We are proud to provide a sustainable, affordable, clean and safe water supply and to manage and treat the waste water returned to us in a way that protects the environment.
Where your money goes
In the North East we enjoy excellent drinking water, and have seen significant improvements in both river and bathing water quality over the last 20 years.
Ofwat, the water industry regulator, has approved our price limits that will allow us to invest over £1 billion* from 2010 to 2015 to further improve service for you and to protect the environment for future generations.
We use the money you pay us in three main areas: investing in new assets to improve services; maintaining and replacing existing assets such as treatment plants and pipes; and for daily running costs such as chemicals and power. Our charges represent excellent value for money and are amongst the lowest in the country.
This year we will be investing over £200 million* to:
• Clean the pipes feeding Newcastle further reducing the risk to our customers of discoloured water.
• Optimise processes at Lartington, Mosswood, Honey Hill and Warkworth water treatment works.
• Replace old spring supplies to villages in the North Pennines with mains water from the Tyne Valley.
• Protect over 200 properties which have suffered flooding from our sewers including locations in Durham (Belmont/Carrville), Longbenton, Gosforth, Darlington and Redcar.
• Begin construction of a new advanced sludge digestion plant at our existing works at Howdon on Tyneside.
• Upgrade the sewage treatment works at Bowburn.
• Reduce the risk to the environment from overflows and failure of sewers close to watercourses in areas of Skinningrove (Kilton Beck) and Seaham Dock.
• Maintain our treatment works, sewers and pumping stations.
* The investment figures quoted include Essex & Suffolk Water which is part of Northumbrian Water Limited.