Lancashire’s water heroes, a series
A day in the life of Rivington Catchment Apprentice, Ryan Bibby
A day in the life of Rivington Catchment Apprentice, Ryan Bibby
When you turn on your tap for a fresh glass of water, you probably don’t think about the thousands of acres of land and the reservoirs that make that water possible.
That’s where Catchment Apprentice Ryan Bibby comes in. It’s Ryan’s job to protect water quality long before water reaches a treatment works.
From inspecting reservoirs and monitoring water levels to maintaining walking routes and local wildlife habitats, every day for Ryan plays an important part in delivering high-quality drinking water to our customers.
We spent a day with Ryan as he goes about his work at Rivington and its neighbouring reservoirs in Chorley, Lancashire.
“I know many people think great water quality starts at the treatment works, but really it starts much earlier, high up in the hills and stretches of our catchment land,” explains Ryan.
Catchments are made up of the land surrounding reservoirs. When rainwater falls on that land, it travels downwards and eventually enters these large bodies of water.
“A lot of my day-to-day role involves inspecting the land for any problems that might impact rainwater as it travels downhill. Things like agricultural waste or fly tipping, unusual odours or colours in the water. I also inspect dams and embankments, operate and test valves, and read and record water levels,” he adds.
“I come across many walkers and visitors to Rivington as I go about my day, but what they don’t know is there are skills required in this role that date back centuries.
“In drier months, when reservoir levels can drop, they often drop below the levels on our measuring boards – the ones that stand upwards on the slopes of the embankment. When this happens it exposes the Roman numerals below that were carved into the original structures and its these numbers we have to read and interpret as part of our reporting” he smiles, “I never thought I’d need such a skill working with water”.
“As well as daily monitoring, I also support with managing reservoir operations. I find this particularly rewarding as there’s an impact for both customers and the environment.
“For instance, at a lot of reservoirs, we release controlled amounts of what’s known as compensation water into rivers downstream, to make sure they continue flowing naturally. This helps to preserve the biodiversity and habitats in those water courses, something I’m very passionate about,” says Ryan.
“This past year, I’ve also been honing my practical skills as I’ve been learning to repair walls, gates and pathways and generally helping to maintain our catchment land.”
A year ago, Ryan’s life looked very different. After spending 10 years working in IT, he decided it was time for a change.
“I’d reached a point where I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go in. I wasn’t sure whether to go into engineering or explore a countryside management role, so when I saw the Catchment Apprentice opportunity it felt like the perfect combination of both.
Ryan is part of United Utilities first ever cohort of Catchment Apprentices and has enjoyed the varied responsibilities the role has offered so far.
“Every week is different. We have our schedule of reservoir inspections, but there’s always something new happening. It’s a really rewarding job,” he smiles.
Did you know, United Utilities carries out nearly two million water quality test every year – that’s a test every 16 seconds!