PowerPoint Presentation

Adapting the city1Water Infrastructure & Climate ChangeChris Matthews

Presentation OverviewAbout United UtilitiesWhat climate change means for water and wastewater service provision and why this is a business imperativeOur response water supplyOur response wastewater serviceEngaging with stakeholders how we all need to work together

About United UtilitiesOperations in the north west of England7 million customers57,000 hectares of catchment landOver 40,000 km of distribution mains, supplying 1950Ml/day water Over 72,000km of sewers, 582 Wastewater Treatment Works

4Presentation will focus on regulated business based in the North West of EnglandFrom Carlisle to Crewe Serves 7 million customers with water and wastewater services

Water Own Manage the catchment areas to collect and store water in our reservoirsOne of the major landowners in the NWTreating water at 95 WTW and delivering it through 42,000 km pipes to customers

Ww Responsible for collecting and treating ww from homes and industryBefore returning it safely to the environment43,000km of sewers and 582 wwTW

1800 pumping stations3000 cso576 detention tanks9 catchment areasLargest % SSSI 4Adaptation and water supply2035 estimate is a reduction in available supply of some 10% or around 180 million litres of water every dayA combination of less yield and greater customer demandIntense rainfall may increase raw water colour increasing treatment costsFlooding on water treatment facilities, interruption to service

Adaptation and wastewater service provisionIncreased incidences of flooding of homesFlooding on wastewater treatment facilities, interruption to serviceWater courses could have a lower dissolved oxygen content leading to tighter discharge consent standards to maintain water quality standardsPotential for odour generation in warmer conditions and risk of causing nuisance to customersImpact on sludge as prolonged wet periods may restrict sludge to land recycling routeWarmer weather may have a positive effect on biological treatment processes, which operate more effectively at higher temperatures

Our response the processAdaptation integrated into our Strategic Direction Statement, company policies and strategies to develop optimised long-term asset management plans for the next 25 years. The plans provide the foundation for assessing the specific actions required to adapt to climate change risks over the planning horizon and beyond.Climate change data (UKCIP) and assessment of risk is used in the development of company strategies, whilst climate change is accounted for in design, construction and operational activities.

Our response water supplyWater Resources Management PlanReduce demand for water (leakage control and customer efficiency)Increase supply of water (small scale new groundwater resource development and greater network integration)55 km West-East pipeline to link Lake District and Welsh sources and enable water to be moved to those areas most affected by climate change especially during drought period1.6m investment to manage flood risk at key assets and catchment land investmentAll in a way that is good value for customers and is sustainable

8considered in our business strategy and planning since 1993

Increasing the resilience of the water supply system has been a key facet of UUWs investment strategy since the 1995-96 drought. Subsequent extreme weather events have further highlighted the importance of a highly resilient supply system along with robust contingency plans.The WRMP takes into account the potential impact of climate change on the availability of water resources and demand for water, and sets out our plans to ensure reliability of water supplies over a 25-year planning horizon. Our latest plan was published in 2009 and covers the planning period to 2035.Our response wastewater serviceIncreased volumes of storm water exceed sewer capacity and cause customer flooding.Upsizing priority sections of sewer together with protecting customers propertyImproving models of the sewer network Engaging with local authorities and the EA on development of Surface Water Management PlansOn-going planning to protect wastewater treatment works at risk from floodingIncreasing emphasis on demand management approachesSustainable drainage systems (SUDS) analysisBuilding our way out of the problem on its own will not work and we already have a policy NOT to routinely upsize the sewer networkWorking with our customers to determine the level of service/protection that they want/can pay for

9Sewerage and other drainage systems cannot be sustainably or cost-effectively designed to accommodate all potential rainfall events. As such, some sewer flooding will inevitably occur when the system is overwhelmed.

Increased volumes of storm water exceed sewer capacity and cause customer flooding.Upsizing priority sections of sewer together with protecting customers property (flooding mitigation) to prevent entry of sewageImproving models of the sewer network to allow detailed understanding of the impacts of supply/demand changes Engaging with local authorities and the EA on development of Surface Water Management Plans to help understand the cause of surface water flooding and remove it from our sewersContinue our planning to prioritise wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) and drainage networks according to their relative exposure to the impact of climate changeIncreasing emphasis put on demand management approaches through integrated drainage, source control and sustainable drainage systems (SUDS).Building our way out of the problem on its own will not work and already have a policy NOT to routinely upsize the sewer networkWorking with our customers to determine the level of service/protection that they want/can pay for

Engaging with stakeholdersEngagement to understand stakeholder priorities and preferences Taken into account within our strategic asset planning process.Flooding from the sewerage system a symptom of more widespread problems in an entire drainage system which will often require actions from other stakeholders as well as United Utilities. Support the adoption of a joined-up approach to drainage management based on the principles of integrated drainage as outlined in Making Space for Water (Defra, 2005), Future Water (Defra, 2008), the Pitt Review (Sir Michael Pitt, 2008) and Flood and Water Management Act (2010).

Key messagesSustainable adaptation to climate change will involve partnership working and behavioural change. We expect the proportion of this type of work to increase as conventional solutions become unsustainable.Climate change risks to our Water Service are well catered for in our existing business plans and statutory documents. We already plan for climate variability in our 25 year business planning horizon.There are some long-term risks to our Wastewater Service from climate change. Current methods to manage these risks are unsustainable and innovation is needed to manage the issues in the long term.

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