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Severn Trent’s multi-billion pound capital infrastructure programme is being bolstered by a recruitment drive for its recently formed capital design department.
The water company plans to bring most of its engineering design in-house. The new department will be tasked with designing and supporting the delivery of “essential upgrade” projects.
A team of engineering and design specialists, reported to be around 150 people, are expected to join Severn Trent by early next year.
The company has already appointed Ian Kirkaldy as head of capital design, who was previously chief engineer at Southern Water from November 2013 to April 2016.
Kirkaldy has almost 40 years of experience in leading water and utility-related engineering schemes.
He said: “To prepare for the future it’s essential we enhance our expert client capability and build a team of first-rate engineers and design specialists.
“By creating an in-house capital design function we can provide more innovative, faster and cost-effective solutions for our customers.
“To be leading the new team is really exciting as we have the chance to closely shape and deliver our important infrastructure projects. Now it’s all about being prepared for 2019 by recruiting designers and engineers at a range of levels.”
The launch of the new team comes as Severn Trent submitted its next five-year business plan to Ofwat.
As part of the regulator’s 2019 price review, all water companies have set out a detailed business plan, outlining how they will meet the needs of their customers from 2020 to 2025 and beyond.
Plans were submitted to Ofwat on Monday 3 September and the regulator now has four months to review them before it publishes an initial assessment of each company’s plan on 31 January 2019.
Severn Trent has proposed to invest £6.6 billion between 2020 and 2025 and has made a commitment to reduce bills for customers by five per cent. It also aims for an 8 per cent reduction in all sewer flooding and a 15 per cent reduction in leakage during the period.
The company’s business plan outlined details for a new community dividend, to be given to local communities through volunteering, donations to the Severn Trent Trust Fund, and a new commitment to use 1 per cent of company profits for community schemes.
Liv Garfield, Severn Trent chief executive, said: “We haven’t created our plan in isolation – we’ve carried out the biggest ever consultation with our customers and stakeholders to find out what really matters to them and have then produced this plan which we absolutely believe will improve our service and our legacy for future generations.
“That means that, at a time when prices are going up, our customers’ bills will be coming down, we’ll help more vulnerable customers than ever before, and we’ll invest billions of pounds to make our service even better.
“By doing this, and by improving the day-to-day service we offer even in those areas where we’re already sector leaders, we firmly believe our customers will be served better, our environment protected, and future generations educated about the importance of water as a precious resource.”
The water industry plans to spend more than £50 billion between 2020 and 2025 – a 13 per cent increase on the current five-year period.
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