United Utilities: What Is Going On?

Two weeks ago United Utilities issued a statement to help clarify what it is doing. At least we assume that is what it was trying to achieve. For farmers and gamekeepers working on United Utilities’ land it raised further uncertainty. It included the following words:

“we [United Utilities] recently reviewed the way we manage our land to ensure we are fully focused on using our catchments to manage water quality, quantity and mitigate flooding, which are of strategic importance to us as we respond to the challenges of climate change.”

None of those working on United Utilities land appear to have been involved in this review. That is its choice, but an odd one. You would have thought it would seek the views of those on the ground – and is one of the reasons the Consultative Panel has now been established. From now on United Utilities can’t suggest it did not know who to speak to.

What is odd is that a review was conducted without anyone even being aware it was happening. Some local United Utilities staff involved in land management we have spoken to have appeared as bewildered as any of us. Perhaps this was simply a head office project and it did not want any regional staff involvement. That might be the case.

We do know, from another United Utilities statement, that the review was started in March here. However, that report has yet to be published. We did try ringing United Utilities today for more details, but as reported before here the switchboard is still cutting callers off. We mention this small but significant point

Today we have written to United Utilities CEO Louise Beardmore asking who can provide us with a copy of its review. We assume it exists. If so, there is no reason not to share such an important document – unless it had a poorly structured design.

Since there is a lingering suspicion that United Utilities might be reluctant to share this review we have also submitted a request for it under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR).

It should make interesting reading. United Utilities, quite rightly, has stated that it has reviewed (a) water quality (b) quantity and (c) flooding. We note there is no mention of economic or social impacts (a point we will probably need to come back to another time). What will be particularly interesting will be the evidence it decided to use to reach any conclusions.