july 2013 | thameswater.co.uk
COVER GIRL Gold medal for super Suzi
All the Employee Recognition Awards winners revealed
contents
8 10 12 15 16
Year-end results
Porta-poo powered festivals?
spark tax row
High Speed Two: staying connected News from Kidlington depot
BY SIMON EVANS
‘Highest quality water in the world’ Mogden open day
Martin Baggs took a real hammering at Mogden. Six-year-old Jake, son of media manager Simon Evans, landed a head shot with his blow-up mallet
18 20 23
“…and I have to tell you that the standard of reporting is simply terrible”
AMP6 alliance: find out about SMB Asian schoolgirls hooked on angling Engineer revs up for Silverstone
Editor’s column The Lee Tunnel. Incredible. Massive. Immense. Hot. I was all wrapped up in my extralarge medium hi-vis jacket and trousers over the top of my jeans, two pairs of socks, gloves and helmet. It really didn’t need the word ‘visitor’ slapped everywhere. I didn’t realise how hot it would be stood behind Busy Lizzie. The power generators firing the monster tunnel boring machine 2 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
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eturns for Thames Water shareholders fell by more than half in 2012/13 after increased operating costs led to a 31% slump in post-tax profits to £150m. Contributory factors included a 33% rise in bad debt to £93.7m as more households failed to pay bills, rising power prices and additional operating costs incurred from dealing with a drought followed by widespread sewer flooding caused by record rainfall. Chief executive Martin Baggs said: “Dealing with drought and flooding cost us an additional £17m. This cost was borne by shareholders, who are exposed to these risks so our customers do not have to be. “Despite these challenges we have for the third year running carried out a further £1bn of improvements to our networks, while the average household bill in our region is the second-lowest in the country. Our operational performance remains strong. “We are now focused on the significant challenges ahead, including continuing to improve customer service and support and promote the Thames Tideway Tunnel.” On the day the accounts were released, June 10, the Press Association (PA) news wire ran a piece on Thames Water’s nonpayment of corporation tax. This led to hysterical coverage by most national media.
give off some heat. But what an experience. After riding the tunnel train for three kilometres I stood back in amazement with two of the world’s most talented young tunnelling engineers to watch the team take another step towards Abbey Mills – see page 11 for the full story. This magazine is a bit later than normal because of the Employee Recognition Awards. All the winners are revealed over the first seven pages.
Chief finance officer Stuart Siddall said: “The Government’s tax system allows us to delay, not avoid, payment of tax based on how much we invest. Because we are investing £1bn a year from 2010 to 2015, more than any water firm in the UK’s history, we are able to defer a lot of tax payments to future years. “The HMRC tax mechanism is called the capital allowance. Its aim is to encourage firms like us to carry out early and extensive infrastructure investment. If capital allowances did not exist it would mean one of two things: customers’ bills would be higher, or we would invest less. “Thames Water continues to contribute around £150 million annually to the public purse in other tax, including central and local government business rates, PAYE and national insurance. ” And Richard Benyon MP said in the House of Commons: “I would be cross if water companies were not using them, because it would mean that our constituents would be paying more for their water or that there would be less investment in repairing and improving our infrastructure. Capital allowances are there for a purpose: they defer tax. If a company stops investing, it pays that tax.” Media coverage also prompted Tim Worstall, of the Adam Smith Institute, to write a piece on the Forbes news website entitled ‘Another silly corporate tax story’. He said: “The UK press has today gone to town on another story about corporate tax avoidance…and I have to tell you that the standard of reporting is simply terrible.” He concluded: “Is ‘Look! A company obeys the law!’ really news?”
A final mention to the NSTs in Kidlington. James, Colin and the gang were great company when I visited the depot. They felt there’s not enough in here on our operations front line staff so I drove out and heard what they had to say – see the centre. If you want to be in the magazine, just let me know why on the email address below. Stuart stuart.white@thameswater.co.uk
Thanks for the invitation
awards
Introducing the
WINNERS Source editor Stuart White reveals who won what at this year’s EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARDS ceremony, held on July 4 in Reading Roy Grubb
WAMI
Coppermills like back of his hand CHALLENGING Experienced Coppermills process team manager ROY GRUBB and the WAMI PATCH TWO UPGRADE TEAM were delighted to collect the challenging awards. Roy was rewarded for his “exceptional perseverance” in challenging his team and the company’s understanding of the major east London water works. While the WAMI crew, led by Sam Inskip and made up of around 60 volunteers from
Abstraction manager Alex Mahon put Roy forward for “relentlessly examining every stage of the treatment works” to prevent high raw water losses, at an annual cost of £150,000, in the Lea Valley. He said: “He reviewed each process, shut off slow sand filters, tested pipelines, ramped pumps up and down and reviewed decades
of blueprints before finding the problem and fixing it.” Roy added: “Winning the award was really unexpected and very much appreciated. It would not have been possible to resolve this issue without the support of my very experienced colleagues and contractors.”
Runners-up: Andrew Farrow and Geoff Paul / WAMI – training team Andrew Farrow
“WINNING THE AWARD WAS REALLY UNEXPECTED AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED” across the business, caught the judges’ eye after giving up a December weekend to update 1,100 mobile devices. Jon Regan, head of Business Integration Centre, said in his nomination: “Their robust plan minimised disruption to the business and our customers. They recognised the risk, and thanks to the focus and determination of all involved got the job done in one day.”
Geoff Paul www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 3
Thames Gateway
Privilege PURPOSEFUL Thames Water’s gritty SERVICE RESERVOIR ENGINEERS and customer duty manager FAYE ENGLAND scooped the purposeful prizes at Shehnai. Production optimisation manager David Edwards put forward the team of engineers for “working tirelessly, often out of hours, to hit challenging targets”. And operations control manager Tim McMahon nominated Faye for the way she has responded to her new role designed to drive down backlogs and improve performance in the field.
“THE SUPPORT I’VE RECEIVED FROM THE FIELD, CUSTOMER AND PLANNING TEAMS HAS BEEN FANTASTIC”
‘Extremely passionate and dedicated’ COMMITTED Morale-boosting customer service manager ANITA MACLENNAN and the THAMES GATEWAY DAY AND SHIFT TEAM were crowned committed champions of 2013. Nick Votta described Anita as “an inspiration” and praised her outstanding “flexibility and support”.
“ANITA BOOSTS MORALE AND SETS THE STANDARD FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW” And Beckton process team manager Kat Gill hailed the Thames Gateway winners for “their dedication above and beyond the call of duty” throughout a busy year. She said: “The team is extremely passionate and committed, not only to
achieving their stretching day job targets but also reactive work. The Gateway team is always on hand to help the capital project team and contractors. They will bend over backwards to alleviate stress and workloads.” Nick claimed selfless Anita is proactive and a massive support to the revenue contact centre. He said: “Anita boosts morale and makes it a better place to work. She sets the standard for others to follow. Anita is an all-round inspiration and 100 per cent committed to Thames Water and our customers.” Nick, in his nomination, also highlighted how Anita had stopped on the way to work to help a nursery in Swindon without water following a burst main, and kept in contact until the job was done: “How many people would do that?”
