A campaign urging customers to think before they flush has been crowned the winner of the Institute of Water’s South West Area Innovation Awards 2018.

South West Water’s Love Your Loo campaign pipped eight other entrants to the title at STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon on Friday (27 April) and will go on to represent the South West at the Institute of Water (IOW) National Innovation Awards held in Glasgow in June 2018.

The announcement was made following a Dragon’s Den-style pitch at the IOW Innovation Event in Swindon. The judges were particularly impressed by the evidence that demonstrated the Love Your Loo campaign, which encourages customers to flush only the 3Ps – pee, paper and poo, has successfully reduced the number of blockages and floodings on the sewer network.

Phill Mills, Director of Policy Consulting Network and member of the Institute of Water’s South West Area Committee, said: “It was a privilege to have been part the judging panel for this year’s South West Area Innovation Awards.  The quality of the submissions was of a very high standard, making judging a very difficult yet fulfilling experience.

“On behalf of the Institute of Water’s South West Area Committee, I congratulate South West Water on their winning innovation. Being on the judging panel, it was great to see the depth of talent we have across the sector and our ability to constantly innovate to improve the service we provide to the customers we serve.”

Anna Hopwood, South West Water’s Head of Waste Water – Customer Service and Networks, said: “Our innovative Love Your Loo campaign is now in its fourth year and is still going strong and collecting accolades.

“It costs South West Water, and its customers, £4.5million each year to clear around 8,500 blockages on the sewerage network. About 65% of these blockages are caused by baby wipes, hygiene wipes, moist toilet tissue, cleaning wipes, cleansing pads and sanitary products being flushed down the toilet. 

“The campaign is simple – encouraging customers to flush only pee, paper and poo – but effective. Customers are playing their part and have helped us achieve our lowest ever level of sewer flooding which is fantastic.”

The South West Area Innovation Awards are open to all individuals, teams or organisations that operate within the South West Area of the Institute of Water comprising the operational areas of South West Water, Bristol Water, Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water.

There were nine entries in all – four from South West Water, three from Wessex Water and two from WRc (formerly known as the Water Research Centre). One entry from WRc and another from South West Water were also highly commended by the judges.

For more information see www.instituteofwater.org.uk/south-west-area-innovation-award/