Thames Water

70 companies unite to launch Tent UK, a new coalition of businesses committed to connecting refugees to work

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

LONDON, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent) – a global network of companies committed to the labour market integration of refugees – is announcing the launch of Tent UK , a coalition of 70 major companies committed to hiring refugees and helping them become job ready.

Key Points: 
  • LONDON, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent) – a global network of companies committed to the labour market integration of refugees – is announcing the launch of Tent UK , a coalition of 70 major companies committed to hiring refugees and helping them become job ready.
  • Tent is uniquely placed and ready to help companies develop ambitious programmes to include refugees."
  • "Tent is immensely proud to have brought together 70 leading businesses resolved to connect refugees to meaningful employment," said Jen Stobart, UK Director at Tent.
  • Tent UK is Tent's sixth national coalition to launch, adding to existing coalitions in Canada, France, Mexico, Spain and the United States.

How rising interest rates are affecting UK businesses

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 22, 2023

From chip shops to tech start-ups, and even large, well-established companies, rising interest rates have had an impact right across the business world.

Key Points: 
  • From chip shops to tech start-ups, and even large, well-established companies, rising interest rates have had an impact right across the business world.
  • After 14 consecutive base rate hikes by the Bank of England since 2021, this is causing particular problems for companies with a lot of debt.
  • And the total value of UK business loans is also expected to rise to an estimated £513 billion as of 2023.
  • And significant debt problems within an industry or even one firm can cause a domino effect across the UK economy.

The rising cost of business borrowing

    • Companies already holding debt that’s not on a fixed rate of interest could also see an increase in the interest owed to their lender.
    • This could come as a shock since UK interest rates were 1% or less for more than 13 years from February 2009 to June 2022.
    • Generally speaking, debt is a prudent low-cost source of finance with low interest rates fixed for the long term.
    • The more information a bank has, the more comfortable it will be about lending to a company.
    • It also reduces the bank’s own risk rating, allowing it to lend more and offer lower rates.

What to look out for in the current environment

    • A company’s ratio of debt versus assets will also tell you how much it holds in debt.
    • Manufacturers, for example, tend to need a lot of equipment and so may have ratios greater than 2.
    • But by anticipating the impact on their debt and being more open about their current state and future plans, businesses can help to minimise the pain.

Renationalising Thames Water would be a gamble – but there is another way to help clean up the industry

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 3, 2023

But since 1989, the industry has failed to invest sufficiently in replacing antiquated pipes and sewage treatment systems.

Key Points: 
  • But since 1989, the industry has failed to invest sufficiently in replacing antiquated pipes and sewage treatment systems.
  • Meanwhile, dividend payments, funded by water companies loading up on corporate debt, have soared.
  • The largest of those companies, Thames Water, has debts of almost £14 billion – roughly 80% of the value of the assets of the business.
  • Rising inflation and interest rates mean this debt is increasingly expensive to service, let alone reduce.
  • But existing water companies are unlikely to be considered suitable buyers on competition grounds (and many already face similar problems as Thames Water).

Not for profit

    • Welsh Water has a unique corporate structure, with no shareholders and is run solely for the benefit of its customers.
    • While not perfect, its performance in recent years compares favourably with that of the other privatised water companies.
    • Welsh Water’s decisions are made not in the interest of profit-seeking shareholders but in the interests of broader society.
    • Any profits made are either reinvested or returned to its 3 million customers in the form of cheaper services.

How Thames Water came to be flooded with debt – and what it means for taxpayers

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 30, 2023

But as someone who has researched the finances of water companies, I was not entirely surprised.

Key Points: 
  • But as someone who has researched the finances of water companies, I was not entirely surprised.
  • Our recent research found that by 2021, of 15 English water and sewage companies, nine were owned by “special purpose companies”.
  • And second, as we see with Thames Water, these highly indebted companies are potentially unstable in the event of cost pressures.
  • More than half of Thames Water’s debt is linked to inflation, contributing to the uplift in debt value.

Why shouldn't I pour oil or paint down the sink? And what should I do instead?

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 22, 2023

Are you ever tempted to pour used cooking oil down the sink?

Key Points: 
  • Are you ever tempted to pour used cooking oil down the sink?
  • What about that half-used tin of paint in the cupboard?
  • It would be so easy just to wash it down the drain, wouldn’t it?

A disaster for our sewerage systems

    • I’ve contacted many of our water utilities across Australia for this article.
    • They are in broad agreement: please don’t put oil, fats, grease or paint or other chemicals down the sink.

The worst culprits

    • They rate “fats, oils and grease” as the worst culprits.
    • Western Australia’s Water Corporation estimates 30% of sewer blockages are due to fats, oils and grease.
    • These particularly include hair and so-called “flushable wipes” (which, despite the name, should not be flushed down the loo).

Uncontrolled release of raw sewage

    • They can trigger the uncontrolled release of raw and untreated sewage into the environment.
    • I have seen raw sewage flowing in public places, parks, people’s backyards, shopping centres, thanks to blocked pipes.

