Thousands of vulnerable households across the East of England will benefit from enhanced water security thanks to a groundbreaking partnership.
Building on a long-standing collaboration that began in 2008, Anglian Water and emergency water supply specialists Water Direct have announced a new three-year agreement that will ramp up emergency water delivery services to ensure vital water supplies are maintained during unexpected outages.
The renewed agreement guarantees up to 20,000 priority water deliveries per year, providing vital support to those unable to access bottled water stations during unexpected outages. With emergency readiness now at its core.
The partnership, which started with contingency planning for hospitals and prisons, has evolved into a formal contractual agreement that extends Anglian Water’s PSR (Priority Services Register) operations, taking water resilience to a new level.
As part of the agreement, Anglian Water’s reserves in Water Direct’s Nationwide Bottled Water Bank (NWBW) will increase, to ensure immediate deployment and response to any emergency incidents.
Chris Falconer, Chief Commercial Officer at Water Direct, hailed the partnership as a transformative step.
He said: “This agreement marks a significant milestone in our 16-year relationship with Anglian Water. With the expected increase in PSR registrations, this heightened level of readiness is crucial.
“We’re committed to delivering water to a minimum of 2,000 households within a 24-hour period when needed. It’s a step forward in our shared mission to ensure that no customer is left without supplies.”
This agreement comes in response to new regulatory changes, which will see the number of households qualifying for Anglian Water’s Priority Services Register increase by up to 40%.
By leveraging Water Direct’s expertise in emergency water supply, Anglian Water can now allocate its internal resources more effectively during major incidents, allowing for faster and more efficient responses.
This shift relieves pressure on in-house teams that previously managed PSR deliveries, boosting operational efficiency across the board.
Pamela Breach, Head of Operational Resilience at Anglian Water, added: “At Anglian Water, we’re deeply committed to providing a resilient and reliable water supply to our customers – no matter the circumstances.
“Our partnership with Water Direct reinforces our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to any supply challenges, ensuring that we continue to deliver outstanding customer service– even during unforeseen interruptions.
Not only does this mean that we can support our most vulnerable customers in the event of an incident but also helps with resource management; ensuring that our skilled colleagues on the ground can focus on the task of resolving the issue, and restoring normal service, while Water Direct does what it does best.”
With new regulations taking effect this year, the agreement represents a proactive step in ensuring Anglian Water’s compliance while significantly boosting its capacity to deliver services to those who need them most.
The partnership aligns with Water Direct’s mission to transform alternative water supply services in the UK, by shifting from reactive response to proactive emergency preparedness. By establishing a dynamic and robust alternative water supply network, we aim to enhance service delivery to better meet the evolving needs of our clients.
To support this mission, Water Direct is developing a proprietary technology platform that will enable utilities to track and manage incidents in real time – from GDPR-compliant data verification of PSR lists to real-time monitoring and streamlined courier management, to ensure seamless resource allocation.
Additionally, advanced Proof of Delivery (POD) tracking guarantees accurate, auditable records, setting a new standard for transparency in essential community support for utility partners.
Water Direct’s new integrated service will revolutionise emergency water delivery, combining customised deployment planning with cutting-edge technologies to maximise efficiency and transparency.
