Northumbrian Water’s Water Rangers award-winning scheme set up to tackle water pollution set to grow across the North East region.
The initiative involves volunteer Water Rangers walking, weekly or fortnightly, along local public access routes next to streams, becks, burns and bathing waters which are prone to pollution. After completing their walk, Water Rangers then report on the condition of the watercourse so that any potential pollution can be dealt with quickly.
The scheme originally started in 2014 with 32 routes but has now increased to 55 routes, ranging from 210 metres to 3.6 kilometres long.
Volunteer Water Rangers receive thorough training on environmental issues and what to look out for when monitoring watercourses. They are offered additional volunteering opportunities to support local community projects and work alongside key partnership groups. An annual payment and other thank you incentives, including an invitation to an annual celebration event, are also available for volunteers.
Water Ranger, Peter Stone said:
"I am extremely proud to be a part of the Water Rangers Scheme and feel privileged to have been a part of the scheme from the start, assisting Northumbrian Water to ensure the environment, rivers and watercourses across the region are protected by reporting any potential issues.”
“Northumbrian Water act promptly when dealing with pollution incidents and when the issue is not their responsibility, will notify the appropriate authorities whose responsibility it is. The Water Rangers scheme is very proactive and it is fantastic to see Northumbrian Water expanding and developing the scheme with new routes and additional Water Rangers.”
Northumbrian Water’s Wastewater Director, Richard Warneford, commented:
“The Water Rangers initiative has been hugely successful and has helped us to spot and deal with potential threats to the environment at the earliest possible opportunity on a number of occasions. In addition, it has helped us to raise awareness of our sewer pipes, outfalls and other equipment amongst the public. This is a great opportunity to expand the scheme to work with local people to protect more of our region’s watercourses through this award-winning project.”
ABB has launched AquaMaster+™, a digital platform for smart water network management, designed to help water utilities monitor, analyze and manage their water networks, preventing pipeline water losses and optimizing operations.
Craig Nienaber, Business Development Manager for Safe Access Solutions (SAS) at HUBER Technology, explores why the company is seeing a growing level of interest in its safe access solutions for critical infrastructure providers, including their application in wastewater treatment assets.
Albion Water, the first NAV (New Appointment & Variation) to have been established in1999 and now under the ownership of SDS Water Group, has appointed Andy Holland as its new Director of Business Development.
UK water companies are invited to join an upcoming webinar which will explore how the sector can take indirect potable reuse (IPR) from concept to full-scale operational reality.
Southern Water has released film and images showing what it’s like to walk inside Hampshire’s expanded Yew Hill underground reservoir for the very last time, before it gets filled with water.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.