United Utilities seeks views on future direction

WATER giant United Utilities is seeking business and domestic customers’ views as its plots its course for the next 25 years.

The Warrington-based group says it expects to be challenged by a number of issues over the period to 2040, including climate change, a growing population and regulatory reform.
 
The company, created in 1995 by the combination of the privatised North West Water and NORWEB, says it expects it will have to supply 500,000 more people in the region by 2040.

Steve Fraser, managing director of United Utilities, said: “We’ve worked with environmental agencies, weather experts, local authorities and our own customers to examine in detail all possible factors that influence how much water the region will have, how much it will need and how wastewater can be best taken care of over the coming years.

“Although we’ve got a growing population demand for water is actually going down. However, climate change means there is less water available and in order to achieve ecological sustainability we need to take less water out of the resources we do have.

“Together with keeping bills affordable and ensuring waste-water services can cope, it is a very detailed balancing act that requires long term planning.”

With competition being introduced to the water supply market for business users over the next few years – there are no plans to introduce this for households – UU says it wants to be a major player in the national market.

The plan also looks too at the possibility that the water-rich North West could export surplus water to dryer parts of the country, though the company stresses that this region’s needs would always be given priority first.

More than 13,000 North West residents have already helped shape the 25 year strategy but United Utilities is keen to receive further feedback.

Stakeholders and members of the public have until the end of this month to have their say. For details on how to reply, visit unitedutilities.com/future .