SOUTHERN WATER, SOUTH EAST WATER & PORTSMOUTH WATER STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOPS - ISLE OF WIGHT, SUSSEX, KENT & HAMPSHIRE
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SOUTHERN WATER, SOUTH EAST WATER & PORTSMOUTH WATER STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOPS ISLE OF WIGHT, SUSSEX, KENT & HAMPSHIRE JUNE & JULY 2019 ©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 0
CONTENTS CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 3 WORKSHOP ONE: STAKEHOLDERS’ AREAS OF INTEREST ...................................................... 7 WORKSHOP TWO: REDUCING CONSUMPTION THROUGH BEHAVIOUR CHANGE ................ 11 WORKSHOP THREE: SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS ................. 25 WORKSHOP FOUR: BUILDING A SOCIAL CONTRACT .............................................................. 33 WORKSHOP FIVE: YOUR PLEDGE .............................................................................................. 43 APPENDIX I: ATTENDEES ............................................................................................................. 44 APPENDIX II: EVENT FEEDBACK ................................................................................................. 46 ©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 1
INTRODUCTION
In June and July 2019, Southern Water hosted a series of four stakeholder workshops
across its region. The workshops took place in the Isle of Wight (17 June), Sussex (27 June),
Kent (28 June) and Hampshire (15 July). The Sussex and Kent workshops were co-hosted
with South East Water, and Southern Water partnered with Portsmouth Water for the
Hampshire workshop.
The workshops were aimed at gathering feedback from the companies’ stakeholders on the following
topics:
• Achieving a resilient water future – reducing consumption through behaviour change
• Collaboration to benefit all – supporting customers in vulnerable situations
• Succeeding together – building a social contract.
The workshops also included Q&A sessions, which were hosted by Ian McAulay, Chief Executive of
Southern Water, who was joined by South East Water and Portsmouth Water representatives at the
joint events. Stakeholders were also invited to visit four information stands during breaks in the
programme, where they could talk to staff from the water companies and ask questions. The stands
had the following themes: Have your say with your local operations team; Southern Water’s work in
the community; Protecting the environment; Leakage and distribution; and the Drainage & Wastewater
Management Plan.
The workshops took place at the Lakeside Park Hotel in Ryde; the American Express Community
Stadium (the Amex) in Brighton; the Hilton in Maidstone; and the Macdonald Botley Park Hotel & Spa
in Southampton. All the events ran from 10am to 1.30pm and consisted of four presentations given by
senior members of staff from Southern Water and the co-hosting water companies. Each presentation
was followed by a round-table discussion session. In order to garner quantitative feedback, attendees
were also asked to complete a number of feedback forms after the discussions.
Southern Water instructed EQ Communications (EQ), a specialist stakeholder engagement
consultancy, to independently facilitate the workshops and to take notes of the comments made by
stakeholders.
Every effort has been made to faithfully record the feedback given. In order to encourage candour and
open debate, comments have not been attributed to individuals. Instead, all comments have been
ascribed to the type of organisation that each stakeholder represents.
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
WORKSHOP ONE: STAKEHOLDERS’ AREAS OF INTEREST
WORKSHOP ONE PRESENTERS
Isle of Wight Ian McAulay, Chief Executive Officer at Southern Water
Sussex Ian McAulay and Steve George, Customer Services Director (South East Water)
Kent Ian McAulay and David Hinton, Asset & Regulation Director (South East Water)
Hampshire Ian McAulay and Bob Taylor, CEO at Portsmouth Water
The presentation for this workshop session can be found here on slides 3–16.
• The stakeholders who attended the workshops came from a range of backgrounds and many
had worked with the water companies in the past. Most were keen to learn more about the topic
areas up for discussion, including supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances and
reducing water consumption through behaviour change.
• Many of the stakeholders in attendance represented local authorities. Their primary area of
concern related to the impact of planned new homes. It was widely felt that water companies
should have more say in the planning process, both in regard to the location of new homes and
in terms of ensuring that building regulations encourage water efficiency and water reuse.
• It was felt that challenges facing the region such as climate change and population growth could
only be addressed through collaboration between water companies and other relevant third
parties, including local authorities, NGOs and housing developers.
WORKSHOP TWO: REDUCING CONSUMPTION THROUGH BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
WORKSHOP TWO PRESENTERS
Isle of Wight Ben Earl, Water Efficiency Manager, and Nick Price, Water Resources
Planning Manager, both from Southern Water
Sussex Ben Earl, Nick Price and Lee Dance, Water Resources Planning Manager
(South East Water)
Kent Ben Earl, Nick Price and Lee Dance
Hampshire Ben Earl, Nick Price and Steve Morley, Regulation Manager (Portsmouth
Water)
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 3
The presentation for this workshop session can be found here on slides 19–47.
• Although stakeholders were keen to see more investment in infrastructure to address the
challenges that water companies are facing, they also accepted that reducing consumption
through behaviour change is vital.
• At all four workshops, stakeholders pointed to education as the best way to encourage
behaviour change, particular in terms of engaging with young people through schools.
