Lt-Governor meets dedicated Guernsey Water workforce
A VISIT to Guernsey Water provided the Lt-Governor Lt General Richard Cripwell and his wife Louise with an insight into the maintenance of the island’s drinking water and wastewater systems.
This was part of a series of local business inductions being undertaken by Mr Cripwell, who said he was glad to meet the team at Guernsey Water.
‘I particularly enjoyed meeting such a dedicated and positive workforce,’ he said.
The tour began at Brickfield House headquarters, where technicians monitor and control Guernsey Water’s processes and networks around the clock, 365 days a year.
The Cripwells were then able to go inside a mobile CCTV survey van, equipped with a remote-control sewer survey robot that uses a camera to assess the condition of underground sewers.
They also learned how water meters were helping customers to save money, as well as reducing the demand for water at a time when the island’s reservoirs are lower than normal for this time of year.
Mr Cripwell was interested in the ongoing refurbishment of St Saviour’s Water Treatment Works and, having served in the Royal Engineers himself, the work of Guernsey Water’s engineering team.
‘I was interested to see how the island had managed to avoid water restrictions this summer when so many other places were forced to impose them,’ he said.
‘Guernsey Water is engaged in some really innovative and thoughtful work and the balance of traditional and modern thinking is really impressive.’
The tour came to a close at Kings Mills Water Treatment Works, where they discussed the importance of water quality from source to sea, and how protecting this begins in the catchment areas for the island’s streams.
‘We were able to explain how effective catchment protection avoids the need for expensive, carbon intensive treatment processes in Guernsey, and still enables us to achieve very high drinking water standards,’ said Guernsey Water managing director Stephen Langlois.
He said that Mr Cripwell understood the ongoing work at St Saviour’s.
‘Having previously been involved in the resurfacing of an operational runway, he could understand the complexity of carrying out major upgrades while at the same time maintaining a fully operational site.
‘They also appreciated the need for continuous investment in our infrastructure, and the importance of having accurate asset records to ensure investment like the refurbishment of St Saviour’s Water Treatment Works is planned and efficient.’
