British Water chief executive Lila Thompson has released an official statement regarding the release of Ofwat’s new strategy, titled “Time to Act, Together”.
Developed after a year of listening and speaking to over 250 organisations and members of the public, the strategy aims to help transform water company performance, meet long-term challenges and embed public purpose into the sector.
Said Thompson, “We are pleased to see innovation and collaboration play key roles in Ofwat’s new strategy. It is essential for water companies to work closely with the supply chain to deliver what customers expect.
We agree there are untapped opportunities for the industry to work with the supply chain to adopt new practices and technologies to transform performance. There is a genuine desire among our members for closer collaboration across the sector and with other industries, and it is reassuring that Ofwat will be encouraging this.
We would fully support any streamlined innovation processes and are looking forward to the results of Ofwat’s consultation into the creation of a national water centre for excellence.
To deal with the urgent challenges it is facing, the water industry must do things differently – we look forward to working with Ofwat and the rest of the sector in delivering the best outcomes for customers and making positive changes for future generations.”
Time to Act, Together focuses on meeting three strategic goals:
- to transform water companies’ performance for customers
- to drive water companies to meet long-term challenges through increased collaboration and partnerships
- for water companies to serve a wider public purpose, delivering more for customers, society and the environment
Ofwat has said that in meeting these goals, it will need to evolve and build on its existing work. This will include setting long-term targets for the industry, driving innovation, listening more to customers, encouraging collaboration and forming partnerships, using data to build insight and making the environment integral to all that it does.
