WET News

2 WET NEWS DECEMBER 2016 COMMENT "Dee Valley's existing owners will be laughing all the way to the bank" DECEMBER £5M How much Selwood has injected into its pump rental business this year. The ƒ rm is also opening two new branches to serve the South-west and Scotland. "I'm delighted to join Thames Water and proud to be given the opportunity to make a difference to a company that is so important to the economy of the region..." SSE's Brandon Rennet on being appointed Thames Water's new chief fi nance o cer. He takes up the role from next March. Atkins said its pipeline of work from water utility clients is healthy and it was appointed to the Thames Water Professional Services Framework, while strength- ening its position in water consultancy services with a number of other framework wins. Its comment came as the group reported its half-year results to Septem- ber 30, 2016. Turnover was £451.2M, and operating proƒ t was £39.4M. £452M £39M 2,500+ Amey is to use App developer CheckedSafe's software for daily digital compliance checks on its fleet of more than 2,500 commercial vehicles. Until now, the checks have been carried out on paper. £70M+ The value of Dee Valley Water, based on the bids of Severn Trent Water and Ancala. "Our metering programme continues to gain momentum and we're really pleased to have achieved this landmark figure " Thames Water head of metering Danny Leamon, on the company installing its 100,000th smart meter. "...they are very useful at providing us with evidence of how our assets are performing, and allowing us to view complex and vast areas such as coastlines" Andrew Bowen, head of wastewater assets, on Welsh Water's use of drones. 75yrs Yorkshire Water plans to utilise a new 'no dig' pipe lining system to increase the lifespan of its underground sewers and water mains by up to 75 years. The technology will save the ƒ rm around £1m by renewing large sections of its underground infrastructure without having to replace it. Let the water company bidding wars begin M anagement at Dee Valley Water must be rubbing their hands together with glee as the com- pany • nds itself i9n the middle of a bidding war (see front page) . As WET News went to press, Severn Trent Water and infrastructure investment manager Ancala were locking horns as each bid for Dee Valley Water. Ancala waded in • rst for the small Welsh company with a bid of more than £71M. Severn Trent then produced a bid of £78.5M, causing Ancala to come back with a higher oŒ er. Whatever happens, Dee Valley Water's existing owners will be laughing all the way to the bank. Get those entries in Being innovative and forward thinking is a matter of course these days. The water companies require contractors and suppliers to come up with the best technologies that are out there. However, it should not just be about technologies. There needs to be forward thinking in other areas as well – health and safety, training, customer service, partnerships. For instance, some companies think that putting up 'Sorry for the inconvenience' signs at streetworks is innovative. Really? Innovation is about the use of a better and novel idea. Doing something diŒ erent, rather than the same thing. So if your company is forward thinking and innovative, tell us about it and enter the Water Industry Achievement Awards (see front page). Best of luck! Funding must drive infrastructure innovation - CECA Civils contractors say there is a clear case for long-term commitment to innovation in the infrastructure sector. This is in the wake of the government's announcing that more funding is to be allocated to research and development for UK businesses. The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)'s innovation report and accompanying toolkit highlights what must be done collectively to ensure that the infrastructure industry bene• ts from innovation. This includes engaging with I3P, an innovation community that shares valuable ideas and opportunities across the industry through a culture of collaboration; and regulations and processes impacting the construction sector must work together to prioritise innovation in the supply chain. "As an industry we must work together to ensure that the delivery of infrastructure in the UK is to a world-class standard, and to do so we must establish a culture of innovation that is • t for the 21st century." Well said, CECA. A new operating plan for Northumbrian Water's Kielder Reservoir is to give it a role in protecting the Tyne Valley from £ ooding. Northumbrian Water, local MP Guy Opperman, the Environment Agency (EA) and Northumberland County Council (NCC) have outlined £ ood protection work that has been carried out over the past ten months. Part of this is a new operating plan for Kielder Reservoir, which can hold up to 200bn litres of water. The plan involves continuing to manage releases of water to the River North Tyne and providing increased storage within the reservoir by operating it at lower levels. During the winter months, the aim is to manage Kielder Reservoir at between 76% and 86% full, to provide increased £ ood storage. Northumbrian Water and the EA have reviewed historic reservoir level data to understand when best to reduce levels in Kielder Reservoir to provide additional £ ood water storage. Welcoming the development, Guy Opperman, said: "It is great news that we can use Kielder Reservoir as an ª New operating plan will see reservoir's water levels managed to provide increased flood storage. Kielder Reservoir becomes 'extra weapon' in flood defence extra weapon in our £ ood defences and relieve the £ ash £ ood burden on the North Tyne. This will make a signi• cant diŒ erence to water levels in the North Tyne and help to reduce impact downstream. Of course, it does not provide total protection, but it is a real help to know that several million tonnes of extra water will be stored in Kielder Reservoir due to this change in water levels in the reservoir." Northumbrian Water has also carried out a programme of CCTV surveys, cleansing and maintenance work on more than 4,000m of the sewer network in Corbridge, Haydon Bridge, Ovingham, Riding Mill and Warden. Will Robinson, water resources manager for Northumbrian Water, said: "Flooding has a devastating impact on communities and although we can never mitigate the risk of £ ooding completely we are taking all steps possible to reduce it. Kielder Reservoir has many important roles including providing a water supply to our customers in the North-east. "Following last winter's storms, we have also looked at how the £ ood risk to our customers living in the Tyne Valley can be reduced. We have worked with the Environment Agency and have agreed some changes which will provide additional £ ood water storage within Kielder Reservoir in the future." Since the £ ooding last winter, the EA has invested £3.2M in the North-east to repair damaged defences in readiness for winter. The EA has also identi• ed opportunities for investment in new defences, with initial assessments showing work to be bene• cial at Brigwood, Lipwood and Warden South. Projects have been put forward for development funding. Leila Huntington, North-east £ ood and coastal risk manager, said: "We welcome the proposal to operate Kielder to provide improved £ ood storage, which demonstrates how we can work together to identify new opportunities to reduce £ ood risk. "While the new storage at Kielder will not make a signi• cant diŒ erence in a scenario equivalent to Storm Desmond, it can contribute to reducing risk during smaller events, particularly on the North Tyne."

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