SES Water becomes first in the sector to earn Biodiversity Benchmark
- by Karma Loveday
- Jan 10, 2021
- 1 min read
SES Water has become the first water company to achieve the The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark – for enhancing and protecting the biodiversity at its Elmer Water Treatment Works in Leatherhead.
At the Elmer site, which covers approximately 10.7 hectares and supplies water to the Mole Valley district, six significant habits have been identified as part of the audit for the award. These included: grassland, semi-natural woodland, species-rich hedgerows and dense scrub – all found to be supporting species such as butterflies, dormice, badgers, lizards and slow worms.
SES Water’s work so far has included: habitat surveys, reduced mowing to allow wildflowers to flourish, installation of bird boxes and the creation of bug hotels and deadwood piles to provide a food source and habitat for a range of species from stag beetles to bees and birds.
The company aims to gain Benchmark certification for two further sites by 2025: Bough Beech Reservoir in Kent and Fetcham Springs in Surrey.
SES Water Wholesale Director, Tom Kelly, said: “We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of the essential service we provide and our clear Biodiversity Action Plan, to ensure the careful management of habitats needed for wildlife to thrive, now and in the future, is a great example of this commitment in action.”
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