesses in Exeter and mid and east Devon. They face the prospect of regular supply cuts over the coming weeks and months, which could lead to school closures and economic losses. South West Water has urged households in those areas to reduce usage, but the regulators noted the company does not acknowledge how its own leakage contributes to the risk of outages.
Company response
South West Water's drought programme director, Richard Stanbrook, said recent rainfall had a positive impact on water resources, though pressure on supplies remains significant. He said the company is repairing leaks, moving water around its network and taking every practical step to strengthen supplies and reduce losses.
Local leader criticism
Julian Brazil, leader of Devon County Council, said households and businesses had been told to save water due to dry weather, but now learn the company has been warned for seven years about leakage failures. He criticised the firm for polluting bathing waters, losing nearly one in five litres of water, and paying billions in dividends to shareholders while customers pay the highest bills in the nation.
Government reforms
The warning coincides with the government's announcement of eight new regional water councils to bring local leaders, customers and businesses together to set priorities for water companies and shape billions of pounds of investment in water and flood infrastructure. Local leaders have been asked to submit proposals for running the new bodies by the end of the year.
