Severn Trent outlined major plans to invest more than £100m in Worcestershire at a roadshow this week – where more than 100 members of the public picked up free winter wellbeing packs.

Steph Cawley, Customer Operations Director, spoke at the city’s Guildhall to outline new projects, including boosting flood protection schemes, improving water quality and reducing storm overflows.

A packed audience that included local councillors and community groups heard that by 2030 more than 29,000 people in the county will have benefited from Severn Trent’s financial support schemes, plus a further 40,000 will be on the priority services register.

Severn Trent is also aiming to invest in six of its Worcestershire sites in a bid to have carbon neutral emissions by 2030 under the proposals, part of its £12.9bn five year plans submitted to water regulator Ofwat.

Steph said: “The roadshow was a great opportunity to talk directly to the people of Worcestershire about what we’re delivering now and what our huge plans are for the county.

“We want to continue to provide the best service, whilst ensuring a sustainable future including healthy rivers, less leaks and a water supply to deal with the impact of climate change and population growth.

“These plans, including our commitment to help create 7,000 new jobs, really deliver for the people of Worcestershire.”

Dozens of people had attended a breakfast meeting at the historic Guildhall venue, including county, district and parish councillors and local community groups.

They included Marc Bayliss, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for the Worcester constituency. He tweeted about the event: “An early morning start at the Guildhall today hearing from Severn Trent Water about their investment plans. Good to hear they are seeking to increase treatment capacity and reduce the need for storm discharges.”  

Members of the public also had the chance to learn more about the ambitious five year plans, as well as about the work of our dedicated River Rangers, Community Fund and Education teams, plus job opportunities.

Around 100 people picked up free winter wellbeing packs at the event, including hot water bottles, mugs and pens. They also received winter advice on pipe lagging and how to save water and energy around the home.

Among them was Anna Mason, from Worcester, who is an Extinction Rebellion member. She gave the River Rangers scheme a thumbs up and added: “I spoke to the River Rangers and they were really passionate about what they do. More does need to be done to clean up our rivers – but this is a really good idea.”

A team of ten rangers cover the Severn Trent region, including Worcestershire. They work closely with partners to improve river health and educate customers on how to avoid the wrong things going down the drain and into sewers.

Since being launched, the river rangers have carried out over 5,000 riverside inspections and attended over 110 meetings with partners, environment and community groups on the subject of river health.

The public also heard how Severn Trent’s Community Fund has donated more than £400,000 to 17 projects in the county since 2020, including The Old Needleworks Foundation, Wildgoose Rural Training and Droitwich First Responders.

The business plans are due to be decided upon by Ofwat in April 2024. They are aimed at guaranteeing a secure water supply for generations to come, ensuring storm overflows cause no harm to rivers and that customers continue to receive a sector-leading service.