Water company workers have been thanked for their years of service with a special lunch dedicated to them.
Sutton and East Surrey Water held the thank you event for five men for their years of commitment to the company. The men were told their hard work and skills had ensured high quality tap water for generations of Surrey families and businesses.
Among those honoured was Peter Rusbridge, from Redhill, who joined Sutton and East Surrey Water as a waste inspector in 1985 and became a district inspector three years later.
Peter then went on to become a works section manager and then a contracts section manager – where he is responsible for supervising part of the capital infrastructure investment for water mains replacement.
A spokesman for the company said: “Peter’s vital role ensures that new mains are commissioned and while complying with water quality standards and procedures, customers are connected with the minimum disruption.”
The spokesman added that the five men who were honoured had clocked up a total of 180 years of service between them, providing a water supply for more than 650,000 people in Sutton and East Surrey Water’s supply area.
Bernie Dalton, from Horley, near Redhill, was also among those being thanked, and was described as an unsung hero.
He has been working for Sutton and East Surrey Water for 50 years after starting as a labourer. He then became a lorry driver, before taking on a role in 1990 detecting and mending leaks. He soon became a leakage inspector, and has stayed in this position for 21 years.
The spokesman said: “His commitment, diligence and astute leakage location talents have been a key factor in the company’s enviable record of achieving one of the lowest leakage levels in the country, and never failing to meet Ofwat leakage targets.”