• While some people were in favour of introducing tariffs, including variable tariffs, there appeared
to be more support for consumer incentives as a way of promoting behaviour change, with
several stakeholders commenting that community rewards could be particularly effective.
• It was felt that the key to reducing usage lies in improving customers’ knowledge of water
consumption. Smart meters were seen as the best way to do this, and home visits were also
seen as key in terms of raising awareness.
WORKSHOP THREE: SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS
WORKSHOP THREE PRESENTERS
Isle of Wight Stuart Bailey, Vulnerability Liaison Officer at Southern Water
Sussex Rachel Ryan-Crisp, Affordability & Vulnerability Lead (Southern Water),
and Andy Clowes, Head of Customer Insight and Strategy (South East
Water)
Kent Rachel Ryan-Crisp and Andy Clowes
Hampshire Rachel Dixon, Customer Support Advisor (Portsmouth Water)
The presentation from this workshop session can be found here on slides 49–62.
• Stakeholders were generally of the view that water companies should do more to promote the
Priority Services Register (PSR) and the other financial and non-financial support that is
available.
• It was commented that a range of issues prevent some customers from taking advantage of the
support that is available. This includes the perceived stigma of the term ‘vulnerable’ as well as
issues relating to transient vulnerability and data sharing between organisations.
• It was felt that the best way to overcome these challenges was through collaboration,
particularly with trusted third parties such as local authorities, parish councils and the charity
sector.
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 4
WORKSHOP FOUR: BUILDING A SOCIAL CONTRACT
WORKSHOP FOUR PRESENTERS
Isle of Wight Ian McAulay, Chief Executive Officer (Southern Water)
Sussex Ian McAulay and Steve George, Customer Services Director (South East Water)
Kent Ian McAulay and David Hinton, Asset & Regulation Director (South East Water)
Hampshire Ian McAuley and Ian Limb, Head of HR at Portsmouth Water
The presentation for this session can be found here on slides 64–74.
• There was a good deal of support for the idea of water companies producing a social charter.
Going above and beyond what is expected to deliver wider societal benefits rather than just
existing to maximise profits for shareholders was seen as a good way of addressing customer
mistrust of large utilities.
• Stakeholders acknowledged that a social contract should be bilateral or multilateral in order to
be truly effective, which required customers and third parties, as well as water companies, to
hold up their side of the bargain.
• Stakeholders were particularly keen to see water companies acting as custodians of the
environment and there was a good deal of support for the concept of environmental
enhancement, rather than just environmental protection, forming part of a social contract.
• It was felt that initiatives that promote staff well-being and benefit communities should be
included in a social contract. It was suggested that staff should be given a certain number of
days per year for volunteering or promoting relevant initiatives such as Southern Water’s Target
100, which would help to build trust.
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 5
EVENT FEEDBACK
After the workshop, stakeholders were asked to complete a short feedback form about the event. Some
of the key findings are shown below:
• 46% of attendees reported that they found the workshop ‘very interesting’, with 51% opting for
‘interesting’.
• 96% ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that they had the opportunity to make their points and ask
questions.
• 81% ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that the right topics were covered for them on the day.
• 54% thought EQ Communications’ facilitation was ‘very good’, with 43% opting for ‘good’.
• 98% of stakeholders wanted to receive Southern Water’s post-event report and to be invited to
similar events in the future.
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 6WORKSHOP ONE: STAKEHOLDERS’ AREAS OF INTEREST SUMMARY The presenters outlined their companies’ roles, explaining that Southern Water provides both water and wastewater services to more than 4.6 million people while South East Water and Portsmouth Water provide drinking water to 2.2 million customers and over 300,000 homes respectively. They then talked attendees through some of the challenges the companies are facing, including climate change, water scarcity and the level of population growth expected in the region. For a full list of the presenters over the four events, turn to page 3. Stakeholders were then given a summary of the companies’ Business Plans (2020–2025), with the presenters explaining how these had been informed by stakeholder feedback and customer satisfaction surveys. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session, after which stakeholders were asked to introduce themselves to the rest of their table and briefly explain their reasons for attending the workshop. Stakeholders from a range of backgrounds were in attendance. Across the workshops, 42% were there to represent borough, district and county councils either as officers or elected members. While stakeholders shared common areas of interest across the workshops, each workshop elicited local concerns and interests; in Hampshire, for example, stakeholders were primarily concerned with wastewater and flooding issues, while Isle of Wight stakeholders were interested in how Southern Water’s plans would fit in with the island’s goals to become environmentally self-sustainable. Concern about the impact of new housing on water resilience was a common thread running through the four workshops, with stakeholders pointing to local examples of planned developments. Stakeholders’ concerns centred around the strain that these new homes would place on the sewerage and water supply systems, the need for new infrastructure, and the impact of building homes on flood plains. At more than one workshop, stakeholders expressed their surprise that water companies are not statutory consultees on planning applications, and there were widespread calls across all the workshops for Southern Water to take a more active role in the planning process through a change in legislation. In addition, it was widely thought that water companies should lobby for changes to building regulations and work alongside local authorities to influence housing developers to include water efficiency and water reuse measures in new homes. Across all four events, a significant number of stakeholders had an interest in environmental matters and sustainability, raising issues from water recycling to wildlife protection. Stakeholders often alluded to local environmental issues, such as nitrates in the Solent and the Itchen, and were keen to work in ©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 7
collaboration with water companies on issues such as catchment management, flood prevention and
reducing pollution incidents.
