We continued to share our knowledge about water, science, engineering and the environment.
We launched the Water Design Challenge, an education programme run in partnership with the Design Council, to inspire students to cut their water and carbon footprint. Working with designers and water industry experts, the secondary school students learnt about water use and designed water saving solutions.
More than 4,000 pupils in the South East also saw our water efficiency mime show, The Drips, performed by Facepack Theatre in 25 schools.
We worked in partnership with the Smallpeice Trust to deliver STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) days to 10 secondary schools, with 500 students taking part in a water-themed practical challenge.
During the year, our staff delivered 109 Waterwise talks to schools and community groups with information on water efficiency and how we supply and treat water.
As part of our Cleaner Seas for Sussex project, we worked with Brighton’s Theatre Royal to enable more than 200 primary schoolchildren to take part in educational workshops. Pupils also named two machines (Alice and Hollyblue) used to create a new sewer tunnel. Others participated in a workshop to draw sea creatures, which were displayed on site hoardings.
We teamed up with the Saints Foundation at Southampton Football Club to launch a programme to teach local primary schoolchildren about water and, in Kent, we took part in a project with Gillingham FC to help 150 children in Medway use football as a catalyst to boost confidence and improve results.
One of our scientists gave children an insight into wastewater treatment at an education convention at the Intech Science Centre and Planetarium in Winchester. We also attended a two-day science fair at the Intech centre and held Waterwise sessions for about 650 primary schoolchildren from 14 Hampshire schools.
In Horsham, we sponsored Junior Citizen Week, an event co-ordinated by Horsham District Council to encourage children to become responsible citizens. We held sessions for more than 1,000 children on the water cycle and using water wisely.