Agenda item

Paul Mooney reported that Affinity Water was the largest water supply only company in the Region, employing 1,200 people to provide 900 million litres of water each day to 1.5 million properties and a population of approximately 3.5 million. The average annual bill was £174 in comparison to the industry average of £186.

Affinity controlled 16,500 kilometres of mains pipes, mainly under roads, renewing 1% of the pipes each year, at a cost of £18 million per annum. Some 20 kilometres of piping had been renewed in Surrey in 2014. It was expected that only 2.3 kilometres of piping would be targeted in 2015. However, the Company had commenced a large Trunk Main investigation including piping in Bagshot, Lightwater and West End. At this stage, the Company were carrying out a feasibility study and it would not be known for some time if any works were required.

The Company carried out rolling feasibility studies on failing assets, considering factors such as burst rates and environmental impact. Required work is then planned by a Design Team, who assess the area with local operatives, considering factors such as the proposals, risks and impact on communities.

Given that much of the mains piping is under main/trunk roads, the Team identify businesses, schools, religious and cultural groups and events that might be adversely impacted upon and consult them. Before work commences, Affinity will use newspaper adverts, social media and letters to MPs and Councillors, to give maximum publicity to proposals, timings and potential impacts.

Affinity work with the Highways Agency to coordinate with any other planned work and minimise disruption. Any work and the dates thereof are agreed with Highways and a permit issued three months in advance of the work commencing.

Members noted that Affinity would seek to recover the cost of any works needed during and/or resulting from the construction of HS2.

Referring to recent works on the London Road Bagshot, Mr Mooney explained that considerable pre-planning had taken place with Highways, resulting in the proposed start being put back from September to January. The proposed work had been re-assessed when the disruption to the local community and travelling public became clear and extra traffic management measures were brought in, at a cost of £300,000.

All water companies produce a 25 year water management plan and five year business plans. They consider predicted population, housing and environmental changes and then look at resources and any gaps between expected demand and supply. In the next five years, Affinity will lose significant resources to improve river flows, mainly in chalk rivers and primarily through Hertfordshire.

Mr Sage reported that only 40%of Affinity customers were ‘metered’. Mr Mooney agreed to provide Members with a link to the site which detailed the roll-out of water meters to Affinity customer. Whilst the parts of the Borough supported by the Company would not be ‘metered’ till 2017, individuals could request a meter and one would be installed free of charge.

The relative benefits of metered and non-metered houses tended to depend on the size (and therefore rateable value) of properties and the numbers residing therein. Often, when meters were installed, leaks were identified and resolved based on the difference between water used and water flows recorded. For families who experienced significant increases in their bills through changing to a meter, Affinity would work with them to reduce usage.

                        Resolved, that the presentation be noted.