The need for greater collaboration and partnership was a recurring theme across all four events, and
it was seen as positive that the joint workshops reflected a spirit of collaboration. It was felt that water
companies should collaborate with relevant partners, including local authorities and housing
developers, with a view to increasing water resilience and addressing some of the many challenges
that the region is facing, particularly with regard to water scarcity and population growth.
Stakeholders also attended because they were keen to learn more about some of the specific initiatives
that Southern Water are involved in, such as schemes aimed at helping people in vulnerable
circumstances or lowering water consumption through behavioural change.
1) What is your role and why have you attended today?
Isle of Wight
• “I work very closely with Southern Water, amongst other partners. We host round-table
discussions to address water supply quality issues. We also work with mainland teams across
catchments to identify problems pre-emptively.” Voluntary group
• “I work a lot with flood risk, catchments, resources, [etc.]. I’ve been a consultee on Southern
Water plans.” Council officer
• “I’m involved with planning issues in Ryde. I’m concerned with population growth, particularly
in Ryde, where we’re looking at over 10,000 houses being built. This implies issues with
sewage.” Local councillor
• “I’m an assistant manager of a trust on the Isle of Wight which was originally set up to reduce
the carbon footprint here. However, we have now moved on to working with people in fuel
poverty, meaning that we go into residents’ homes, helping them with their bills and with
reducing their water use. I want to find out what we can do to help.” Environmental group
• “I work for Portsmouth City Council. I’m interested in the nitrate situation, so I’d like to be able
to find out more about what you’re doing in this area.” Local councillor
• “I’m a chief officer for Citizens Advice, which helps people with issues relating to difficulties in
paying bills and resources. I’m here to see how we can help further.” Community group
• “I want to know what’s going to happen to improve existing infrastructure and see what we can
do to safeguard water supplies.” Parish councillor
• “I want to understand how we deliver a more strategic vision around water management. I’m
very interested in your work in catchments.” Environmental group
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 8Sussex
• “The water companies are still not a statutory consultee. It’s crazy: we’ve been talking about
that for 30 years. It’s wrong. It needs to change. I’m here to make that point.” Environmental
group
• “A huge number of houses have been put into our parish, and we’re worried about the sewage.
It was running at capacity, they’ve found more capacity somehow, but more and more houses
are coming. I’m here to talk about this.” Parish councillor
• “I’m here to look at the future infrastructure needs that will underpin growth and development.
I’m also interested in the future of farming. In my local authority, we have an influence on
residents in the city and want to make the city more water resilient. We want to collaborate with
you all.” Council officer
• “I’m a local consumer advocate. I took on the role because I was concerned about the level of
infrastructure investment. I’m supportive of the water efficiency measures, but I think we should
be investing in the future to capture more water in the winter.” Business representative
• “As the Chairman of The Rivers Trust, my interest today is that I see Southern Water as our
main partner in taking our own developments forward. What we do with our rivers is completely
linked with Southern Water’s future plans.” Charity
• “I’m a catchment coordinator, and we have a partnership for various organisations like The
Rivers Trust, Southern Water and South East Water, as well as councils, and we come together
with ideas of how to put projects in place, get funding and improve the local water environment.”
Environmental group
• “I work in a flood risk management team; we’re a statutory consultee for planning applications
on a local level. We work closely with the Environment Agency.” Voluntary group
Kent
• “I’m a newly elected Green Party councillor. Everyone is asking about the infrastructure for new
houses.” Local councillor
• “I’m from the Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the Kent Resilience Forum. We do emergency
planning. I did the water disruption plan for the county. I’m interested in the state of collaborative
working and how we can improve to support the industry. As the fire service, we use water in
our work, so we’re looking to improve our services.” Voluntary group
• “I’m head of assets at a local authority, with a background in building control. I will be charged
at Dover with an emerging green agenda and how we deal with that. Planning is as important
as delivery. We’re building houses, and we could build more. We’re already thinking about
energy in terms of carbon during building. Water consumption is the other half of the story. So,
I’m here for intelligence gathering.” Council officer
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 9• “I work for an NGO on water efficiency across the UK, and I’m here to see what Southern Water
are doing with water efficiency and reducing per capita consumption.” Environmental group
• “I’m the emergency planning officer for my council, and I’m concerned about future water
resilience, particularly in my area with all these new developments being planned.” Council
officer
• “I sit on water company focus groups in the region to give input on the planning process. I work
with local authorities on major new developments. Currently, we’re looking into implementing a
recycled water system in a large new development. We are also looking at integrated solutions
for water, wastewater and flood management.” Council officer
Hampshire
• “I’m here on behalf of the Consumer Council for Water. I’m interested in resilience in terms of
knowledge, the planning that has already been done, the wider network and best practices.
