Environment - Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does the Company have an environment policy?
A. Yes. Open our Environment Policy. It conforms to the requirements of ISO 14001.
Q. Does the Company hold the ISO14001 standard?
A. No. Hampton Loade treatment works did have the standard but the Company does not yet have an integrated Environmental Management System in place. This is currently in its infancy and will be in place as soon as is possible. The new system, which is likely to take a couple of years to develop, will be designed to conform to the requirements of ISO14001. However no decision has yet been made as to whether or not to formally apply for the standard.
Q. Does the Company produce an Environment Report?
A. Yes. It is a statutory requirement for us to produce a Conservation, Access and Recreation report. The Company has developed this to produce an annual Corporate Social Responsibility report.
Q. What other environmental reporting is undertaken?
A. Water UK runs a Sustainability Network on which the Company is represented by its Environment and Education Manager. Each year the Company compiles a report on its environmental performance based on a set of indicators, which have been developed by Water UK. These indicators are split into 6 areas, namely, Governance, Environment, Society, Employees, Assets, and Financial and include such things as the Company's energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, use of chemicals, generation of sludge and other waste. Although involvement is voluntary most water companies submit a similar report, which is then compiled into an industry statement by Water UK.
Q. What happens if someone asks for information of an environmental nature?
A. The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 state that we must provide environmental information within 20 working days of receipt of the request. We can only refuse if we can prove that we are entitled to use an exemption provided in the regulations, or if the person requesting the information refuses to pay any reasonable charges. For more details contact the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Q. What is an SSSI and do we have any?
A. AN SSSI, (Site of Special Scientific Interest), is an area that has been given the designation as it is important for certain features which may be flora, fauna, or archaeological in nature. The Company has two SSSI's in its ownership. The Blithfield Reservoir estate is the Company's biggest SSSI at over 430 hectares. Penorchard Pastures near Hayley Green in the South of the Company area is the second SSSI. Owing to their designation it is important to be careful how SSSI's are managed in order to ensure that the features for which it has been designated are not damaged. English Nature has a target to achieve 95% of SSSI's in “Favourable” or “Unfavourable but Recovering” condition by 2010.
Q. What happens if you find an endangered species while working?
A. There are many endangered and/or protected species that may become evident as work progresses. This could include Great Crested Newts, bats, and a host of other animals as well as a range of plants. It is an offence to damage these species or remove them from their habitat without a licence or consent from English Nature. In some cases an ecological survey would be required. If such a regulatory breach were to happen the Company would be liable to prosecution and would incur quite substantial fines. Hence, if you become aware of any endangered and/or protected species being evident while you are working on Company business it is important that you check the status of the species with the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility so that the appropriate safeguards can be put into place. Remedial actions may be to apply for a consent/conservation licence or may require an alternative habitat to be developed. In some cases work will need to stop until remedial actions have been undertaken.
Q. Does the Company recycle anything?
A. Yes, a number of resources are recycled. Paper, which is collected in the green paper waste bins located around our offices, is taken away for recycling. Cardboard is also recycled. Sludge waste from the Company’s treatment works is now spread to land and is thus utilised by farmers as a soil conditioner.
Q. Does the Company do anything to help people learn about the environment?
A. Yes, the Company actively participates in a variety of educational initiatives that serve to enlighten its communities about environmental issues. Direct education is provided to visitors to the Company’s education centre at Blithfield Reservoir. The Company also supports many projects to support environmental factors, e.g. the provision of a Kestrel pole for an urban school.
Q. What does "environmental" include?
A. The word environmental is often associated merely with looking after our fields and woodlands. However, in reality it is much wider then that. It also includes the effective management of energy, waste, water resources, supply chains, vehicle fleet and finances. This wider meaning is reflected in the Water UK Sustainability indicators and accounts for the diversity of indicators that have been developed to date.