Pennon unveils £3.2 billion investment plans for South West

Pennon held its latest customer engagement meeting in Sidmouth last week, giving attendees the chance to share their views on how the company and its water businesses, including South West Water, are run.

The quarterly WaterShare+ session included a guided tour of Sidmouth’s Wastewater Treatment Works, allowing customers to see firsthand how wastewater is processed. The meeting also outlined Pennon’s record £3.2 billion investment plans for the South West between 2025 and 2030.

Carolyn Cadman, South West Water’s Director of Natural Resources, presented plans for local improvements, the company’s award-winning catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking, and the broader strategy to secure clean drinking water, reduce storm overflow use, and protect the environment.

Pennon’s WaterShare+ scheme, which gives customers a stake in the business, was also highlighted. Nearly 100,000 shares have been issued so far, with one in 14 customers now shareholders. The company aims to increase this to one in ten by 2030.

Carolyn Cadman said: “We’re proud to be able to offer our customers the chance to talk to us about both our performance and our plans, and I’d like to thank everyone who attended our meeting in Sidmouth.

“We’re investing record amounts to deliver the services our customers deserve over the next five years, and our WaterShare+ scheme makes sure they each have a say in what this investment ultimately looks like.”