I’m also interested in consumer experience and consumer knowledge of environmental
issues.” Community group
• “A lot of people are concerned about storm water discharges and the effect on wildlife. There
can also be issues with debris and gunk stemming from this. People seem to be very happy
with Portsmouth Water, but less so with Southern Water.” Local councillor
• “I'm an ecologist, heavily involved in the work for licence reductions and water resource
planning for the next five years, and I’m also interested in the social contract element of today,
thinking about issues of trust and how we promote and encourage behavioural change.”
Environmental group
• “I'm on the flood management team; we are the local flood authority for water management
and flooding, and I'm especially interested in the issue of resilience." Council officer
• "I'm a parish councillor and leader of opposition but I'm independent and fairly green. At Itchen
Navigation, our nitrate levels are really bad. There are also concerns about sewage going into
the river." Local councillor
• “I’m a farmer. I’m quite concerned about the future of the River Meon. There are plans to build
6,000 new houses in Fareham. The River Meon won’t be able to cope with this change.”
Business representative
• “We are a Southern Water customer, and I suppose my burning interest is our manufacturing
sites, but also improving the water efficiency of our sites. We’re a watercress producer, based
in and around Dorset and Hampshire.” Business representative
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 10WORKSHOP TWO: REDUCING CONSUMPTION THROUGH BEHAVIOUR CHANGE SUMMARY The presentation began with an update on water resources in the region and an explanation of the challenges that the water companies are facing. The presentation then focused on the companies’ plans for the region, including initiatives to develop a multi-sector regional resilience plan by 2022, to be delivered through company Water Resources Management Plans. The presentation then moved on to initiatives that encourage consumers to reduce their water consumption. It was explained that the water companies are proposing to achieve this ambition through behaviour change campaigns such as incentives, home visits and smart metering, as well as new infrastructure such as the Havant Thicket reservoir. The presenters also outlined partnerships that aim to encourage consumers to reduce their water usage, such as Water for Life and Southern Water’s campaign to include labelling on products to show their water consumption. The names of the presenters for this workshop can be found on page 3. When stakeholders were asked about the companies’ current strategies for water resources, it became clear that there were mixed views. Nearly half of stakeholders (49%) agreed that the current strategy is effective and appropriate, although it should be noted that 38% described their opinion as ‘neutral’. There was strong support for the companies’ work to reduce average per capita consumption, with several stakeholders giving examples of small behavioural changes that could make a difference and expressing support for initiatives such as Target 100. However, a number of stakeholders felt that targeting businesses, particularly SMEs, rather than individuals would make the strategy more efficient. Most stakeholders were strongly in favour of water companies coordinating their demand reduction initiatives, with only 2% disagreeing with this approach and some stakeholders indicating that they were wary of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. It was commented that there should be more investment in infrastructure to address water scarcity, although several stakeholders felt that the plans to build a new reservoir in the region were not enough to address the problem. Stakeholders were generally of the view that leakage is currently too high and that targets for leakage reduction should be more exacting. Although desalination was seen by some as an effective solution, others pointed out that it could be expensive and carbon intensive. At most of the workshops, stakeholders also called for a more joined-up approach that involves water companies, local authorities and developers, with a number of stakeholders calling for a change in legislation to ©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 11
make water-saving measures, such as rainwater collection, part of building regulations. Some stakeholders took this further, suggesting that a ‘national grid’ of water companies is needed. There seemed to be consensus that water was undervalued, partly because it is a relatively cheap resource and partly owing to a lack of knowledge among domestic customers about how water companies operate. Stakeholders felt that it was important to help consumers value water and put forward similar suggestions to address this across the four workshops. Common suggestions across the workshops included more detailed breakdowns on bills, publishing data on water consumption in the local area, and engaging with young people in schools. A common recommendation was for water companies to frame water usage as an environmental issue, given the public’s current concern about single-use plastic. Water-saving products, such as shower timers, were seen as a useful tool, and some felt that legislation and government also had a part to play. Stakeholders felt that the best way to direct water efficiency campaigns to the people who need them most was to work in collaboration with community groups and third parties, with 53% favouring this approach. Working with local authorities and attending community events were also popular approaches, gaining 31% and 16% of votes respectively. Stakeholders suggested working with organisations such as parish councils, associations of local councils (ALCs), gyms and the WI. Most stakeholders felt that the low price of water makes it more challenging to effect behavioural change. Views on how best to achieve this change varied hugely, although the most popular approach was seen to be smart meters, with 42% of stakeholders supporting this option and several stakeholders explaining that if consumers have a better awareness of how much water they use, it will be easier for them to use less. However, some felt that metering would not be effective as there is a lack of trust towards the water companies. While some felt that variable or block tariffs should be introduced to promote behavioural change, others had concerns that financial incentives may unfairly penalise some consumers who struggle to pay their bills or who may have legitimate reasons for greater water usage, such as medical issues. Incentives were generally seen as effective, with 17% of attendees supporting this approach, particularly if the benefits were aimed at communities rather than individuals, which would also enable incentives to be tailored to each demographic. It was widely felt that ‘nudge theory’, an approach that uses positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions, could be applied to create the same social stigma for wasting water that now exists for drink driving or not wearing a seat belt. It was felt that national government-led campaigns had a part to play in this. ©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 12
1) Do you have any comments on the current strategy for water resources?
