Water workers report machete attack and broken jaw as abuse soars

Workers in the water sector have reported an increase in public abuse with some subject to a machete attack and another having their jaw broken.

A poll of 1,300 workers within the sector revealed that one in three has been subjected to public abuse during the past 12 months.

More than half (52%) of those surveyed by union GMB said that abuse from the public has increased due to “sewage dumping”.

Testimonies from workers given as part of the survey reveal the scale of abuse. One worker reported colleagues being attacked with a machete while another said that a co-worker was unable to work for weeks after having their jaw broken by a member of the public.

There were also reports of workers having pies thrown at them and another worker said that a colleague was purposefully splashed in the face with raw sewage.

Many reported that they are now fearful of working alone but often “feel pressured to attend single manned”.

Meanwhile some said they no longer wear company-branded clothing “due to fear of being harassed/questioned by the public”.

The rise in water worker abuse was discussed by Southern Water chief customer officer Katy Taylor at Utility Week’s Customer Summitt held last month.

She said that following a cyber attack on the company earlier this year she received around 300 emails personally attacking her.

She added: “We get a huge amount of abuse from the public. People are vile, and often people are vile to my face. […] It is really, really hard out there and it is really hard for our people.”

Taylor said the increase in public abuse is largely driven by the increased politicisation of the sector.

“What is particularly challenging is the politicisation of the sector and what that drives,” Taylor said.

“Joe Lycett does a programme on Channel 4 and then within 24 hours we had 3,000 incoming contacts that we have to respond to and that happens every time there is a programme or a protest.

“That volume of inbound contacts then detracts from customers who actually have an issue or query with their bill.”

Taylor said the only way to combat customer abuse is to hold face-to-face community engagement events.

However, she admitted that most people are “primarily there to shout at us [although] they usually shout less after coming to see us”.

Gary Carter, GMB National Officer, added: “No one should go to work and face abuse.

“But this situation is horrifying, because the negligent actions of water bosses in allowing sewage dumping to rocket has exposed their own workers to physical and verbal violence.”

He added: “GMB demands a zero tolerance approach to the abuse of water workers – and calls on water shareholders to fork out for the desperately needed infrastructure to stop record sewage spills.”