Tim said: “The feedback is that her purposefulness, ability to influence others and willingness to change has made a massive difference to our customer performance. “Faye has very much led from the front and made all the changes on her own – performance improvements are purely down to her.” Faye, who has been in the new position just over six months, added: “I’ve been very lucky to have had the chance to develop a brand new role. The support I’ve received from the field, customer and planning teams has been fantastic. “We now have better visibility of clean network customer activities so we can prioritise them appropriately and we are making
Runners-up: John Saunders and Chris Williams / Ba
Runners-up: Bianca Bond, Kyle Crawford and Tim Wakley / waste control centre (Kemble Court) and document handling centre Waste control
Tim Wakley Bianca Bond 4 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Beddington fire
Chris Williams
e to win progress on getting customer jobs completed within the planned timeframe. “The field teams have also tackled some of the oldest/most complicated customer escalations and written complaints through a daily action log. “It is a privilege to win an Employee Recognition Award but the work I’ve been involved in would not have been so successful without the engagement and involvement of my peers.” The reservoir engineers, featured in last month’s Source, have more than 110 years of experience between them and were praised for bringing a comprehensive list of inspections up to date. David said in his nomination: “People thought it was not possible within the timescales, but through dedication and sheer graft they did it. We have never achieved such a high level of compliance. It was an excellent job.”
Faye England
ath Road networks and Beddington fire team
awards Banbury wastewater operations team
Suzi Lauri
Suzi’s own Olympics recognition RELIABLE Crusading network engineer SUZI LAURI and the BANBURY WASTEWATER OPERATIONS TEAM picked up the reliable trophies at the fifth annual awards ceremony. Suzi was a deserving winner after being nominated four times across the reliable,
“ALL OF MY TEAM WERE ON THE OLYMPICS AND IT LOOKED BRILLIANT. I WAS PICKING UP ALL THE WORK” purposeful and committed categories by Gary Izatt, George Hesmondhalgh, Robert Giubertoni and Kyle Greggor. Despite being relatively new to the role, Suzi proved unflappable under extreme pressure during the Olympics when she was
Bath Road
left virtually on her own to cover a huge area, and volunteered to give up the majority of her evenings and weekends to be on call for over half of the weeks during the summer. Kyle even said it “would have been a crime” not to reward her hard work and the way she coped during a number of pollution incidents. Suzi said: “All of my team were on the Olympics and it looked brilliant, and they got loads of recognition for it. So I really appreciate getting this award as I was picking up all of their work.” Brian McGinley hailed the Banbury area team after six years of continuous reliability – “never exceptional but always there” – following his change of role. “They’ve provided the most dedicated and reliable of services to the highest standards throughout 32 sewage works, providing a largely unseen, site-based service to our customers,” he said.
Runners-up: Phil Bailey, Mariana Simpson and Wendy Braithwaite / north east London operations management and tankering and pollution desk Tankering and pollution desk
John Saunders
Mariana Simpson
NE London Ops www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 5
Proud to represent Thames Water DELIVERING OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Trophy winner DAN RUBIO was driving home from a night out when he saw water rushing down a hill outside a retirement home in Reading. With no Thames Water presence at the scene, the learning and development specialist slammed on the brakes to add his support. Delivering our customer experience champion Dan, featured on the cover of December’s Source, said at the time: “It is very distressing seeing water like that running down a hill and I wanted to make sure there was a Thames Water physical presence at the scene.” He was nominated by learning and development manager Teresa Ewington, who added: “There is no doubt Dan went above
“DAN CONSIDERED IT HIS ROLE THAT NIGHT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS” the call of duty, staying until 2am when the water got turned off. Dan is extremely proud to work for Thames Water and considered it his role that night to represent us and take care of our customers.” Retirement home manager Alan Gower also praised Dan’s actions to get the problem solved. He said: “Although Dan could have done what a lot of other drivers did and drove through the rushing water, he stopped and helped. “And he didn’t just disappear when the engineers arrived – he was still there keeping me company in my hour of need.”
Brian role mode SUPPORTIVE The OLYMPICS AND CROSSRAIL MODELLING TEAM and broad-shouldered project integrator BRIAN PHELPS walked away with the supportive honours. Water modelling manager Rob Casey said the team of four “provided a crucial service to two business-critical events” over the year. While operations manager Jim MacIntyre praised the way Brian has taken on huge responsibility “over and above a very challenging day job” during a time of major investment.
“THE RESPONSE TO OUR URGENT REQUESTS WAS FIRST CLASS” “He has provided leadership to the less experienced members of the team,” he said. “This level of support, in going the extra mile and ensuring high standards, is truly exceptional and I believe role models this core value.” The Olympics and Crossrail modellers were on red alert during the Olympics and often had to come up with solutions at very short notice. Head of control Chris Featherstone said: “The response to our urgent requests was first class and crucial to ensuring we could maintain supplies with confidence.” The team also modelled contingency plans for more than 30 major London trunk mains located above the Crossrail tunnelling machines. Project manager Steve Wilkinson said they “did a great job” to meet the strict deadlines and stop any tunnelling delays.
Runners-up: Dave Cash and Craig Pezet / Didcot op team (cleanwater) Network optimisation team
Runners-up: Colin Bryant and Paul Norman
Dan Rubio
Paul Norman
Modelling team 6 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Craig Pezet
awards
els value
Manager, friend and confidant HEALTH AND SAFETY Business communications executive TRACEY NEWTON was a popular winner of the health and safety gong after receiving three awards nominations. She was specifically recognised for helping a member of her team cope with mental health problems. “Tracey has done everything in her power to support me, and actively looked for ways for
“TRACEY GETS THAT MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT A STIGMA OR SOMETHING TO BE TIPTOED AROUND”
Brian Phelps
perations team and network optimisation
me to manage my illness. She has not only been my manager, but my friend and confidant. “When things got hard I knew I could rely on Tracey to not only help with my emotional wellbeing but also Tracey Newton to be a
Cigar for camel
good manager. The most important thing is she has understood. She gets that mental illness is not a stigma or something to be tiptoed around.” In other nominations, in the supportive category, change manager Ben Atkins said Tracey “can always be relied upon to produce excellent work”, while SAP+ communications lead Anni Gruner claimed she was “extraordinarily patient, amiable and supportive” in helping her settle into her new job. Runner-up: Ebby Abdul
Ebby Abdul
Humphrey
VOLUNTEER Nobody could have the hump about WaterAid champion HUMPHREY THE CAMEL winning the volunteer of the year award. Martin Brockington and ex-Thames man Geoff Clark, along with sidekick Ant Tyler, AKA Sheikh-a-bucket, powered the company’s adopted mascot across its 17th London Marathon finish line earlier this year. Their efforts raked in a further £3,000 for the company’s Thames 4 Bangladesh campaign.
Dave Cash Didcot operations
Runners-up: Paul Aust and Amanda Gould Paul Aust
Amanda Gould www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 7
news
Glastonbury’s stages to be powered by festival crowd?
PORTA-POO POWERED FESTIVALS Plush new toilets could soon be lighting the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury BY STUART WHITE
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ocking innovators at the Royal College of Art Incubator have launched a pilot project to produce renewable energy straight from festival toilets. Battersea-based Loowatt say they are hoping to have a “huge impact” on the UK’s booming festival scene following last month’s Glastonbury, headlined by The Rolling Stones and Arctic Bog-standard toilets Monkeys. would be replaced
will be trialed at festivals next summer. Peter Winter, Thames Water’s principal research engineer – sludge and energy, added: “It is a great idea to produce renewable energy right at the festivals. It shows that a clever sanitation concept can be applied in developing countries as well as in the UK.” Loowatt launched the pilot recently after being awarded a SMART grant from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to develop an ‘energy-generating toilet system for off-grid sites’. The InnovationRCA Incubator brings together talented teams from design, business and technology backgrounds, helping them transform innovative ideas, products, service concepts Dizzee Rascal could be and prototypes into viable humming on poo power business propositions. Visit www.loowatt.com for more information.