How do you feel about the following statement:
"Our current strategy for water resources is effective and appropriate"
Avg. 3.44 out of 5 45%
(5 = strongly agree) 38%
12%
4%
1%
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
Isle of Wight
• “Here on the Isle of Wight, we have water meters and they do work in getting use down.”
Community group
• “For me, the whole strategy needs to be statutory-led. If water use becomes metered, people
will try and use less.” Local councillor
• “Please try and fully replicate the smart-meter model used in the electricity industry. The
technology is there and works.” Parish councillor
• “I don’t think that smart meters are helping to bring down electricity use, so I’m sceptical about
whether they would work to reduce water use among people who are not purely looking to save
money. You need to engage with people on an emotional level.” Environmental group
• “The biggest improvement we could make on the island is closer working between planning,
development and Southern Water. It’s tied in at an early stage. You should plan looking ahead,
not just for now. I want to see responsible representatives like yourselves working with councils
to produce a better island.” Parish councillor
Sussex
• “What’s not clear to me is that you probably have a number of businesses using a lot, who you
could target disproportionately to householders to get more bang for your buck. We could help
as stakeholders to do that.” Council officer
• “The big water-consuming industries and farming sectors are already having these
conversations about reducing water consumption. The small businesses aren’t at the moment
– the hairdressers, hotels, and cafes – that’s where you need to focus.” Environmental group
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 13• “This is all great stuff, but there doesn’t seem to be any real tactic from any of the major water
companies about desalination. In the future, it’s very likely we’ll have a more Mediterranean
climate and we should be looking further into preparing for that future.” Environmental group
• “The first thing water companies should be doing is investing in infrastructure. It’s criminal that
so many leaks are allowed. That’s lost revenue for them, and from an environmental and
business point of view, that’s a terrible figure.” Parish councillor
• “With regard to leakage, as anyone who runs a business knows, it’s about relative return. I’m
thinking about properties I’m responsible for, and they must be leaking water, but am I going to
pay someone to go around every property to check every water system? I’m not going to. So,
somehow, all around the system the pricing needs to be there for us to work together. Incentives
need to be there.” Charity
• “It seems what we’re doing is encouraging reduced usage and expanding reservoirs, it just feels
like sticking plasters. We have a lot of water in this country, but it’s just in the wrong places.
Why isn’t there an imaginative plan to get water to where it’s needed? They’re doing this in
Spain.” Council officer
• “We’re building new houses where you can harvest and use rainwater. What can water
companies do to encourage planning authorities to put conditions on developments?
Developers need compulsion or they won’t do it.” Voluntary group
Kent
• “Eventually, your behaviour becomes a norm – there’s things that we’ve introduced at home,
such as using a bucket when the shower is warming up to flush the toilet. This sort of thing
needs to be embedded.” Voluntary group
• “For big changes, like when they introduced seat belts, it worked because there was legislation
behind it. For LED lighting, a signal from Europe helped, and then LEDs become cheaper
because of economies of scale. There’s the legislation part, but it’s also how you link this with
nudge theories.” Council officer
• “I’d love for my bath water to go into a tank so that I could use it in my garden.” Environmental
group
• “In your plan you are talking about new reservoirs being built, but there would be a huge amount
of resistance to that.” Parish councillor
• “22% is a lot of water to be losing through leakages, and to say we are going to halve it by 2050
is not really good enough. The plan that goes out in 60 years to build just one reservoir to supply
about 50,000 people is not good enough. We are building a housing estate in Ashford of
thousands of new houses. There’s not going to be enough water to supply them.” Parish
councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 14Hampshire
• “Demand reduction is a very small part of reducing water consumption. The strategy should be
to work with the government on this and ask people whether they feel incentivised to be more
efficient with their water usage. At the moment, it’s more like sticking plasters and we’re not
actually solving the problem.” Community group
• “The basic problem is that there’s no joined-up thinking by government. They need to get their
act together. Government is forcing local authorities to build more houses but are not thinking
about the resources needed to do it.” Local councillor
• “I think there has definitely been a shift in people’s attitudes towards the natural environment
and I do think that people will respond positively towards using natural capacity wisely.”
Voluntary group
• “You should be incentivising manufacturers and employing nudge theory.” Parish councillor
• “There’s a layer of bureaucracy which I could do without.” Local councillor
• “Southern Water’s current strategy seems good as far as it goes. Greywater recycling could be
very useful.” Local councillor
• “We have a national grid for electricity and gas, so why don’t we have it for water? The cost of
transferring water is huge, but if you’re going to have a shortage in one area and a surplus in
another, you’ve got to get around these issues.” Local councillor
• “Energy has been a big target for us. When we look at energy reduction, we talk about three
areas: behavioural, operational, and technological. Behavioural change is the low-cost option,
then with operational aspects, the costs start to increase. When you get to technology, that is
starting to be the big bucks. As individuals, we waste a huge amount of water and that’s got to
be dealt with first. Water companies have that in terms of leakage too. Then, you can start to
talk about improving the technology and infrastructure.” Charity
2) Do you have any comments on our drought permit / order preparations?
