Water is an essential part of life. With the nation in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, dedicated water workers across the country are working day and night to keep our most precious resource flowing.
The UK Government has officially designated water workers as ‘key workers’ in a critical public service. Meaning thousands of water personnel are out on UK streets carrying out critical maintenance, laying new pipes and finding and fixing leaks.
Here, Distribution Technician, Luke Senington shares how he’s adapting to a new way of life at South East Water during the pandemic.
It’s really nice to know that we've been given the status of ‘key workers’. Water is essential to all our lives, and everyone working out in the field knows we can’t stop working, or work from home, as we have such an important job to do.
How long have you been at South East Water?
I’ve been working as a Distribution Technician at South East Water for just over five years now. I started my career in water at Bristol Water working for the fisheries, before becoming a technician. I then met my wife and moved to the South East to be with her. I work in our western region, covering mainly the Basingstoke area.
Can you tell us a bit about your role as a Distribution Technician?
The way I would describe my role is a bit of a jack of all trades. If there’s a problem between our Water Treatment Works and customers' taps, we’ll be the ones to investigate. That could be things like leaking pipes, water pressure problems or problems with certain equipment on the network. We’ll go out and try to resolve the issue, or pass it on to the correct team if we’re unable to sort it there and then. Every day is different, which makes the job really exciting and varied.
Can you tell us an interesting fact about your job that not many people know?
One thing that I find quite interesting is that people who listen for leaks on pipework apparently have enhanced levels of hearing. During a medical a few years ago I got talking to the guy carrying out the examination. He was doing a study in to what he called ‘water listeners’. Apparently when carrying out hearing tests he could always spot someone who regularly listened for leaks because their ears could pick up certain decibels that other people couldn’t.
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, what changes have been made to your job to make sure you’re working safely?
Our biggest change is that we’re now not meeting customers face-to-face unless it’s an emergency. We normally work alone anyway, but we’re taking extra care to keep the correct social distance from colleagues and members of the public. All the teams have been given hand sanitiser, so I’m making sure I wash and anti-bac my hands as much as I possibly can.
How does it feel to know you are a ‘key worker’ and have an important part to play in keeping the country going during these difficult times?
It’s really nice to know that we've been given the status of ‘key workers’. Water is essential to all our lives, and everyone working out in the field knows we can’t stop working, or work from home, as we have such an important job to do. Keeping tap water flowing is vital in the fight against the virus, to make sure we can all wash our hands and stay healthy.
Have you seen any interesting sights out in the community during the outbreak?
I’ve seen lots of rainbow paintings and drawings in windows across the area. I think that’s a really nice activity for children and it’s a great way of showing our support for all NHS workers. The strangest thing I’ve noticed during the COVID-19 outbreak is how quite the roads are. Driving on the motorways across our patch is very eerie and the amount of traffic makes it feel like it should be early hours of the morning rather than the middle of the day.
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