Thames Water’s innovation team is backing the scheme and offering valuable insights on anaerobic digestion and options for onsite waste treatment. As well as generating power, Loowatt aims to provide festival-goers with a waterless toilet that is chemical-free and more hygienic.
“Festivals are ideal for a new energy-generating toilet system” “Festivals require large numbers of mobile sanitation units and use a lot of energy so it’s an ideal scenario for a new energygenerating toilet system,” said Loowatt designer Fernanda Costa. The system is due for completion in 2014 and
Work on complex Notting Hill Gate repair continues BY NATALIE SLATER Thames Water engineers are continuing to work around-the-clock to repair a 30inch water main under one of London’s busiest streets. The job to repair the pipe, which is buried beneath a 24-inch gas main and intertwined with a network of other utility pipes, has been hampered by complications. Extensive voids, three metres deep in places, 8 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
were discovered along a 50 metre stretch of road forcing the company to close it completely until it is safe for motorists. Damian Crawford, Thames Water’s network optimisation manager, said: “We can reline the broken pipe without moving the gas pipe which will be quicker, but we’re still talking about a number of weeks until this work is finished.” The voids will be backfilled by early July, with the westbound side of the road expected to
open by the end of the month. Thames Water is aiming to have the road fully reopened by mid-August at the latest. A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said: “The council appreciates how disruptive these works are and is continuing to work closely with Thames Water to ensure they are completed as quickly as possible. We have arranged for other works to take place while the road is closed to avoid future disruption.”
Tax sense on Twitter
BOREHOLE with media manager Simon Evans
Each month BH drills down on the news and issues affecting Britain’s biggest water firm
Sparkling Siddall defends fizz choice T
he chief finance officer of the biggest British water firm in the world is openly courting controversy – by drinking bottled water instead of tap. Stuart Siddall keeps an industrial stash of sparkling Harrogate water, sourced from a spring in Yorkshire, under his desk, and is regularly spotted with one on the go. But the FD’s defence is watertight. “I categorically reject claims that I am in any way demonstrating disloyalty to Thames Water’s premium-grade product by exercising my right to drinking sparkling water,” he said in a statement to BH. “You can’t get sparkling from our mains – well, not yet anyway. My GP told me to keep better hydrated, and I prefer fizzy water. My conscience is completely clear. “It is of course important to remember that Thames Water’s
Stuart Siddall caught up in “another non-story”
tap water is among the best in the world. Last year our water was 99.97% compliant with around 500,000 quality tests carried out.” See page 15 for more. Siddall recently switched to Harrogate after polishing off several slabs of San Pellegrino, the Italian sparkling mineral water.
Both barrels for roadworks muppetry When road work contractors decided to dump a load of gravel across the main entrance and exit to Thames Water’s Reading HQ one weekday evening, they got both barrels. One from head of health and safety Karl Simons. The other from asset director Lawrence Gosden. Gosden told BH that he “had to sort out their complete muppetry,” while Karl said “we stopped the works so the public and our employees would be safe”.
BH further understands that boffins in the company’s commercial directorate are feverishly working out how feasible it would be to supply sparkling water to customers’ taps via Thames Water’s 20,000-mile network of mains. “It’s a gas,” said a source.
Thames Water ob eys tax law. So obviously people co mplain that it didn’t ignore ta x law and pay taxes it doesn’t ow e Ridiculous badgering of a perfectly legally operating co mpany doing nothing wrong No tax due becaus e it complied fully with legislation . This is NOT news Unbelievable misunde rstanding of the UK tax system re: capit al allowances!!
How journalism works It may come as a surprise but many newspaper hacks hung their heads in shame when the media hysterics unfolded over Thames Water’s deferral of corporation tax under a Government policy designed to encourage infrastructure investment. One trusted scribe at an un-named national broadsheet’s business section confided to BH: “It’s ridiculous. We all know this isn’t a story. We know how capital allowances work; you invest a lot – you defer a lot of tax. “My story is going to focus on rising levels of bad debt. That’s the real story. But one of my colleagues on the front of the paper [news pages] has been told to write a load of bile on tax-dodging. We’re worlds apart.”
Bullen in shampoo scandal frame
Dan Bullen’s, naturally
A bottle of Sunsilk ‘deeply brunette’ shampoo has been discovered in a men’s shower cubicle at Thames Water’s
Reading headquarters. Containing ‘chestnut natural extract’, this product offers ‘shimmering rich multi-tones for brunettes of all shades’. An investigation is under way. So far the hot leads point to Oxfordshire waste team manager Dan ‘the man’ Bullen. Father-ofone Dan, a well-known male groomer, is understood
to have forgotten his Sunsilk after taking a shower to freshen up before a meeting at HQ. Bullen told BH: “It’s because I’m worth it.”
Pipes in pipes Every now and again you just know something was meant to be. Rather like our woman from the Discovery Channel in Canada, who got in touch dead keen to go see our sewers and report on plans to generate power from fat. Her name? Alex Pipes. Naturally. www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 9
developer services
HIGH SPEED TWO JONATHAN CURRY is tasked with making sure HS2 does not disconnect Thames Water’s customers months I have been managing a project team High Speed Two (HS2) will be the engaged with HS2 to identify what the impacts UK’s new high speed rail network. will be and how they can be mitigated. It is being designed and built to Our primary focus is ensuring that HS2 will resolve impending capacity issues for both rail not adversely affect our customers or impact and freight on existing routes, particularly the the operability of the water and waste West Coast Main Line. network. This review is a significant piece The network will provide enhanced of work and requires engagement with infrastructure links between London all parts of the business, from network Euston station and the West Midlands. operations to water resources, HS2 will present a hybrid bill to ecology and property. Parliament at the end of 2013, with To date this has involved the a view to receiving Royal Assent screening of thousands of assets in 2015 and gain the powers to along the route from small construct the line. diameter distribution pipes to major HS2 construction will have a assets such as the Ring Main and significant impact on Thames Lee Tunnel. Impacts range Water assets; as such HS2 has recognised the from direct impacts, to asset failures due to need to consult with ground movement. us at an early stage Our initial review to identify potential has identified that impacts and agree a approximately 500 delivery mechanism for any required assets, spanning 50km, will require diversion, work. protection or Over the last 10 Jonathan Curry says work is on track
monitoring. These assessments will eventually be finalised into a Utilities Delivery Report (UDR) detailing the asset, mitigation, cost and programme. Over the coming months I will be managing the review of the protective provisions contained within the hybrid bill. These provisions provide protection to Thames Water, while providing HS2 with the parliamentary powers to deliver the rail line.
“OUR INITIAL REVIEW HAS IDENTIFIED THAT APPROXIMATELY 500 ASSETS WILL REQUIRE DIVERSION, PROTECTION OR MONITORING” Careful consideration and negotiation with HS2 over the provisions is required, as they will form the foundation for works delivery in the future. During this phase the project team will also be working closely with HS2 to finalise the UDR, with a strong focus on programme and scoping the next phase of work. This will include detailed design, establishing the construction work to be complete in advance of HS2 and review of the final hybrid bill.
