So, the PR19 documents are submitted and it will be a long Christmas for some as OFWAT scrutinises every page of the water companies plans to see how they aim to meet the needs of their customers from 2020-2025 (AMP7). Let’s hope none of those involved make OFWATs naughty list!
OFWAT has four main themes for PR19- great customer service, affordable bills, resilience in the round and innovation.
Innovation is a term that gets banded around a lot in the industry but in a world ruled by ‘standards’ and governed by strict regulations innovation in its truest form isn’t always an easy task.
Greener Waste Technology has been working with fringe technologies and unique innovations for several years- taking them from cigarette packet designs to fully tested and researched tools for the utilities. In our experience it is not the innovation which is the difficult task, in this industry it is the standardisation of an innovative product that is much harder.
Whilst everyone in the industry ponders on what AMP7 could mean for them at GWT we’re hoping to see more collaboration within the sector, continuing to learn from other areas of influence not just the water market. We’re punching for innovation progression in AMP7 to enable effective technologies that can really impact on the end user to be taken from ‘trial’ to ‘trusted’ and will keep working hard with our partners in the industry to realise those aims.
Throughout the rest of the year in 2018 and in 2019 we will be posting updates on our plans and have some exciting innovation news around the corner as we hurtle head first into the new year (there are Christmas cards in the shops already)! Having made a promise to ourselves to trail-blaze the change in innovation attitude in our sector we have our own plan for punching through the potential limitations of PR19 and we can’t wait to keep sharing snippets with you.
In an industry of giants, driven by standards, we also need to remember our own personal standards and what we strive for as individuals- we have so many exciting opportunities to make strides this next AMP- lets make sure we stride on together towards progress with purpose.