Other stories from last week

New environment secretary Emma Reynolds gave nothing away about ministers’ plans for water reform in her Labour Party conference speech. In an address that focused on blaming the Tories for past failures, she said “we’ve already turned a corner” on “perhaps the biggest scandal of all” – sewage discharges, citing the Water (Special Measures) Act actions and the PR24 £104bn investment. She promised a new Water Reform Bill would follow but, aside from the abolition of Ofwat, did not say what would be in it.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland is recruiting a new chair, following Donald MacRae’s resignation last year. Interim chair Ronnie Hinds said the role would involve shaping the future of Scotland’s water industry, including continuing organisational transformation at WICS and overseeing the 2027-33 Strategic Review of Charges.

Scottish Water has reported its carbon emissions were down by 10,892 tonnes of CO2e in 2024/25 – the same as 1,237 return flights from Edinburgh to Sydney – while its total carbon footprint over the year was 2% lower at 220,434 tonnes of CO2e. The new figures were published as part of the latest annual update on Scottish Water’s Net Zero Emissions Routemap, measuring progress towards its goal of emission-free water and wastewater services by 2040. Highlights included the company’s largest peatland restoration and woodland creation programme to date and a record number (50) of energy efficiency projects. 

United Utilities has found a sewage sweet spot: successfully trialing an innovative technology to extract glucose from wastewater. Toilet paper is being captured from untreated sewage in Blackburn, and broken down into glucose, which has numerous potential uses in industry, including in the production of biofuels and for manufacturing bioplastics and sustainable detergents. Developed in the Netherlands, ‘Cellvation’ is being tested as part of the £6.8m Ofwat Innovation Fund ‘Biopolymers in the Circular Economy’ project, which United Utilities is leading.

WaterAid UK has appointed four new trustees, who will be volunteering their time for four year terms. The appointments are: Wessex Water chief executive Ruth Jefferson; global media and marketing expert and chief executive of IPG Mediabrands Richard Morris; public health and international development specialist Hind Khatib-Othman; and global water finance expert Osward Chanda.

Following consultation, Ofwat has published a final summary of the standards and conditions that apply under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme for household and business customers in England and Wales. Details here: https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publication/guaranteed-standards-scheme-gss-summary-standards-conditions/

Business Stream has renewed its partnership with climate action provider Ecologi. The Edinburgh-based business water retailer will contribute to two initiatives: a cleaner cookstove programme in Uganda and a large-scale peatland restoration project in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.