Young rowers back supersewer Young rowers from across London pledged their backing for the Thames Tideway Tunnel last month. Participants in the London Youth Games Regatta in Docklands, along with spectators, took time out from the competition to sign their support for the project on Saturday, June 8. “It’s very important for us,” was the verdict on the project of one member of the London Rowing Club in Putney. Others voicing their support for the project came from as far afield as Redbridge and 10 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Waltham Forest. The event concluded with Phil Stride, head of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, joining forces
Wandsworth rowers with Phil Stride
with Team GB Olympic Rower Charles Cousins to present the medals, with team Wandsworth taking top honours for rowing.
Kensington and Chelsea rowers support the supersewer
Jurij Karlovsek came from Australia to meet David Clayton in the Lee Tunnel
Deep conversation
down under Prize-winning young engineers from opposite sides of the world come face-to-face in the Lee Tunnel
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wo of the world’s brightest young engineers met for the first time in London’s deepest tunnel. Chairman of the Young Australian Tunnelling Society Jurij Karlovsek joined Harding Prize winner David Clayton, of Morgan Sindall, 86.5 metres below the capital in the Lee Tunnel on June 12. David, 27, who lives in Birmingham, won the award given to the UK’s best young tunnelling engineer recently for a compelling paper on the Lee Tunnel. Jurij, 29, from Brisbane, is the current holder of the David Sugden Award, Australia’s equivalent honour. The pair spent over an hour in Thames Water’s £635 million tunnel, designed to stop 16 million tonnes of untreated sewage spilling into the River Lee – a tributary of the Thames – from London’s Victorian sewers every year, discussing their ideas and marvelling at the scale of the construction work. Jurij said: “It was good to talk to David and discuss ways we can help each other. His field of interest is very similar. “Going into the Lee Tunnel was a fantastic experience. It is a great construction site, and the
scale is overwhelming. There are so many things happening all in one place, all while the sewage works is in operation. That is very difficult. Projects like this should be shown more, especially to students, as they are inspirational.” Tunnel design engineer David added: “It was great to meet someone with different opinions and views. He has lots of innovative ideas and is a clever bloke. We will stay in touch and help each other out in the future. He is keen to work with us at some point.” The young engineers entered the tunnel via the imposing shaft at Britain’s biggest sewage works, Beckton, east London. They then travelled
“PROJECTS LIKE THE LEE TUNNEL SHOULD BE SHOWN MORE, ESPECIALLY TO STUDENTS, AS THEY ARE INSPIRATIONAL” three kilometres inside the giant tube – the width of three double decker buses – by train to the tunnel boring machine (TBM), Busy Lizzie, which is approaching the half-way point on its journey to Abbey Mills, Statford. David won the Harding Prize, awarded by the British Tunnelling Society every two years, in April for his paper on the ‘TBM crossing at the Lee Tunnel connection shaft’. Jurij was visiting London after attending the World Tunnel Congress in Geneva after claiming the Australasian Tunnelling Society’s David Sugden Award, also designed to encourage young engineers to develop the art of technical writing.
Social media Thames Water has been ranked third in the UK Utilities sector for social media performance. The annual Social Brands report measures engagement across a range of platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. EDF Energy came out on top of the Utilities category, while Dell was named overall top brand. Visit www.socialbrands100.com for more information. Meanwhile, this picture of a dramatic burst water main in Didcot was posted on Twitter by @warrenfield68. He said: “Think someone’s hit a water main in didcot! #freecarwash #insane.”
Free car wash in Didcot
www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 11
Heroic
saves elderly women from smoking car Ted Britnell has now hung up his hard hat
Main man delays his retirement Vastly experienced engineer TED BRITNELL stays on to mastermind one last repair Long-serving field operations specialist Ted Britnell delayed his retirement to help fix a high-risk leaking water pipe. Last month’s major repair on the 27-inch Angelinos to Banbury main in a field north of Kidlington was described as a shining example of Thames Water departments and contractors working together “to get the job done”. Western regional performance manager Nigel Membury said it was “a real team effort”, but reserved special praise for the man who has now hung up his hard hat after 37 years’ service.
“WHILE NO ONE IS INDISPENSABLE, WE ARE LOSING A VERY EXPERIENCED MEMBER OF THE TEAM” “Ted has so much experience and volunteered to extend his leaving date to make sure the repairs in his area were completed with no customer impact,” said Nigel. “He was on-site throughout the 18-inch Oxford city centre repair in May, was available on standby for his last three weeks, and was on-site throughout the repair to the
27-inch main. “While no one is indispensable, we are losing a very experienced individual who has given confidence to many managers and duty managers across the company. Although he fully deserves the rest now.” The main itself is believed to be one of only two made of pre-stressed concrete across the company and could have cut supply to 33,000 customers. A repair date was set in May, but it was delayed to fix a visible 18inch leak on one of the main traffic routes into Oxford – outside the courts and police station – which took priority. Work outside Kidlington was rescheduled for June 4 and, thanks to Ted and the team working day and night, everything ran like clockwork, with no significant impact to Duns Tew, Shennington, Sibford, Wiggington, Bretch and Overthorpe reservoirs. Nigel said: “It was a great example of real team work.” The groups involved in the repair were: production, western field ops, network optimisation, strategic control, water modelling, health and safety, Optimise and UTS, with support from customer and water quality.
Hatch back looked like it was going to blow after flipping onto its side. Source editor Stuart White visited Kidlington depot to hear JAMES EARLE’s story and find out what else has been happening in this western corner of the Thames Water region
A
brave engineer who rescued two elderly ladies from a smokedfilled car he feared would explode has said they were all “lucky to escape”. Kidlington-based Thames Water NST James Earle, 26, received thank you cards last month from the grateful women he saved in the Cotswolds while driving from a job in Highworth. Their Peugeot 206 had flipped onto its side and James was forced to pull the shaken victims out through the boot, which had been full of shopping, to safety. “I was shook up afterwards myself,” he said. “I tried to keep calm and cool, but there was smoke everywhere, the wheels were still spinning, and it’s only when you stop to think that you realise it could have gone badly wrong. “But I think most people would do it. It was instinctive. My reaction was get them out, and I hope somebody would do the same if my grans were in trouble.” The ladies, believed to be in their late 60s, were fortunate to walk away with minor injuries following the accident, which happened in Ampney St Peter at the end of May.
“MY REACTION WAS GET THEM OUT, AND I HOPE SOMEBODY WOULD DO THE SAME IF MY GRANS WERE IN TROUBLE” “They were trapped, and getting very anxious and shaky,” added James, who has worked for Thames Water for two years and lives in Carterton. “I had to get them out. In the end I carried them out under my arm while others, who had stopped, called an ambulance. “Looking back I was quite surprised at myself, as I’ve never done anything like it before. I received a nice card from them both and luckily they suffered no serious injuries, other than a few cuts and bruises.” His manager Jevan Laxen added: “James’ brave actions could have prevented something much more serious – a fire or even an explosion? I’ve nominated him for an Employee Recognition Award.”
Want your team to be featured in the Source? Email editor 12 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk stuart.white@thameswater.co.uk or call 07747 647846.
c James
kidlington
Jevan Laxen with John Dyer, James Earle, Colin Brain and Mick Ricketts who retired last month
‘I’m not going to moan’ James Earle said it was “instinctive”
COLIN BRAIN explains why he still loves his job and helping customers after 26 years, in between a bit of a moan (yes, he did mention WAMI) I love dealing with customers. You strike up a relationship and help them out. When we first meet a customer they are usually annoyed because something has gone wrong. We pacify them, and normally leave on good terms. Our role is a lot more involved than people think and is all customer related. There are nine NSTs operating out of the Kidlington depot and we do every aspect of clean water. We put right what has gone wrong. Resolution is my game – all kinds of problem solving. There is a lot to do, and we never know what is coming next. The job has great variety. You’ve got to get there. Find the problem. Tell the gang, send the job over. You have to identify it and give it a priority. Is it likely to cause any damage? You have to get a permit raised. What are the connotations of shutting a valve? Who will be
affected? Can you bring water in from another way? You may have to rezone and sample. Have we got any customers with special needs? This all goes through your head when you turn up. We have to think about all these things.
