First look at the future of water

That’s the question people from across Sussex have been responding to as part of a newly published document, setting out the possible shape of water and wastewater services over the next quarter of a century.

Following extensive research and discussions over the past six months with customers, as well as a wide range of organisations, including community and environmental groups, Southern Water has published the opening chapters of its new Strategic Statement - a key document setting out people’s priorities for the next 25 years, and how the company plans to deliver them.

Southern Water’s Strategic Statement looks at the challenges it faces between now and 2040, such as the effects of climate change and population growth.

That’s followed by details of the ‘outcomes’, or results, customers want to see delivered during

the next two and a half decades, namely:

Affordable bills.

A constant supply of high quality drinking water.

Reliable sewage removal.

Protection of the environment.

Responsive customer service.

Better information.

Since last summer, we’ve been talking in detail to customers and communities across our region about what they want from our services in the years ahead, and those views are at the heart of our work to develop our plans for the future.

The ‘outcomes’ set out in our Strategic Statement reflect the issues which the people we serve want us to deliver on in the decades ahead.

We are inviting everyone to read the opening sections of the Statement and tell us what they think.

Further research is taking place to help us develop the final parts of our Strategic Statement, as well as our Water Resources Management Plan to 2040, and our five year Business Plan for 2015 to 2020.

I want to encourage everyone to get involved in these discussions and have their say.

Further chapters of the Statement, covering how Southern Water plans to meet customers’

expectations, will be published in the coming weeks, with the final document due to come out

in the spring.

The Strategic Statement chapters published to date, together with further information on all

Southern Water’s future plans, and how you can contribute your views, can be found via the

company’s dedicated engagement web pages www.southernwater.co.uk/haveyoursay

DARREN BENTHAM

Chief customer officer, Southern Water, Southern House, Yeoman Road, Worthing, BN13 3NX