Northumbrian Water has launched an initiative which will encourage and enable people to help protect and improve water quality in rivers, streams, becks, burns and bathing waters.

Volunteers over the age of 18 are being sought to sign up to the water company’s Water Rangers scheme which will involve them walking along public access routes next to watercourses, once a week or once a fortnight. There are 32 routes to choose from, which are between 210 metres and 1.2 kilometres long.

After doing their walk, Water Rangers will report on the condition of the river, stream, beck, burn or bathing water within their route, to Northumbrian Water, so that any potential pollution can be dealt with quickly.

Those who sign up will receive thorough training, a reward to reflect an annual reduction on their annual water and sewerage bill and other thank you incentives, including an invitation to an annual celebration dinner.

The scheme is being run in Skelton (Middlesbrough), Peterlee, Hebburn, Jarrow, Stanley, Durham City Centre, Corbridge, Stocksfield, Bedlington, Ashington, Cambois and Morpeth. The ‘hot spot’ areas have been chosen as they have watercourses in their catchment areas which are prone to pollution.

Northumbrian Water’s Wastewater Director, Richard Warneford, said:

 “We monitor our sewer network very closely by using technology and manual inspections and we are continually maintaining and upgrading the network. Northumbrian Water’s supply area is vast – we cover a geographical area of 9,422 square kilometres and we monitor and look after thousands of assets, including more than 29,500 kilometres of sewer pipe.

“Pollution from our assets is something we are taking very seriously and working very hard to tackle. The Water Rangers scheme will provide us with further information and knowledge to help us do this.”

A report in the Daily Mail newspaper suggests that customers taking part in the scheme could receive up to £200 discount off their annual water bill.