“YOU STRIKE UP A RELATIONSHIP AND HELP CUSTOMERS OUT” I said I wasn’t going to moan, but we are frustrated in our work. The WAMI system is still not working how it should and hopefully the feedback given at the Executive Roadshow will be taken on board. We also want more ownership of jobs, not to pass them around the team. Ultimately we want what is best for the customer and to feel like we’re more than just a spanner in the works. www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 13
news
Flooding victims demanded action West London campaign group satisfied by £17.5 million plan to protect homes from ‘horrendous’ sewer flooding BY CRAIG RANCE
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hames Water is responding to customers in Maida Vale, Maida Hill and Little Venice who have demanded action to help protect their homes from the misery of sewer flooding. Residents’ campaign group Maida Flood Action called on the company to invest in the area to reduce the risk of sewage spilling into 200 west London properties. The group sent pictures which show children’s toys floating in raw sewage and a restaurant owner knee-deep in wastewater. Thames Water has now proposed a £17.5m
plan to build two overspill tanks to capture sewage and stormwater. Jason Aldred, head of programme delivery, said: “This is a big problem and it needs an effective and reliable solution. Sewer flooding is utterly miserable and these pictures show the devastating effects that heavy rainfall can have on our sewers.
“THIS IS THE BEST SOLUTION. IT’S BEEN CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND HAS THE LEAST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT” “Nobody should have to live in fear that this could happen every time it rains. This isn’t a ‘nice-to-do’ job, the pictures show why this is an absolute ‘must-do’.” The proposed tank under Westbourne Green would be 20 metres deep and 20 metres in diameter and able to hold 6.3 million litres of wastewater – enough to fill two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. Another 2.56 million litres tank would be dug under Tamplin
The group sent this picture of toys
Mews Gardens. Julia Neal from Maida Flood Action (MFA), who campaigned for a solution to the flooding, said: “We found many buildings had been flooded twice in three years, but others had been flooded between five and 10 times. “The smell was horrendous and it takes months to dry out a flooded building, even using industrial dehumidifiers. These are noisy, hot and expensive to run. “Different options were discussed at meetings and presented at public drop-ins and we think this is the best solution possible. It’s been carefully considered and has the least possible environmental impact.” The project is part of the £350m Thames Water is spending across London and the Thames Valley to protect 2,500 homes from the risk of sewer flooding between 2010 and 2015.
Tom saw the fun and serious side of life in the sewers
Sewer experience BY SARAH MORPHEW A teenager on work experience was awarded a confined space awareness certificate last month. Bournemouth Grammar School student Tom Horkan, 14, got fully stuck into a day’s training with the Hammersmith sewer team, and ended up crawling through the dark tunnels himself. The exercise formed part of a packed schedule, including visits to four sewage and water treatment works, organised by the health and safety team. Tom said: “I had a wonderful time and have learnt so much about the water industry. I now realise how much goes in to getting clean water to the consumers’ taps. I have had some fantastic experiences from visiting all the different sites.” Karl Simons, head of health and safety, added: “His approach and enthusiasm has 14 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Trained and ready to go inside
been truly excellent. Tom is a very confident and capable young man. I believe he has a very bright future in front of him and look forward to welcoming him back to work with us again at Thames in the future.” The next work experience student is expected to join the team in August.
Testing takes place at Spencer House, Reading
HIGHEST QUALITY WATER IN THE WORLD Thames Water helps UK top ‘happiness index’ thanks to major industry investment and stringent quality tests
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rinking water quality in the UK is better than all of the world’s most developed countries, including Germany and Norway, according to a new survey. Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) claim 97% of people are happy with their water quality in the United Kingdom, against an average of 84% in the 34 nations covered in the Better Life Index environment report. The findings suggest that the considerable investment to water quality and safety made by UK companies, with Thames Water leading the way, has paid off.
“The limit for an individual pesticide in water is a concentration less than a sugar cube dissolved in an Olympicsized swimming pool” Pamela Taylor, Water UK chief executive, said: “The quality and safety of our drinking water is the highest priority for the industry. The Better Life Index – or ‘happiness index’ – confirms the value of this investment in our health and the overall wellbeing of our society.” The UK water industry has made capital investment of £108bn since privatisation in 1989. Thames Water continues to invest a record £1bn a year in infrastructure upgrades and performs more water quality tests than any other company in the country – almost 500,000 a year. Regulatory response manager Nick Adams, who works in water quality and compliance at
Kemble Court, said 99.97% of all these tests were within the regulatory standard for 2012. “We test for over 40 different microbiological, physical and chemical parameters,” he said. “Some of the standards we must achieve are exceptionally tight. The limit for an individual pesticide in water is 0.1 µg/l (micrograms per litre) – that’s a concentration less than a sugar cube dissolved in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.” Nick, 33, who has worked for Thames Water for 13 years, confirmed the company invests vast sums in treating water to an uncompromising standard at its 100 works using industry-leading technology. Much of what the team of 30 in water quality do is dictated by their regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate. They enforce the water quality legislation that sets out the minimum quality standards required by law.
Nick Adams said the team is often called in response to operational incidents
“Failure to comply with these standards can mean prosecution,” said Nick, “and in some cases, a breach of the regulations can be treated as a criminal offence. “But it isn’t just about treating the water. Potential risks exist from the raw water source right through to the customers’ taps and plumbing systems, and so we must be vigilant at all stages. “It’s not ideal to spend a lot of money treating the water and pumping it for several miles only to see it contaminated at the point of use.”
What is water quality? “The most important aspect is protecting public health. This means making sure water is wholesome, free of any microbiological or chemical hazards. It is also important to ensure water we supply looks and tastes appealing, even when we know it is safe. Water which is slightly discoloured, or has a strange taste or odour, may not necessarily cause any harm to customers but is very likely to be rejected. Clearly that would be unacceptable.” www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 15
open day
Welcome to Mo West London’s biggest sewage works shows off £140 million extension at successful open day BY NATALIE SLATER
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ary Macleod, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, unveiled a plaque marking the end of a three-year project by Thames Water to upgrade Mogden sewage works. Mogden, in Isleworth, has had its treatment capacity expanded by 54 per cent to significantly reduce sewage overflows to the River Thames during heavy rain, and improve the quality of treated wastewater recycled to the environment. Thames Water welcomed 420 guests for a guided tour and to hear more about the company’s ongoing work to clean up the river
on Saturday, June 22. Visitors also got to meet the team who run the works and watch a play about the history of London’s sewers and the origins
see what we have been busy doing over the past three years. “Our customers living next to the site have been very patient while we have been getting this essential work done. It was good to be able to show off the scale of this work – which customer bills have helped pay for. “The additional treatment
capacity will mean that the site’s storm overflow tanks, which can be a source of odour, will be in use far less frequently. To cut odour we have also covered the inlet works and all new, and some existing, primary
“It was great for our neighbours to come and have a look over the garden fence, and show off the scale of this work” of Mogden, performed superbly by pupils at Ivybridge Primary School. Nick Fawcett, Thames Water’s head of programme delivery, said: “It was great to welcome our neighbours to come and have a look over the garden fence and
Raising the stakes for Bangladesh BY ALICE COWIE Chief executive Martin Baggs presents a £70,000 cheque to WaterAid’s Dave Hillyard at Thames Water’s biggest fundraising event of the year. More than 200 guests, made up of the company’s contractors and suppliers, were at Royal Windsor racecourse for Ladies’ Night on Monday, June 17. Volunteers from across the company helped reach the superb total by shaking tins and drumming-up support from the 7,000 race goers at Windsor’s biggest night on the calendar. Six of the races on the card were sponsored 16 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
by the company’s premium sponsors, CH2M HILL, HSBC, Lanes Group, Third Horizon, MGJV and MWH, while school children from Kalaroa School in Bangladesh also got involved by designing racing silks. Thames Water guests received tips from Barry Dennis, pundit for Channel 4’s Morning Line, and took part in an auction
run by media manager Simon Evans, which raised a staggering £10,000 alone. Prizes included a flight in a RAF fighter jet and trip on the Orient Express to the Ashes first test match at Trent Bridge. The company is now just over half way through its four-year Thames 4 Bangladesh programme, which is up to £1.3m of the £2m target.
