UK water security & resilience comms

Water security: Building long-term resilience

The UK is facing a water crisis. By 2055, England could face a 5-billion-litre-a-day shortfall in public water supplies unless urgent action is taken to shore up resources. Copper Consultancy is working with water companies and policymakers to build a reliable and resilient water network.

Copper is at the heart of a new movement determined to assure our nation’s water supply for generations to come

To avoid a pending water crisis, immediate action is needed to lay the foundations for a long-term, resilient water supply.

The driest spring in half a century comes on the heels of one of the UK’s warmest years on record. The direction is clear: climate change and rising demand are pushing traditional water resources to their limits. Copper’s expertise and industry insight are helping water companies navigate these complex challenges.

We’re supporting some of the largest water infrastructure projects in a generation, such as the Thames Water’s nationally significant reservoir in Oxfordshire. The project forms part of a national network of reservoirs needed to tackle the long-term challenges of water scarcity.

We’re helping the water sector build lasting relationships with stakeholders through public information campaigns and strategic collaborations that deliver value for people, places and the environment.

South West Water – Isles of Scilly

Copper provided critical communications and engagement support for South West Water’s transformational infrastructure upgrade on the Isles of Scilly. Facing the archipelago’s isolation and complex stakeholder landscape, Copper quickly built strong relationships with diverse local communities. Through tailored messaging and public events, we empowered residents to share their views and participate in designing new desalination plants and wastewater treatment works. Our strategic approach identified risks and built advocacy, significantly raising awareness of the importance of stakeholder engagement in such unique environments,

Tailored messaging and public events

Thames Water – South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO)

Copper provided communications, stakeholder engagement and public affairs support for Thames Water’s proposed South East Strategic Resource Option (SESRO) reservoir in Oxfordshire. Thames Water serves over 10 million customers, adding 100,000 annually, with demand projected to exceed supply by one billion litres a day by 2050. Our work included delivering a spring communications plan and a summer public engagement campaign across four venues, attracting hundreds of attendees. We supported these events with booklets, posters, postcards and banners. The Copper team also facilitated relationships with stakeholders, landowners and political figures as part of Thames Water’s DCO submission.

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