Our capital investment programme is delivering significant improvements to water infrastructure across the South Staffs Water region, helping to provide a reliable, resilient and sustainable water supply for our customers now and in the future.

As our communities grow and the impacts of climate change become more evident, investing in our water network has never been more important. Through a carefully planned programme of capital investment projects, we are upgrading essential assets, enhancing operational resilience and supporting environmental sustainability.

Why we're investing

Water infrastructure plays a vital role in everyday life. From treatment works and pumping stations to water reservoirs and water mains, these assets help ensure safe, high-quality drinking water keeps water flowing 24-hours a day, seven days a week to homes and businesses.

By investing today, we're helping to future-proof our network and ensure customers continue to receive a high-quality water service for generations to come.

Key areas of investment

Mains renewal programme

Total investment (2025/26) - £10.31 million

Between 2025-2030, we are replacing 250km of ageing pipework across our two supply regions (South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water), targeting areas of our network that have a history of bursting or leaking. This is the equivalent of replacing a pipeline from London to Manchester.

The selection of mains renewal schemes is driven by our asset management team. They review a range of different types of data – the key one being burst frequency. Next, the infrastructure programme manager reviews the analysis and provides an overview of deliverability and/or scheme extents.

This helps to extend each mains renewal project to make sure the renewed main covers the whole street, or we may connect to a section of previously renewed pipeline. This removes all ‘at risk’ mains and lowers the potential for return visits and future disruption for our customers.

Following this process enables us to understand where some schemes may be more challenging for our teams to deliver. This could be based on location, traffic sensitivity or customer impact. It also gives us the opportunity to engage with local authorities and other stakeholders on the planning and programme, making sure we manage expectations. 

Over 15 schemes were completed between 2025-26 in locations including Dudley, Uttoxeter, Rowley Regis and Sutton Coldfield. These ranged from 460m up to 3.3km. 

Total length of pipes replaced - 33,761m

Customer benefits

Replacing ageing water mains and pipework delivers a range of direct and long-term benefits for customers:

• New pipes are less likely to fail, reducing the number of bursts, leaks and emergency repairs that can disrupt water supplies. This minimises unplanned water outages and reduces the inconvenience often caused by emergency works.
• A more modern infrastructure helps us to make sure customers continue to receive a consistent water supply, particularly during periods of high demand or extreme weather.
• New pipework will also help maintain water quality by reducing the risk of discolouration, sediment build-up and other issues associated with ageing infrastructure.
• Modern networks are often easier to monitor, isolate and repair, enabling quicker response times and reducing disruption to customers.

New water meters

Total investment (2025/26) - £4.39 million

To provide us with meaningful water use data and to help us identify and track leaks quicker, we're aiming to fit over 90% of homes with a water meter by 2030. We're rolling out a programme of meter fitting across the region, and customers still have the choice to op-in to a water meter before the rollout reaches their area.

By doing this, we'll be able to work with you, our customers, to develop new tariffs and provide personalised advice to help you save water in your home.

In year one of this investment programme, we fitted over 24,000 meters. 

Customer benefits

• Charges are based on actual water consumption rather than a fixed rate, so customers only pay for that they use. This can lead to lower bills through water efficiency actions.
• Meters help identify leaks early, which means they can be fixed sooner. This reduces waste and potential damage.
• Water meters encourages more efficient water use, which helps to conserve local water supplies and offers further protection to the local environment.
• Our insight shows that, on average, customers save around £100 per year after switching to a meter.

Water quality resilience

Total investment (2025/26) - £2.94 million

We're investing in improvements at six of our water treatment works to help make sure we continue to provide safe, clean, high-quality drinking water for our customers.

These upgrades will introduce ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology alongside improvements to existing treatment processes. UV treatment provides an additional layer of protection against naturally occurring bacteria and other microorganisms that can be found in raw water sources.

This investment is part of our long-term commitment to maintaining a resilient and sustainable water network. It will help ensure our treatment facilities are equipped to meet future challenges and continue delivering a reliable supply of drinking water to customers for years to come.

Customer benefits

By enhancing our treatment facilities, we can:

• reduce the risk of water quality issues,
• improve the reliability of our treatment works, and
• help minimise unplanned interruptions to the water supply.

Climate change resilience

Total investment (2025/26) - £1.27 million

Leakage and water efficiency

Total investment (2025/26) - £0.93 million

We take leakage from our water network seriously and work hard to reduce the amount of water lost through leaks. Water is a precious resource and, by tackling leakage, we can help protect supplies for our customers, communities and the environment.

Reducing leakage is one of our top priorities. The water industry has a long-term goal, set by Ofwat, of cutting leakage by 50% by 2050 to help secure water supplies for future generations and reduce pressure on the environment.

To achieve this, we invest in a range of activities across our network, including:

• Repairing reported leaks quickly to reduce water loss and minimise disruption.
• Monitoring our network around the clock to identify areas where leakage may be increasing.
• Finding hidden underground leaks that can't be seen from the surface.
• Replacing older water mains and pipework to reduce bursts and improve reliability.
• Installing smart technology and pressure management equipment to help protect pipes and prevent leaks from occurring.

Customer benefits

• By finding and fixing leaks as quickly as possible, we can save millions of litres of water every day. This helps to make sure more water is available for customers and future generations.
• Reducing leakage means less water needs to be taken from rivers, reservoirs and underground sources, which helps to protect local wildlife and natural habitats.
• A network with fewer leaks is more efficient and resilient, helping us provide a more reliable water supply and reduce the risk of supply disruptions.
• We encourage customers, schools and community groups to get involved in saving water by sharing advice, raising awareness and promoting simple ways to use water wisely. For customers on a water meter in particular, this can help to lower bills through lower water use.
• By investing in advanced leak detection technology and network improvements, we're helping to secure a reliable and sustainable water supply for years to come.