Public understanding and engagement: action plan
A plan for developing and improving public understanding of overflows and their interaction with other water quality issues.
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In this page
Overview
We will develop and improve public understanding of overflows and their interaction with other water quality issues.
We will develop an understanding of how people relate to their rivers and environment and how they can be motivated to take action to reduce their own impacts on water quality. This communication must also highlight how customer and stakeholder behaviour directly impacts the effectiveness of the network - that sewer misuse can lead to environmental harm.
We will look to develop the package of advice and tools available regarding sewer misuse, sewer misconnection and blockage reduction.
We'll also explore developing an integrated campaign across partner organisations on wider ‘Improving Water Quality’ with particular reference to overflows.
We will update this action plan regularly so that we reflect progress of activities in the other plans. Each partner organisation will also continue with their day-to-day communications around their action towards better water quality.
Our commitments
| Lead Organisation | Action | Why? | By When |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCWW | Public engagement campaign about sewer litter and misuse – Stop the Block | To increase understanding of the role everyone can play in addressing water quality issues |
Ongoing and aligning with Water UK industry campaign |
| WG | Publication of storm overflow action plans. | To increase transparency in our work. To highlight the actions underway or planned within the action plans. | July 2022 |
| DCWW | Promotion of interactive web-based overflow map being taken forward within associated action plans | To improve people’s understanding of storm overflows and give greater transparency on spills and impact from storm overflows. | July 2022 |
| NRW | We will continue to report the Annual Water Companies performance adding an assessment of storm overflows as part of the reporting cycle | To increase transparency in our work | Annually in July |
| NRW | Look to strengthen our water quality communications through the secondment of a Comms Officer to work on specifically on Water Quality communications. | To develop and improve public understanding of overflows and their interaction with other water quality issues. | July 2022 |
| Taskforce | Explore the development of an integrated comms campaign around wider water quality issues. | To develop and improve public understanding and demonstrate action | September 2022 |
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HD
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As part of River Pledges, we will work with community groups and organisations such as Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to care for rivers and further address issues across our region. We will clean and restore rivers and riverbanks across our region, utilising our Community Champion volunteers in conjunction with Glandŵr Cymru | Help people value water by facilitating their own connection to their environment. Help people connect their use of water services and their impact the environment. | Summer 2022 (launch of River Pledges) Ongoing into AMP8 and beyond |
| CCW / DCWW |
Increase visibility and representation at key political events to increase awareness and understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented from storm overflows | To increase transparency in our work | Ongoing |
| Taskforce | We will collaborate on public engagement and a renewed sewer misuse campaign informed by the work Water UK and the industry undertake as well as learnings from other future campaign effectiveness reviews. | Educate and empower customers to play their part in preventing blockages that could cause storm overflows and river pollution in Wales. | September 2022 Align with Water UK industry campaign timetable |
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CCW |
We will launch and then develop Walking with Water a project that maps and showcases walks that help people make a connection with the water environment. |
Help people value water by facilitating their own connection to their environment. Help people connect their use of water services and their impact the environment. |
Summer 2022 (launch) Ongoing (2 years or more) |
| CCW | We will facilitate an open conversation in Wales on information people want and need to understand water company environmental performance (CCW Public Board Committee for Wales meeting 23/09/22). | Increasing water company environmental information transparency and accountability on their environmental impact to increase public trust | October 2022 |
| CCW | We are setting up a Citizens Forum for England and Wales to co-create action (plans) that help change behaviour, which impacts the environment. | Understand what information and action we need to help people play their part in minimizing their environmental impact when using their water services at home. | Autumn 2022 Ongoing |
| CCW |
We are preparing as series of environment focussed podcasts and will explore a river water quality focussed one. | Help people value water by facilitating their own connection to their environment. Help people connect their use of water services and their impact the environment. | Autumn 2022 Ongoing |