Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1185716
Christine McGourty has been appointed as Water UK's new chief executive. She will join the water and sewerage industry's trade body on 16th December 2019 – the same day Ofwat will reveal its final determinations on PR19. McGourty is taking over from Michael Roberts, who is stepping down a er four years in the role. Tony Smith, chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), has announced that he is retiring from the watchdog a er more than 14 years at the helm. It will draw to a close a career spanning almost 30 years in the utilities and infrastructure sectors, with Smith guiding CCWater through three price reviews during his tenure. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has strengthened its water services operational team by appointing Dr Simon Earl as its new director for water services. Dr Earl, who currently serves as the operations director at South East Water, will join the company on 2nd April 2020 and will be part of Welsh Water's executive team. The Talk: December ROUND UP PEOPLE MOVES 4 | DECEMBER 2019 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk Engineers from Thames Water cleared a huge 40-tonne fatberg which was blocking a sewer in South London. The mass, which weighed the same as three red buses, was clogging up an underground sewer in Greenwich and was discovered earlier this year. Determined workers from Thames Water spent three weeks clearing the fatberg, using a combination of high-powered water jets to blast the blockage loose and removing the debris by hand. They pulled out tonnes of fat, grease and other material as they battled the fatberg, which at points had taken up 80% of the sewer's capacity. PR19 final determinations delayed due to election clash Ofwat has pushed back its announcement of final determinations for the 2019 price review until Monday 16 December because of the general election. The regulator's final assessment of water companies' plans for the 2020 to 2025 period was originally due to be published on 11 December – the day before the general election – and has been shi ed to comply with purdah protocols. Companies received the first determinations from the regulator in July for what has been widely called the toughest price review yet. The determinations will impact how much and where companies can invest money, the level at which bills are set and targets for customer service and leakage, among others over the next five years. A er the final determinations have been announced the companies have until April before the plans must be implemented. EA sets 2030 net zero emissions aim The Environment Agency has set itself the aim of becoming a net zero organisation by 2030. Meeting this goal, which is based on the internationally-recognised Science Based Target Initiative methodology, would see the Environment Agency go beyond what was set out in the Paris Climate Change Agreement. It will seek to meet the goal by reducing the emissions of its own activities and supply chain by 45%, with the remaining emissions addressed through tree planting or other measures. Ofwat chair's appointment extended by a year Jonson Cox's appointment as chair of Ofwat has been extended by one year. Cox has served as chair for Ofwat since November 2012. His appointment has been extended to 30 October 2021. BUS-SIZED FATBERG