United Utilities has set a new benchmark for workforce competency and operational excellence by becoming the first water company in the UK to extend the Competent Operator Scheme.

The water company for the North West has delivered the scheme for its water treatment employees since 2018 and has extended this to include a further 300 employees working across the wider water network.

The Competent Operator Scheme was established to ensure operational competence in the water sector, with a focus on workforce capability, quality assurance, and drinking water safety. It was created through a collaboration between water companies, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Water UK, and Energy & Utility Skills to define and maintain consistent standards across the sector.

The training ensures that employees working on water networks have the necessary skills and competence to restore supply, detect leakages, and carry out other essential operational tasks efficiently and safely.

By implementing the Competent Operator Scheme across its network teams, United Utilities is further securing its service reliability and strengthening its commitment to water quality and security.

Matt Heaton, Head of Training at United Utilities explained:

“This ensures that employees working on water networks have the necessary skills and competence to restore supply, detect leakages, and carry out other essential operational tasks efficiently and safely.

“This further demonstrates our commitment to the competence of our colleagues in front-line technical roles and has been very well received by our frontline teams.”