South East Water, a drinking water supplier only, is launching the water industry’s first ever 25 Year Plan for the environment which will future proof our water resources. The launch takes place in East Sussex on Thursday 15 June.

At the event you will not only find out about our inspiration for producing the plan H25, and the actions we have committed to take within it, but also have the opportunity to see one local example of partnership working and research. We will also share examples of innovative work with local farmers and land managers.

This plan, which aligns with Defra’s 25 Year Environment Plan, goes above and beyond South East Water’s statutory duties to provide a long-term solution to pressing environmental issues.

As a responsible business, which sources, treats and pumps more than 530 million litres of clean water per day for our 2.3 million customers, we have a long history of protecting and enhancing our environment.

We intend to deliver this plan with our partners, to keep rivers and underground water sources healthy and protect and enhance the natural environment, while helping it adapt to a changing climate.

Over the last two years, we have worked with 200 customers, employees and stakeholders to shape our plan, before inviting more than 600,000 people to give us their feedback through a public consultation.

Please let me know if you are interested in covering this initiative or if you need more details. I can be contacted on press.office@southeastwater.co.uk.

In the meantime, you can find out more about our plan on our website www.southeastwater.co.uk/H25

A quick look:

• We are the first and only water company in the UK to go above and beyond our statutory duties to create a 25 Year environment plan
• We have recently completed a five-year long European research project, PROWATER, to understand how what is grown on top of a chalk aquifer can influence rainwater infiltration, water quality and biodiversity. The native habitat here is chalk grassland – considered to be the UK equivalent of the Amazon rainforest – and chalk heathland (also rare) but has been taken over by planted woodland, as well as scrub and gorse. We’ve taken out pockets of woodland, scrub and gorse to allow the native habitats to regrow, and measured the results.  See southeastwater.co.uk/PROWATER
• We are working with Natural England to create the south east’s first Super National Nature Reserve and the first in the UK to protect groundwater quality and infiltration. This would include Friston Forest, Lullington Heath NNR, Deep Dean
• We’re working with farmers to keep rivers and aquifers clean. Examples include:
  • South Downs National Park. Farmer Duncan Ellis. He manages a flock of Herdwick sheep to graze the rare chalk grassland around our Deep Dean abstraction and water treatment works (within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the South Downs National Park). This is low-carbon, protects the grassland flower species and provides the right habitats for the endangered wart-biter bush crickets. We’re also installing smart water meters on his supply lines at the Long Man Brewery and hoping to part-fund a rainwater harvesting system.
  • Near Basingstoke, Hampshire. Farmers are growing cover crops to prevent nitrate from reaching the chalk aquifer. We have installed a nitrate removal plant at the treatment works due to historic nitrate levels but hope that one day, this will not be needed thanks to the cover crops.