Strategic Responses
Strategic Response 1
Safeguarding clean drinking water through catchment management
Catchments as a first line of defence: we will face increased levels of pesticides, fertilisers, nutrients and pathogens in raw water, and increased turbidity of water reaching our water treatment works due to the intensification of agriculture and greater intensity of storms. We will co-create an extensive, innovative programme of catchment management with landowners and partners.
Strategic Response 2
Enough water for all
Confronted with an increasing water supply demand gap due to population growth and drier summers due to climate change, we will use our Water Resource Management Plan to ensure the water supply demand balance to 2050. We propose to implement water transfers, demand management measures and leakage reduction programmes to address any deficits, whilst recognising the possible need to support other parts of the UK
Strategic Response 3
Improving the reliability of drinking water supply systems
Faced with an increased risk of outages due to agricultural run-off, extreme weather events, terrorism, and cyber
attacks, we will build more flexibility and integration into our water treatment and supply systems.
Strategic Response 4
Protecting our critical water supply assets
With increasing risks of disruption (for example, from severe weather events resulting from climate change and
increased reliance on technology) and limited customer tolerance of supply outages, we will improve the resilience
of critical water assets which have high consequences of failure.
Strategic Response 5
Achieving acceptable water quality for all customers
Ageing water mains and more extreme weather events increase the risk of supplying water which is discoloured or
has a poor taste. This will be addressed through a targeted replacement of iron mains.
Strategic Response 6
Towards a lead free Wales
We have the opportunity to help improve public health, and propose a targeted replacement of lead communication
and supply pipes, as part of a wider societal effort to address lead in drinking water.