We are working with communities in Bridport to achieve shared environmental and social goals.
About Bridport
Bridport is a historic town close to the coast in rural West Dorset. As a popular holiday destination, tourism is extremely important for the economy, employment opportunities and vitality of the area.
We supply the town via groundwater aquifers that feed into Dottery reservoir in the north and Bothenhampton reservoir in the south, where water is stored before it is distributed to customers.
Wastewater is collected from homes and businesses via our sewer network and is treated at our West Bay water recycling centre before it is safely returned back into the environment.
Around 14,700
people live in Bridport
Around 14.6m
litres of sewage are cleaned every day in Bridport during wet weather
Around 3.1m
litres of water are used per day by homes in Bridport
This is a two-year pilot project, which will help us build a new framework for how we support all our communities in the future.
As one of our pilot areas, we have established a local advisory group in Bridport to help us work with the wider community. Through a series of community engagement activities, we have agreed our shared priorities for change and are co-designing projects to tackle them.
A combination of Wessex Water and community-led projects, funded by the Wessex Water Foundation, will deliver improvements to the environment, benefit the lives of local people and help make progress towards achieving our shared goals.
This project consists of four separate phases to ensure we effectively work with local communities to achieve our shared goals.
Funding has now been awarded to the following grassroots groups and charities to help them tackle environmental and social issues.
Asker Nature Reserve Project (ANRP)
£4,850 to create a nature trail between Morrisons and East Street to inform visitors and local people of the history of Asker Meadows.
Bridport Food Matters
£4,920 to support the 'We Dig No Dig' project which will support the development of ‘Incredible Edible’ beds in Bridport to address food poverty.
Bridport Town Council
£6,000 to support the Installation of two wall-mounted water refill units, which will help reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles.
Dorset Community Action
£5,960 to support the expansion of the Seed2Plate project, which turns unused plots of land into growing spaces for the community.
Dorset Wildlife Trust
£5,980 to support the development of a Citizen Science programme which offers training, equipment and mentoring to local people, with the aim of inspiring behaviour change that will improve the environmental health of Bridport’s rivers.
Sustainable Bridport
£1,500 to go towards rainwater harvesting and watering equipment for the edible gardens at St Mary’s School and Bridport School. A family event at Bridport Primary School during summer will also help improve the understanding of the need for water when growing food.
In addition to the work we have done with local community groups so far, we have already started having an impact in the following areas.
Delivering water butts to allotment holders
We delivered 93 water butts to allotment holders in partnership with the town council to help them use less water.
Creating an educational map for schools
Alongside our year-round education service, we have created a bespoke education pack with information about the local area using an illustrated map. The map identifies our assets, such as reservoirs and waste treatment centres, along with local points of interest, wildlife and information about the community’s level of water use and wastewater volumes.
Creating welcome packs for new parents
We are working with local health visitors and parent groups to create a welcome pack for new parents. The pack consists of advice and information on sustainable products, the best way to dispose of wet wipes and support and advice on ways to save water and money on bills.
Making sure only rain goes down the drain
Surface water drains at the sides of roads can lead directly to local watercourses. This means anything poured/put down them, such as litter, car oils or shampoo, weedkillers and dirty water, can harm wildlife. To help look after fish, invertebrates and other river life, the Yellowfish Project raises awareness and encourages local communities to ensure only rain goes down these drains.
Creating an environmental project guide
We have created an environmental project guide which contains useful information for local community groups looking to carry out environmental work. The guide covers tree planting and management, and wetland and pond creation.
Training people to monitor watercourses
Through our Water Guardians project, we have been working in partnership with Dorset Wildlife Trust to recruit and train local volunteers to monitor watercourses. They help us identify possible pollution incidents and report them for further investigation. We are also providing training for river-fly monitoring, which is a key indicator species for river health.
Hello Lamp Post
The local community in Bridport has told us they want to hear more about how they can save water and what we’re doing to improve the quality of the river and the local environment. So we’ve partnered with Hello Lamp Post to keep people informed.
Across Bridport we’ve installed a series of signs which the community can use to have a conversation with us about water or wastewater. If you see one, scan the QR code or text the phone number to give it a try!
Funding other local projects
We have also supported a range of other projects that will help us meet our shared goals agreed with the community. These include community allotment and food growing projects, citizen science volunteering along rivers, installing water refill points to reduce the use of single-use plastic, rainwater harvesting and youth engagement projects to increase awareness amongst young people about the increasing need to save water.
Social impact
Raising awareness about the support we offer
We have informed several social support and community groups about the tariffs and support packages we offer to customers who are struggling with their bills. This has enabled them to train their own volunteers and staff so that the community is more widely informed about the range of support available.