Hampshire
• “It’s probably an easier sell if you do it in July or August.” Local councillor
• “How compliant is the population when there is a drought? Is there a definite shift in behaviour?”
Parish councillor
• “We need to work better to recoup the excess rainfall times and save them for times of drought.”
Local councillor
• “How difficult would it be for us to share the water around the country?” Local councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 153) How can water companies work with customers to understand the value of water?
Isle of Wight
• “I have had the visit from Southern Water a year ago, which led to significant savings and
advice. It was a useful experience that I passed on to others.” Local councillor
• “Everyone I’ve mentioned water-saving products to was enthusiastic.” Community group
• “The idea of saying ‘water will run out in 25 years’ is really striking.” Parish councillor
• “You need to communicate and engage more regularly. The next time that I will hear from you
is October. So much will have happened over the summer and I will know nothing about what’s
been going on.” Local councillor
• “People take water for granted. We need to bring water into a wider bracket of sustainability.
There’s a strong involvement in the community with sustainable living here, and we need to get
more links with major players such as yourselves.” Local councillor
• “We need to get the message of the value of water into schools. There needs to be a very
strong Southern Water community strategy. The tackling of plastics was a fantastic framework
that Southern Water could take inspiration from, taking advantage of the community
infrastructure that already exists within the island.” Local councillor
• “Hit people with the money. Say how much a washing machine, shower, bath, etc. costs. When
your bill comes through, it’s written on that, but maybe you should also have a fridge magnet or
have the information on the washing machine itself.” Local councillor
Sussex
• “Your comment about not calling it wastewater makes a big difference. Its people’s perception.
You need to use the right language.” Parish councillor
• “What about carbon-footprinting water usage? Every drop of water involves a pump
somewhere. It might get through to some people if we frame it that way.” Charity
• “In terms of where meter readings come in, we can localise consumption data. Putting an
emphasis on the residents and highlighting the average consumption for the district would be
good.” Local councillor
• “People look out the window and see rain. People need to understand the bigger picture of how
it gets to your tap. I think education is the answer.” Business representative
• “I like the idea of the water bill having a graph showing exactly how much water you’ve used
compared to previous years. It’s a very basic but worthwhile thing to do. When we got our bill
and noticed it had doubled in the past year, it made us as a household look at our consumption
to see what was going on. I also like the idea of items being assessed as to how well they use
water.” Local councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 16• “I believe the biggest problem you have is that the public does not perceive the value of water.
It’s free, as far as we are concerned. I think water companies and the Environment Agency
need to show us the value. It’s not just monetary value, it’s about the damage done to the
environment and what’s going to happen in the future. The difference between now and ten
years ago is that now people are very aware and proactive about environmental issues. I think
your target as a water company should be to create that value.” Business representative
Kent
• “I’ve changed to a meter, and I don’t think it’s changed our water behaviour. In our work with
the police, fire service and ambulance [service], a lot of it starts in the schools. You should
target them.” Voluntary group
• “I think we need somebody like David Attenborough to get to grips with our water [usage] as a
country and raise how precious a resource it is. We need that level of engagement with
everyone.” Environmental group
• “We can’t wait for drip-feed programmes. In times of drought, there is a hosepipe ban and
advertising. We have to act now, not wait till 2050. There should be regulations for buildings.
Why aren’t new developments built with grey-water systems and solar panels? We need a
massive programme now.” Local councillor
• “I think with metering and billing, it needs to be about the integrity of the data and understanding
the data as well. It’s all very well having smart meters, but if a customer doesn’t understand or
care about what you’re showing them, it’s useless. It’s often not tangible.” Environmental group
• “There’s a huge opportunity coming up with all these new developments. You could work with
local authorities, parish councils and individual developers to include a welcome pack for new
residents that shows that there is no new water and shows where their water is coming from
and how it’s being measured. It would help to reinforce the message of water efficiency, as well
as helping ground them in the local area.” Parish councillor
Hampshire
• “People need a regular update on how they are doing, and a biannual bill just doesn’t give you
that.” Voluntary group
• “We all need to see the figures of how well we are doing at a local level.” Local councillor
• “You need to publicise the scarcity of water, as people don’t realise this is a potential crisis.”
Council officer
• “You need to tell people what’s in it for them. What is the end result for residents of building the
reservoir? Make it tangible.” Government body
• “They should send out shower restrictor valves free of charge.” Voluntary group
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 17• “Like with the single-use plastics debate, it’s about getting people to connect with the value of
water. There needs to be that connection with water that brings people back and makes them
realise what they’re doing when they’re watering their garden.” Charity
• “The law has to be changed. There has to be metering.” Parish councillor
• “Rather than a ‘doom and gloom’ message, it is going to be more about helping people
understand water as a resource, and that we need to treasure it.” Environmental group
4) Should Southern Water coordinate their demand reduction initiatives with other
water companies in their region and are there any issues to consider?
