Previously unrecorded hazel dormice have been found at a Southern Water site in Brede, East Sussex.
The mice were found by the company’s environmental specialists who placed nesting boxes in woodland neighbouring the water supply works.
Southern Water's Environmental Adviser Steve McAuliffe said:
“The conservation status of the species in the UK is ‘rare and vulnerable to extinction’ so finding them on Southern Water land and confirming a new population is great news. Now that we know this rare and charismatic species is there, we can do some work to bolster and safeguard the population.”
“I think the finding of this species really emphasises the important role Southern Water can play in wildlife conservation.”
The location has been registered with the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre and studies will continue.
Dormice are the latest discovery made at the Brede site. The site is also home to several bird of prey, great crested newts and rare bee orchids.
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
ERG, the leading supplier of odour control systems and industrial gas cleaning & thermal systems, has been awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise.
Welsh Water’s new artificial intelligence-driven tool, ORAI, has been shortlisted for three categories at the prestigious British Data Awards 2026 – underscoring the company’s commitment to using cutting-edge technology to deliver better outcome for customers.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.