Positive impact Customer guarantee scheme manager KEVIN LENNON, 24, said the upgrade will have a positive impact on all our working lives
ogden settlement tanks.” The treatment works, which serve nearly two million people, is now fit to meet the Environment Agency’s new tougher treatment standards. The project
involved building 20 new treatment tanks, installing a new power supply and upgrading and covering some of the existing parts of the site. The investment at Mogden is part of a wider £5.4bn plan to clean up the river. It includes £675m of upgrades
to London’s five main sewage works, the £635m Lee Tunnel, which is currently under construction, and the proposed £4.2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel. The expansion work was completed by contractors Black and Veatch, working on behalf of Thames Water.
I’ve heard lots about the Mogden upgrade and was at the recent open day. No matter where you are based, from Swindon to London, this huge investment will improve our working lives. You may ask how? I was speaking to one of our customers, called Dawn Walsh from Felton, who was happy to “finally get to see where our money is being spent”. She even went on to say that “more people should be made aware” of these type of events. Dawn is so right. We should be shouting about reducing pollution into the Thames, and shouting about reducing odour in our customers’ neighbourhoods.
“We should be shouting about reducing pollution into the Thames” Infrastructural improvements and their open days, like Mogden, will improve life to our insight and resolution teams, with less customer complaints and enquires. Driving down written complaints and unwanted telephone calls will make a positive contribution to improving our SIM (Service Incentive Mechanism) and CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Survey) scores. I was taken aback from the forwardthinking, positive attitude I witnessed at the opening ceremony – the smiles I saw on customers’ faces, the local relationships that were being forged with the local school. I hope you agree that infrastructural improvements, like Mogden, can only have a positive impact on all our working lives. And long may they continue. Kevin Lennon
Sixty volunteers helped show off
Mogden
www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 17
Meet the AMP6 alliance: SMB Last month Source announced the industry-leading members of the new AMP6 alliance that will deliver Thames Water’s construction projects between 2015 and 2020. The alliance has already started preparing for AMP6 by helping to write the business plan which will be presented to Ofwat at the next price review. Each issue HEATHER LEWIS-JONES will be introducing one of the new alliance members, starting with joint venture SMB, formed from Skanska, MWH Global and Balfour Beatty. SMB will be one of the ‘design and build’ partners within the alliance
‘Ready to deliver the best solutions’ Skanska is one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups. The UK operation is one of the country’s top 10 contractors. Skanska is famous for building iconic structures like the Gherkin and the QEII Bridge, and delivered the UK’s biggest hospital project, the £1 billion redevelopment of St Bartholomew’s and The Royal London. Peter Jones, alliance board representative, said SMB’s “really strong team” brings a “range of capabilities that will add real value to the alliance”.
Peter Jones is adding value
‘Committed to improving customer service’ MWH Global has more than 150 years of experience in the water sector, providing services for the full range of water-related projects including water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment, networks and storage. They have designed or constructed close to 500 water treatment plants, 800 wastewater treatment plants, 200 reservoirs, 1,000 pumping stations and thousands of miles of pipeline around the world. John Abraham, SMB director, is passionate that the alliance partners will work together to find “affordable and sustainable solutions” to help Thames Water provide safe and reliable services for today’s customers and future John Abraham wants “affordable generations. and sustainable solutions”
‘Fit for future generations’ Balfour Beatty employs 50,000 people around the world. They deliver major infrastructure projects that include water, transport, power, energy, mining, hospitals and schools. Some of their most famous projects include the London 2012 Aquatics Centre and the £115m underground northern ticket hall at King’s Cross St Pancras. Colin Kelly, SMB director, said that SMB are committed to ensuring Thames Water’s pipes, sewers and other facilities are fit to serve future generations through “great leadership, people, processes and systems”.
18 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Colin Kelly is thinking long term
Elaine Card, Anna Badowska and Yvonne Ryan at Beale Park
Roadsho Feedback now under review as business plan consultation closes BY ANDREW BOYD
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eedback from hundreds of customers and staff who took part in the consultation on Thames Water’s draft business plan for 2015-2020 is being studied to see what they think of the proposals. The eight-week consultation, which closed on 25 June, will show whether the company needs to revise any of the potential schemes outlined in the plan, due to be submitted to regulator Ofwat on December 2. The result of the 2014 Price Review (PR14) will decide the maximum level for bills over the following five years. In recent weeks staff staged 22 roadshows around the region to highlight the consultation and encourage local people to participate. The venues – including Banbury, Tower Hamlets, Swindon and Fleet – were chosen with the aim of talking to a cross-section of customers, including those who receive just sewerage services.
price review
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
how over Clare Carlaw, PR14 stakeholder engagement manager, said: “I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the dozens of employees who helped staff our stand, chatting to passers-by about our proposals and answering their queries. “They also blew up more than their fair share
“THANK YOU TO THE DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES WHO HELPED STAFF OUR STAND” of balloons and gave out hundreds of water efficiency packs! “Thanks also to our PR14 ambassadors, who have been spreading the word around the
business, and to all those colleagues who went online and completed the questionnaire.” The proposals in the plan include: • Increasing the proportion of metered properties from 30 per cent to 56 per cent by 2020, helping to reduce demand and locate leaks • Reducing leakage from about 665 million litres per day to 620 • Encouraging ‘sustainable’ drainage schemes, to reduce the volume and speed of rainwater entering our sewers • Reducing the risk of odour for 5,000 homes and ensuring no deterioration at 50 works • Replacing customer information system The consultation is the latest in a range of customer engagement exercises that have helped shed light on customers’ views on water and waste services, and on what they want in the future. In total, more than 20,000 domestic and almost 2,000 business customers, plus over 170 stakeholders have been consulted. A separate consultation on our 25-year Water Resources Management Plan continues until July 23.
