Waterwise is launching a new Leadership Group with the UK water industry to use more ambitious water efficiency programmes to track and improve customer service.

The Leadership Group on Water Efficiency and Customer Participation will bring together senior UK water industry leaders in a more ambitious approach to wasting less water - using this to drive a more customer-led culture.

Water companies know they need to improve their customer service as well as the resilience of the services they provide, and increasing the reach of their water efficiency plans will help them to do both. The Group will help raise sights and share best practice.

The first roundtable event will be held on 9 June. The Group will focus on increasing customer participation in future projects and initiatives, and motivating customers and communities to get actively involved in reducing water waste. Waterwise will challenge and support the sector on ambition and innovation.

Industry resilience leader Jean Spencer will chair the Group, which includes Waterwise Managing Director Nicci Russell and water sector Chief Customer Officers, Customer Service Directors and Managing Directors.

Nicci Russell said:

‘Customers should be at the heart of the water sector and it’s great that the industry are taking this seriously. Working with customers on water efficiency gets them actively involved - they see and touch water every day, and have an intimate relationship with it unlike the one they have with energy or telecoms! Scaling water efficiency up in the right way will help companies track and improve customer service.”

‘The Leadership Group offers a new opportunity to involve customers in thinking about their future water services. Motivating people to take action, and empowering communities through rewards, could change the way we think about water, and revolutionise services.”

At the launch of Ofwat’s ‘TappedIn’ report on 23 March, Ofwat Chief Executive Cathryn Ross described water efficiency as a fundamental strategic issue which was rightly on every Board agenda, which should be approached through the customer lens rather than as a dry technical supply demand issue.

Group Chair and Anglian Water Director for Strategic Growth and Resilience, Jean Spencer, added:

‘Water will be one of the defining issues of this century. Water crises are the third biggest global risk and 40 per cent of the global population will be living in areas of severe water stress by 2050. In the UK, The Water Resources Long Term Planning Framework published last year showed that future droughts are likely to be more serious and will affect all parts of the country, so it’s vital water leaders unite on this topic.”