How do you feel about the following statement: "Southern Water should
coordinate its demand reduction initatives with other water companies in
the area"
Avg. 4.59 out of 5 64%
(5 = strongly agree)
31%
2% 4%
0%
Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree
Isle of Wight
• “Each company has different challenges, so a one-size-fits-all approach wouldn’t necessarily
be fair.” Local councillor
• “The message would be more effective if it were spread across the whole region.” Parish
councillor
• “Southern Water are one of the better water companies. You shouldn’t associate yourselves
with others that are failing in this arena.” Council officer
• “You should coordinate with other water companies. It should be a national issue. If you have
good examples of work you’re doing, you can point out the lessons learned.” Parish councillor
Sussex
• “Yes. Of course, you should work together. It’s too confusing for customers otherwise.”
Environmental group
• “I agree that you should be working in collaboration with as many institutions as possible.”
Parish councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 18• “From a business perspective, there needs to be better collaboration with retailers, as
businesses use a huge amount of water. How do you get that message to retailers that we’re
all aligned and need to reduce consumption? It’s not just about household customers. There
needs to be stronger collaboration.” Business representative
Kent
• “There needs to be a fundamental shift in the industry involving collaboration with water
companies, the local authority and housing developers at the early stage of the house building
plans, as it’s currently too reactive.” Council officer
• “You’ve been working well together today, so it should be possible.” Council officer
• “The water-labelling scheme means companies who don’t want their showerheads to be a lower
efficiency don’t use it. There will be some areas where you can save water effectively, like in
washing machines and white goods, but this requires lobbying, and the best way to do that is
through collaboration.” Parish councillor
Hampshire
• “There should be a system for sharing data and information that all water companies can agree
on and be more open. It's difficult for us as a local authority to share information, but it’s good
if we can. We need to understand what the asset is and how we can work together.” Council
officer
• “There needs to be a review of the geography of the regions these organisations operate in,
because natural resources don’t have boundaries. It would be good to have some sharing of
resources and some way of recognising that.” Council officer
• “Seems to be pressure on the south east, so there definitely should be collaboration.” Business
representative
• “Why don’t we have a national grid for water?” Environmental group
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 195) What is the best way to direct water efficiency campaigns to the customers that need
it most?
Which of the following do you think are the most effective in order to
direct water efficiency campaigns for the customers who need it most?
53%
31%
16%
Attending community events Working in collaboration with local Working with community groups and
authorities other third parties
Isle of Wight
• “Anything you do has got to involve social media.” Local councillor
• “Our parish newsletters are delivered to every house, and every house gets one. A full-page ad
only costs £17. It’s a small amount of money if it’s a community thing. As you’re not advertising
to make money, it may even cost nothing.” Parish councillor
• “Local authorities and government associations know lots of people. We could pass on the
appropriate information.” Local councillor
• “Set children projects where their parents will help them. Maybe it could involve people having
a home water visit? This will spread the message.” Local councillor
• “The town and parish councils meet regularly; presentations to them will give you direct access
to an enormous cross section of the public.” Council officer
• “With two of the most deprived wards in the UK, we have a large amount of social housing.
Could you run a scheme similar to the one we run with solar?” Local councillor
Sussex
• “I think you could go into gyms and things like that. Get them to start installing water-saving
products, with the incentive that they get free showers if they publicise the company that
supplied it.” Parish councillor
• “I think joint utility billing would be helpful. There must be a much more efficient way of working
across the sector that would also save money on the customers’ bills.” Voluntary group
• “Perhaps spread the word through local authorities in their regular circulars.” Business
representative
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 20• “The parish councils and towns have websites that people look at.” Local councillor
• “I heard about making it mandatory to make the costs of water use clear and available. If that
information was available, it would be enormously helpful.” Voluntary group
Kent
• “You need to work with people who are connected with the community. We work with Kent
Association of Local Councils (KALC) and do a lot from an emergency planning perspective.
They’re a key link. If you do something as a parish or community to reduce the bills as a whole,
then something can go back into the community.” Voluntary group
• “There needs to be government funding in order to have a national campaign that drives
awareness, like the Think! road safety campaign. Now, people are aware and it has become
socially unacceptable to drink and drive. We need a really big campaign across the whole of
the UK that includes government, NGOs and local councils.” Environmental group
• “It’s easier to get through to places with a stable population. In places like cities or university
areas where people come and go, the messages would have to be repeated frequently because
you’re not telling the same person each time. You have to think about that because they are
often areas of large usage as well.” Parish councillor
• “Attend local carnivals and fetes. Demonstrate the water scarcity, using something like your
stalls up there, or an app you can play on for kids. That would be very informative and impactful.
