Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1029929
Databank www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | OCTOBER 2018 | 25 GOAL 4 SUPPLY INTERRUPTIONS Supply interruptions, largely brought about by burst mains, are among customers' greatest concerns, but the majority of companies saw an increase in the average minutes lost per property in the results for 2017-18, reflected in the overall increase to 22 minutes – more than double the 10 minutes and 48 seconds in 2016-17. The statistics are for the most part based on interrup- tions of at least three hours, although Thames Water measures interruptions greater than four hours, while Bristol Water – which saw a huge increase from 12 minutes and 34 seconds last year to 73 minutes and 42 seconds – measures interruptions of any duration, but only those that were unplanned. The latest statistics run from April 2017 to March 2018 and so take into account the 'Beast from the East', which affected every region in the country. Ofwat's 'Out in the Cold' report found that 204,744 customers experi- enced a supply interruption of four hours or longer, and around 60,000 customers experienced a supply inter- ruption lasting 12 hours or longer, and added: "While fewer than 3 per cent of all customers were affected, in absolute terms there were a significant number of people impacted for a long period of time. Some interruptions spanned several days and many customers who did not lose supply experienced low water pressure for prolonged periods." In light of its 'Beast from the East' report, the regulator announced a review propos- ing to "update and upli"" the level of compensation due to customers who lose supply, with Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher saying: "We know that customers rely on water like no other service and customers have told us of the profound impact it has on them, their families and their work when they do not have access." SUPPLY INTERRUPTIONS 13:48 2015-16 10:48 2016-17 22:00 2017-18 22:00 Average minutes lost per property per year, based on loss of supply events over three hours, for England and Wales from April 2017 to March 2018 (Source: Water UK) 54,611 Number of mains bursts in England and Wales from April 2017 to March 2018 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 Bournemouth Water 02:32 01:54 00:41 SES Water 06:18 04:23 03:14 Northumbrian Water 02:11 02:00 04:04 Hafren Dyfrdwy 05:13 21:00 04:12 Portsmouth Water 03:30 04:09 04:17 Yorkshire Water 12:53 09:47 06:58 Essex & Suffolk 05:01 03:05 07:22 Anglian Water 08:12 11:43 07:24 South Staffs inc. Cambridge Water 04:14 05:11 08:32 Severn Trent Water 11:10 10:08 10:17 Wessex Water 14:18 12:48 12:15 United Utilities 16:42 13:33 13:09 Southern Water 12:00 07:00 16:46 South West Water 25:08 13:16 22:08 Thames Water 15:32 10:40 28:54 Affinity Water 17:55 21:06 32:54 Dwr Cymru Welsh Water 21:44 12:09 43:17 South East Water 32:03 12:54 44:36 Bristol Water 15:52 12:34 75:59 Average minutes lost due to supply interruptions of three hours or more (per property served) for English and Welsh companies over last three years (Source: Water UK) Number of bursts in network per 1,000km of pipe English and Welsh water companies (average over last 3 years) Average minutes lost due to supply interrup- tions of three hours or more (per total properties served) across companies in England and Wales SES Water Portsmouth Water Bournemouth Water Hafren Dyfrdwy United Utilities Severn Trent Water Southern Water South Staffs inc. Cambridge Water Anglian Water Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Bristol Water Wessex Water South West Water Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Affinity Water South East Water Yorkshire Water Thames Water 63 87 97 104 110 112 124 127 128 132 152 153 157 159 164 185 185 253