There have been many memorable moments from the customer consultation events. One of the funniest was at Bluewater, where we had been asked to bring our two Waterwisely characters to provide an ‘interactive experience’. Phil Gilley, Amit Chakraborti, John Gray and Claudia Innes all rose to the challenge. Clare Carlaw said: “I will never forget the image of Phil, dressed as the young girl, swaggering along the concourse waving to salesmen from Sky TV. I don’t think they could work out whether it was a man or a woman! “In Crawley, Piers Clark designed an interpretive dance routine with balloons to encourage customers to come over to our stand. I wished I had my video camera.” But Clare said the most memorable discussions came from a session held with 12 customers with learning disabilities, staged at a Mencap centre in Brixton. “The level of discussion, thought and engagement from the group was incredible, and there were some very powerful comments,” she said. “A lady said ‘call centres think I am a child when I am on the phone and ask to speak to my mummy − but I am the mummy’. Another lady suggested our staff should be trained how to speak to people with learning disabilities. These comments were very humbling.” The Source editor had a 10-minute conversation with a 60-year-old woman in Swindon who spoke only Spanish. I speak only English. www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 19
nature Falcon chicks growing fast These are the “magnificent” peregrine falcon chicks nesting at Walton water treatment works. This picture of the fastest bird in the world was taken by operations liaison engineer Richard Hulley at the end of June. Walton shift controller and wildlife enthusiast Mike Allen had been monitoring the nest for some time but kept it under wraps until the eggs had hatched. Ecology advisor Katie Delaney said: “They look for a secure, safe environment to raise their young. Our sites provide that. They are magnificent birds of prey.” Peregrine chicks in Walton
Girls hooked on
angling
Teacher says it is “great to be totally wrong” after treating her surprised class to a session at Walthamstow reservoir
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class of Asian girls have been transformed into keen anglers after just one visit to Thames Water’s Walthamstow Angling Academy. Angling coordinator Will Barnard has been running sessions for the REAL Initiative Islamic group all month, and all were surprised by how quickly they got hooked. Parent and teacher Zaida Hussain said Will’s infectious personality and enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on the girls, who all “thoroughly enjoyed it”. “Will is passionate about angling and passing on his knowledge to the wider community, and people of all ages,” said Zaida. “The girls had preconceptions of a very long, slow inactive session but from the start we were all engaged. From learning about fish food to types of rods
used, and the history of the pond was fascinating. “It gave the children a better understanding and appreciation of the water cleaning process and learning how in only a year the pond has become an accessible place for all with a thriving ecosystem. “We were quite amazed to be at the very spot where the water that eventually ends up in our homes comes to. It was great to be totally wrong about this sport and what we thought may not be everyone’s cup of tea proved to be just what we needed.” Will added: “Angling can be enjoyed by all. By using it as a tool to engage with our customers we can easily promote a need for responsible water usage, and put into context important environmental and sustainability messages.”
‘Catching a fish was excellent’ Students give their feedback on the Walthamstow sessions: Aaliyah Tucker, aged 11: “I expected a lot of sitting around, but it was actually quite fun. Especially learning about the bait and casting in. I was surprised to learn that angling involves mathematics and physics. Just in one session I learnt so much, and there was a lot more to it than I imagined.” Hanifa Ahmed, nine: “During our lesson I caught a fish – that was excellent. I would love to continue.” Hanna Ali, nine: “I was excited at the prospect of catching a fish for the first time. I had a really good time. Will explained the procedure well and clearly, and made it interesting.” Rumaisa Wajid,10: “The lesson was really interesting and I especially enjoyed sitting in silence, patiently. It was quite relaxing. The pond has more to it than meets the eye. I look forward to discovering more about its inhabitants.”
Specialist technology keeps fishing lake open BY CRAIG RANCE A collapsed sewer pipe near a Reading lake has been successfully repaired in time for the fishing season to start. Thames Water used specialist ‘no-dig’ technology to reline 70 metres of sewer that runs along Maiden Erlegh lake in a project which finished last month. The collapsed sewer was discovered in February after a blockage caused sewage to spill into the lake. This was cleared up on the day and there have been no further spills since, but the complex nature of the repair meant it took a number of months to complete. 20 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
Steve Spencer, head of capital delivery, said: “This was a tricky job because the pipe is buried in the bank of the lake. If we had wanted to dig up the pipe safely, it would have meant draining the lake and causing major disruption to fishermen and other park users. “The no-dig equipment means that we dig a hole at either end of the pipe and pull a new lining through. Because of this clever bit of kit, the job took days rather than months.” Grahame Hawker, senior park ranger for Earley Town Council, added: “The last few days have gone very well. There was a bit of a delay after the initial problem, but once the job got started it’s been very good. “There was no disruption as all the work
was underground so the solution suited us very well.” The three-day project relined 70 metres of sewer in two sections and was completed on June 12.
Maiden Erlegh lake
Health and wellbeing
‘is about choice’ Health and wellbeing manager JILL COTTRELL is providing the water. All you have to do is drink Why is health and wellbeing so important at Thames? Our people help us achieve our goals. We need you to be healthy and well to carry out your work to the highest standard. But it is not just the business who benefit. Taking care of your own health will also benefit you outside of work. So what are you doing to help? We’ve developed a strategy to help focus on the main priorities, and will continue to develop new initiatives as circumstances change. For example, we’ve run emotional resilience workshops for 388 managers and are already seeing the benefits. Is there anything else? Yes, we’ve also introduced a management of change process that
requires the health and wellbeing of our staff to be considered in any change that takes place, and developed some helpful guides for managing stress (on the portal).
This period of change must add to the stress. Change is normal. Organisations undergo change all the time so they can evolve and compete in the current market. People respond to change very differently, some will see it as an exciting opportunity while others may find it difficult to adapt and feel stressed. Seeking help early can help these people cope and reduce the risk of becoming ill. Where can we get help? There is a whole range of support available via Workplace Options, our employee assistance service. Also speak to your line manager, HR or occupational health for advice.
Jill Cottrell says help is available
What about physical wellbeing? To promote musculoskeletal (bones/ muscle/joints) health we are already delivering manual handling training to stay safe when moving/lifting items. The principles also apply at home.
And for those sat behind computers all day? We’re rolling out an online display screen equipment (DSE) training and self-assessment package over the next six months to help set up workstations safely.
“People respond to change very differently, some will see it as an exciting opportunity while others may feel stressed” I saw the health kiosk trial at Maple Lodge. Will everyone get a go? It will be in Clearwater Court in July, Walnut Court in August and Kemble Court in September. This is a great opportunity to take the first step to understanding your own health, and it’s free. And what’s Water Wellbeing Week? This is planned for the autumn. It will be a whole week dedicated to fun, informative activities and events focussing, of course, on health and wellbeing. Any final words of inspiration? Health and wellbeing is essentially about choice. We want to provide people with the information, activities, advice and support to make sure they are able to make an informed choice. Please read the information available and get involved.
Driving down vehicle incidents One in three vehicle-related incidents in the UK involves somebody driving on business. Thames Water drivers travel over 25 million miles per year and were involved in nearly 700 vehicle incidents last year. To reverse the upward trend, up from 610 incidents in 2010/11 and 660 in 11/12, fleet has joined forces with the safety, health and wellbeing team to promote ‘driving safely’ to all. There’s a series of activities planned over the coming months, including a roadshow, vehicle checking support and an online driver assessment tool. See the fleet portal pages for more information.
TOP TIPS
Do not use technology when driving – no checking of toughbooks to see your next job, answering calls or texting Summer drinking – remember one too many the night before can leave you over the drink-drive limit in the morning Plan your meetings – can you dial-in rather than drive long distances? Have you left enough travel time? Don’t end up stressed and speeding Vehicle checks – a quick check every day and a more comprehensive review once a week could prevent a nasty incident.