And go into schools. Kids influence adults’ behaviour at all levels.” Council officer
Hampshire
• “I don’t know if the water industry is talking to the electricity industry to find solutions. Is there a
place for councils to be going into people’s homes? We still have our housing register and
spend a lot of time talking about things like insulation and new roofs, but we haven’t spoken
about fitting more efficient toilets and showers.” Local councillor
• “You need to look at how to get the community involved. You need to find advocates with a lot
of outreach.” Local councillor
• “People tend to change their habits when they move, so maybe you could target people when
they do that.” Council officer
• “The best method in my opinion is a television campaign. You have to engage with a mass
audience, similar to how the AIDS campaign ran TV ads which completely changed
perceptions.” Local councillor
• “You need to target children to put pressure on their parents. Go into schools and present it as
an environmental message that kids can take home and present to their parents.” Local
councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 216) How should water companies be incentivising customers to change their
behaviour?
Which of the following do you think is the most effective way to
encourage customers to become more water efficient?
42%
31%
17%
10%
Offering personal and Customer contact Home visits Smart meters
community rewards
Isle of Wight
• “Cost commands a heightened level of awareness. There are lessons to be learned there in
terms of the customer-supplier relationship.” Local councillor
• “I don’t have a smart meter, but I still do monthly readings and I know what my usage is. There’s
nothing stopping people from monitoring monthly consumption. I think people would engage
more with personal incentives.” Voluntary group
• “The concept of peak times for water is good, but you have to be careful as there is a social
duty of care. When it’s hotter, people need to consume more water.” Council officer
• “You have products and industries which use a ton of water, such as Jacuzzis and hot tubs.
You should work with them on marketing to get people to behave more responsibly.” Local
councillor
• “The problem is you can only really give the impression of benefits; water is so cheap that a
saving isn’t really an incentive.” Parish councillor
• “I think a better approach would be to issue a report on consumption and give them a discount
on the bill. You could also email people to tell them they’re near an incentive.” Parish councillor
Sussex
• “I personally think water is too cheap, but that’s a difficult message to sell, so I think incentives
are the best way to go.” Business representative
• “In the long term, I think variable tariffs are the way to go. Older folk think there are no problems
with water as we get so much rain in this country, but things are changing.” Local councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 22• “If you have flexible charging, then a family with six kids will be very hard hit, so it needs to take
those sorts of things into account.” Parish councillor
• “Blue Planet showed just two minutes of plastic wastage and looked at the impact that had. The
question is around linking with psychologists. All of this is around behavioural change, but we
are not behavioural experts. Our communication isn’t working, so we need to change the
message.” Voluntary group
• “Why have block tariffs gone off the agenda?” Charity
• “There should definitely be tariffs. It won’t work if I’m making sure to use my water as efficiently
as possible, but my neighbour wastes a lot of water hosing in the garden.” Voluntary group
• “Go for a carrot-and-stick approach as opposed to just the carrot or the stick.” Voluntary group
• “I like the ‘your neighbour is doing better than you’ scheme on a larger area scale.” Parish
councillor
Kent
• “Incentives will probably work, even if they’re small. If you reward people for being Target 100
or under, it will make a difference to some people.” Environmental group
• “Domestic consumers will be thinking that it’s the commercial organisations that should really
be doing more to reduce their consumption. It’s about education on what is really being done
on a commercial level.” Voluntary group
• “Southern Water was one of the first companies to do metering on a large scale. The lessons
worldwide show that communication is what stimulates change.” Voluntary group
• “I think it’s a question of offering incentives. People will respond to feeling like they’re helping
the environment, but they will only integrate those systems if you give them some money
towards it. If a rainwater capture system costs £200 and Southern Water offer us £30 towards
it, it’s only small, but it would make a huge psychological difference.” Environmental group
• “Do you think tailor-made bills stating percentages of average consumption would help? This
should be up on the top.” Parish councillor
• “The only way to get your customers to think about water is if there is a tax on the amount they
use. If you have a costing rate on a scale, then the customer would think about it.” Parish
councillor
• “You could deal with it in terms of cost and saving. If a bill payer can demonstrate over a period
that they can reduce the amount of your water they use, repaying them some of the cost as
rebate can reward them. Persuasion isn’t going to work. Plastic carrier bags didn’t go out of use
because people watched a video, it’s because people were charged 5p.” Parish councillor
Hampshire
• “Financial incentives are key.” Local councillor
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 23• “The financial incentives are not incentives. The costs are irrelevant, unlike electricity, where
you can literally save hundreds of pounds.” Local councillor
• “As a customer I've had someone come around to review my house and give out free shower
heads. The Target 100 is a superb effort.” Environmental group.
• “The water efficiency label is fantastic. You have a visual which is easy to engage with. You
just need to attach it to a wider promotional framework.” Environmental group
• “I think it works differently for different demographics. Incentives need to be targeted for the
specific economic standing of certain regions. A wealthy area would need to be incentivised
differently from a financially struggling one.” Environmental group
• “I think that community-based incentives are the only way that we’ll be able to change habits
and reduce water usage.” Parish councillor
• “I like the idea of a free minimum amount of water, and above that, you have to pay.” Charity
• “If we don’t meter what leaves our houses, then we don’t know what we are wasting and losing.
It’s very difficult to be water efficient in your house. If you’re a business, you pay a huge amount
for wastewater. So, the less we can put out as waste, the more money you save.” Business
representative
©2019 EQ Communications Ltd. Stakeholder Workshops – Feedback Report– Version 1.0. 24You can also read