So what am I supposed to do instead with oils?

    • With some careful preparations diesel engines can run on cooking oil.
    • It is particularly important the food industry carefully manage their waste as it can generate very large volumes of fats, oil and grease.
    • Even just disposing of fats, oils and grease into the rubbish and landfill is much better than tipping it down the sink.

What about tipping that old paint down the sink?

    • GWM Water, the water service for regional western Victoria, says paint, oils, lubricants, pesticides and thinners should not go down the sink.
    • They can damage sewer pipes, cause pollution and create fumes which can be dangerous for maintenance workers.

What should I do instead with old paint?

    • The paint industry encourages all people to take unwanted paints to a “Paintback” dropoff centre.
    • This industry-funded scheme aims to reduce the risks of unsafe disposal of unwanted paint products and maximise recycling.

Quarterly Review

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, February 12, 2023

The Company announces that its quarterly review as at 31 December 2022 is now available, a summary of which is provided below.

Key Points: 
  • The Company announces that its quarterly review as at 31 December 2022 is now available, a summary of which is provided below.
  • The full quarterly review is available on the Company’s website at:
    Whilst 2022 will be remembered as one of the worst years on record for risk assets, the final quarter of the year finished on a positive note.
  • Sterling credit outperformed, albeit starting from a lower base following the political and market turmoil in the UK at the end of the third quarter.
  • In the US, markets and the Federal Reserve remain in disagreement over the path of interest rates in 2023.

Responsible Flushing Alliance Shares Tips for Preventing Home & Sewer Clogs; Forensic Analysis of Clogs found in the UK Shows What's Causing Problems for London's Sewers

Retrieved on: 
Friday, August 26, 2022

SEATTLE, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) is a non-profit association dedicated to providing consumers with educational materials about what should and should not be flushed as well as sharing information regarding why it is so important to follow smart flushing practices.

Key Points: 
  • The Responsible Flushing Alliance, a non-profit consumer education group, provides more information to help keep homes and communities healthy by following smart flushing practices.
  • Today RFA, as part of its mission, released an infographic that explains the forensic analysis report taken from 50 major blockages in the United Kingdom.
  • The findings reveal the primary culprits of the massive clogs, including baby wipes, surface wipes, material/clothing, feminine hygiene products, and cosmetic wipes.
  • London's sewer system was first completed in 1875 and has approximately 1,100 miles of sewer mains and pipes.

IPG Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Help Businesses Ditch Their Diesel Generators

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 18, 2022

An investment opportunity is now open with climate tech company IPG, who has today announced the launch of its crowdfunding campaign to support its mission to replace the diesel generator.

Key Points: 
  • An investment opportunity is now open with climate tech company IPG, who has today announced the launch of its crowdfunding campaign to support its mission to replace the diesel generator.
  • IPGs patented product, the IPG Flameless Generator, disrupts the chicken-and-egg scenario between the supply and demand of renewable fuels, giving businesses the confidence to ditch their diesel gensets today.
  • This will provide valuable energy security for businesses by de-risking the switch to hydrogen and biofuels, enabling them to end their reliance on diesel.
  • IPG is currently raising EIS-eligible investment through Seedrs crowdfunding platform to enable our customers to replace their diesel generators.

Samotics Completes Series A Funding Round to Lead Fight Against Industrial Energy Waste

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 13, 2021

Samotics , a leading provider of real-time actionable insights to eliminate industrial energy waste and unplanned downtime, has completed a EUR 14.5 million Series A funding round.

Key Points: 
  • Samotics , a leading provider of real-time actionable insights to eliminate industrial energy waste and unplanned downtime, has completed a EUR 14.5 million Series A funding round.
  • Supported by the tailwinds of the energy and condition monitoring markets growing at above 25% yearly, Samotics plans to leverage this latest round of funding to supercharge its growth.
  • As one of the worlds largest energy consumers, heavy industry must realize significant energy savings to meet aggressive net-zero targets, comments Jasper Hoogeweegen, CEO at Samotics.
  • This investment strengthens our reputation as one of Europes AI pioneers and allows us to accelerate our growth plans and lead the fight against industrial energy waste.

Locusview Announces Two New Sales Executives

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 16, 2021

Joe's 22-year career at ClickSoftware and Salesforce allowed him to develop extensive utility and telecom business experience in concert with many key sales wins and consistent annual overachievement on sales goals.

Key Points: 
  • Joe's 22-year career at ClickSoftware and Salesforce allowed him to develop extensive utility and telecom business experience in concert with many key sales wins and consistent annual overachievement on sales goals.
  • We're applying many lessons learned and expanding the use of our technology into the UK, working closely with local organizations," said Shahar Levi, Locusview Co-Founder and CEO.
  • Locusview is a Digital Construction Management (DCM) platform that manages the entire infrastructure process for utilities, from planning to close-out.
  • Founded in 2014, Locusview enables all stakeholders to streamline data flow and manage the three crucial phases of infrastructure construction projects: planning, construction and close-out.