Thames Water drivers travel over 25 million miles per year
www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 21
Arctic mission accomplished Long-serving Pete Tyler returned home in Broadwell, Gloucestershire on June 1 after riding solo for 5,475 miles. The Thames Water ICA engineer powered through torrential rain, hot sunshine, snow and freezing conditions, and suffered frost bite on his fingers as he got closer to Nordkapp – the most northerly point in mainland Europe. Vicky, his 1970s Harley-Davidson, had a few problems on route, including her battery not charging properly, mirror and indicators falling off, and petrol tank coming loose. So far he has raised over £2,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The team at 2,313 feet on top of Pike of Blisco
Flying the flag high Thames team were well up for challenge Pete Tyler at Nordkapp
WaterAid Lottery The latest lucky winner of the WaterAid Lottery jackpot of £800 is HJ Masters. Runners-up in the monthly draw, each receiving £25, were: HE Lamb, AM Hilton, KC Lockwood, Peter Fawkes, Tracey Newton, Philip Thomas, B Hart, JF Brooks, Mohsin Palekar, Loretta Phillips, Diane Richards, DIH James, Dean Marsh, Claire Tyrrell, RJ Bryant, AEW Pill, Santokh Matharu, Mark Wickstead, Gordon Chaplin, Michelle Farrington, Fiona Bartlett-White, JE Ellis, RS Pople and Charles Carroll.
Tough Mudders Five fearless Thames Water runners rose to the Tough Mudder challenge following weeks of ‘hardcore’ training. The 12 mile course consisted of 21 obstacles and were a test of “pure grit and teamwork”, including swimming through an ice bath, getting electrocuted (twice), jumping through fire, navigating over inclined monkey bars and scaling eight feet walls. Organiser Helen ‘Mainiac’ Main said: “It was a really tough course, but we really enjoyed it. Other than getting electrocuted, the best bit was earning the Tough Mudder headband and getting a free pint of Strongbow at the end.” 22 | july 2013 www.thameswater.co.uk
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n intrepid team of Thames Water climbers scaled the Lake District’s Pike of Blisco for WaterAid’s biggest annual challenge event. Team leader Holly Banham was joined by Erin Matthews, Sarah Hedden, Jasmine Killen, Sean Healy, Tom Earnshaw, Jon Brock, Ollie Hope and Alastair Walker for WaterAid200 on June 8.
“THE WALK WAS A GREAT DAY OUT FOR AN EXCELLENT CAUSE” The charity aimed to raise £200,000 by having at least one team of walkers on top of 200 mountains across the UK and Ireland on one day. Network optimisation engineer Holly said: “Thames Water didn’t have a representative
in last year’s Institute of Water team so it was great we managed to make up 11 out of the 18 places this year. “The walk was not only a great day out for an excellent cause but it was also a good opportunity to network with people from other water companies in the south east. “The WaterAid 200 event was a truly wonderful experience. Not only was the weather fantastic in Cumbria, making climbing up the Pike of Blisco a real pleasure, but it was great to participate in a UK-wide event to raise money for such an excellent cause. “And the celebratory ceilidh hosted in Ambleside by Yorkshire Water was a real highlight of the weekend.” Holly and the Thames climbers walked with a team from the Institute of Water South East Area, which also included staff from Portsmouth, Southern and South East Water. So far they have raised almost £3,500.
Aiden Heke, Helen Main, Rory Broughal, Paul Gell and Andy Freeman represented Thames Water
motorsport Paul Fowler marshalled at the inaugural F1 race at Yas Marina Circuit in 2009
SILVERSTONE
AROUND THE CORNER EYES, EARS AND INSTINCT
Petrol-head Thames Water engineer PAUL FOWLER is revving up for his Moto GP debut at Silverstone next month BY STUART WHITE
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aving raised his flag at a number of Formula One races, Dartford-based engineer Paul Fowler is now gearing towards the big Superbike meeting of
commentator Murray Walker. “They all appreciate the job we do – we are out in all-weather looking after their welfare,” he said. “At the end of the race they normally do a lap and give us a clap and wave.” Paul, who marshals around 15 times a year and has an “understanding wife”, originally wanted to be a grassroots driver but after discovering the high costs decided to turn to “the next best thing”.
the year. The 37-year-old father of two girls will be marshalling at the Moto GP, featuring Valentino Rossi, at Silverstone over the weekend of August 31. “It’s the smell, noise, racing It will be his first major motorbike meeting and getting up close. We since taking up the voluntary track role 10 years ago. don’t get paid but there are “It’s the smell, noise, racing and getting some great perks” up close to the action,” he said. “We He responded to an internet advert don’t get paid but there are some and came through a training day great perks. at the Lydden Hill circuit, near “We get as close to the cars and Canterbury, with flying colours. bikes as you’ll ever want, either He said: “I was shown how to in the pits or crashing at flag so drivers can clearly see your post, access most it. We also did fire fighting areas, we go on factory training and basic first aid tours and get to meet – helmet removal, neck the drivers.” supporting. I love it and Paul name drops would recommend Lewis Hamilton, it to anyone interested Touring Cars legend in motorsport.” Jason Plato, Finnish rally If you want to find out driver Marcus Gronholm, more about marshalling, former British Superbike get in touch with Paul or champion Shakey Byrne With Marcus Gronholm visit www.marshals.co.uk. and renowned BBC
Paul Fowler, who lists Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell as his heroes, will be allocated a corner at Silverstone and work as part of a fully-drilled team. One goes to the bike, the other the driver if there’s a fall. Stood just behind the crash barrier, taking your eye off the track is not an option. “You have to be patient, apply the 10-second rule,” he said. “You have to wait and not rush in because the race is still going on around you. “We have spotters with whistles sending warnings. You use your eyes, ears and instinct – it’s about self-preservation.” Paul, who lives in Strood, Medway, admits he has had a few close shaves, but the marshals are fully trained – with refresher courses every year – and safety is the number one priority.
Valentino Rossi will be the star rider at Silverstone www.thameswater.co.uk july 2013 | 23
HONOURED Royal recognition for CLIVE DICKENS and BOB COLLINGTON BY NATALIE SLATER
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hames Water’s own Olympic heroes were named in the Queen’s birthday honours list last month. Bob Collington, director of operations, is to be given an OBE for his services to consumers in London and the Thames Valley for his sterling work during the drought and London 2012. And project manager Clive Dickens will receive an MBE for the delivery of water and wastewater services to London 2012. Bob has worked for the company for 24 years and admitted 2012 was certainly one of the most challenging and rewarding. He said: “It is an absolute honour and I feel very proud to have received this accolade. But for me, it is a reflection of all the hard work of
everyone in the company. “Providing water and wastewater services to 14 million people across London and the Thames Valley is no easy task but we do our absolute best to make sure people don’t even realise how much goes on behind the scenes.
“BEING INVOLVED IN THE OLYMPICS FROM CONCEPTION TO DELIVERY IS THE PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT OF MY WORKING LIFE” “Last year was a particularly extraordinary year for me because I was dealing with the technical response for the drought and the Olympics at the same time. It’s a job I am passionate about and one that I can only do
with the support of my wife and family, so to get such a high level of recognition really is very special.” Clive has worked for Thames Water for 10 years and spent more than half of that time overseeing the complex job of providing the Olympic Park with water and wastewater services. He said: “I cannot describe how much this means to me and my wife. I am personally both incredibly honoured and thrilled to receive this award. “Being involved in the Olympics from conception to delivery is the proudest achievement of my working life, and to receive this recognition is very unexpected. I am only sad that my parents are not here to see me receive it – they would have been so very proud.” The two will collect their orders of chivalry from Buckingham Palace later this year.
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