Extra investment for fast-track projects
WELSH Water is to spend £1 billion over the next three years on a range of infrastructure projects including schemes that were not originally earmarked for the current five-year investment period.
The programme, which will run across Wales, Herefordshire and Deeside, includes £100m of additional investment in ‘fast-tracked’ projects. On the agenda are major upgrades to water and wastewater treatment works and improved renewable energy schemes such as the Wrexham wastewater treatment works.
“At a time when many companies and public bodies are cutting back on investment, this investment programme is employing some 10% of the construction sector in our region with more than 50% of spend going to local companies in the supply chain, supporting some 1,500 jobs,” said a spokesman.
Announcing the company’s results for the year to March, chairman Bob Ayling said: “Our ambition is to deliver the best possible outcomes for our customers supplying drinking water of the highest quality and safeguarding the environment that we look after on behalf of the communities we serve. We also hope to show that the unique business model we have established for the water industry in our region is working for our customers.”
He added: “I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress in the year towards these objectives.
“We have been able to accelerate investment and do more for our customers while bills are falling in real terms. We are also improving the experience our customers receive when they deal with us day to day. Customer satisfaction reached a record 90% and we ranked amongst the best companies on Ofwat’s industry league table for customer satisfaction. Customer complaints have more than halved and have never been lower.”
Ayling said it was especially encouraging that the results of two independent surveys of its largest business customers showed over-all satisfaction with the water company’s service standing at 89%.
