Water firm given top rating by watchdog
THE Environment Agency has given Severn Trent its highest grading for environmental performance – one of only two water companies to achieve the standard.
The annual report rates each company in England from one star to four, based on a range of measures including serious pollution incidents, pollution per kilometre of sewer pipes and compliance with permits.
Environment Agency chairman Emma Howard Boyd said: “We cannot transform water quality in the way we all want if water companies’ environmental performance continues to backslide.
“Severn Trent and Wessex Water show high performance is possible.
“I will be meeting water company chairmen in the coming weeks to make it clear we expect much more.”
Liv Garfield, Severn Trent chief executive, said: “This is fabulous news given how hard we’ve been working to do the best job we can for our customers and for the environment.
“We know how much impact we can have on the environment as a business and we have worked extremely hard to minimise that.
“But, as well as minimising our impact, we also want to do what we can to enhance nature and combat climate change, which is why we’ve signed up to complete the triple carbon pledge – to have net zero carbon emissions, 100 per cent renewable energy and an all-electric fleet by 2030 – as well as launching our Great Big Nature Boost which aims to improve biodiversity across the Midlands.
“Getting the top grade is always a great feeling, especially as we know, by getting it, we’re doing the right thing by our customers and for the communities in which we live and work.”
Rachel Fletcher, chief executive at regulator Ofwat, said: “We expect companies to deliver more for customers, society and the environment, so we are disappointed to see an increase in the number of pollution incidents.
“At the same time it is good to see two companies, Severn Trent and Wessex Water, improving their performance to reach the highest score.
“We expect others to learn from such successes, and our recent price review has also set tougher new performance targets for companies to further reduce pollution incidents.”