An industry body has recognised the only not-for-profit water company in England and Wales for achieving high standards of practice in water quality and operation.
The Competent Operator Scheme, relaunched by water companies and Water UK in 2017, recognises high standards across areas including water supply hygiene and water quality policy.
The assessment, carried out by the UK-wide body Energy & Utility Skills, involves a rigorous audit of how water companies work, and examines levels of operational excellence, good practice and compliance – as well as comprehensive training programmes.
The original scheme was launched in 2005 after a collaboration between Water UK, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Energy & Utility Skills. The upgraded assessment now looks to ensure new levels of operational excellence, good practice and compliance across the UK and the new certification is valid for the next five years.
By receiving this certificate, Welsh Water’s processes have been certified according to a strict set of industry standards. The company has also demonstrated its commitment to ensuring a high-quality water supply, and underlining workflow management to ensure safe and efficient working, productivity maximisation and workforce capability.
Peter Perry, Managing Director of Welsh Water, said: “Our colleagues are our best ambassadors – and our top priority is to ensure that our customers receive the best services possible, at the lowest possible cost. Supporting and developing our employees to carry out this service to the highest standard possible is therefore our ultimate goal.
I’m proud that we’ve earned the Competent Operator Scheme award, which reflects how people across Welsh Water are working to an industry-leading standard which will help realise our vision of earning the trust of our customers, every day.”
Nick Ellins, CEO of Energy & Utility skills said: “Dwr Cymru were among the first companies in the UK to engage with the Competent Operator Scheme and to complete the audit process. I congratulate them on this commitment to best practice and for securing their Competent Operator Certificate. As the water industry’s competency assessment body, Energy & Utility Skills has worked very closely with the UK’s water companies and its drinking water quality regulators to agree the most up to date standards of competence and performance expected of operators within the industry. This promotion of high competence standards and drive for excellence in safety culture will only increase, as part of delivering society one of the highest quality public water supplies in the world.”
Find Out More
To find out more about the Competent Operator Scheme, click here.