Network and Customer Services Technician - Exeter

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose. South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes. We're proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future.

Role Purpose

As a Network & Customer Service Technician based in Exeter, you will play a key role in maintaining and operating the water distribution network, ensuring customers receive a safe, reliable, and high-quality water supply. You will be responsible for delivering excellent customer service, responding to network issues, supporting maintenance activities, and working collaboratively with internal teams, contractors, and stakeholders to minimise supply interruptions and maintain water quality standards. This is a hands-on field-based role suited to an individual who enjoys problem-solving, customer interaction, and working within a safety-focused operational environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Service & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Deliver high standards of customer service, acting as a primary point of contact for customer enquiries, concerns, and complaints.
  • Take ownership of customer issues, ensuring they are managed effectively through to resolution.
  • Build positive working relationships with customers, regulatory authorities, contractors, and internal colleagues.
  • Communicate clearly and professionally during customer interactions, planned works, and service interruptions.
• Network Operations & Maintenance
  • Carry out operational and maintenance activities across the water distribution network to ensure reliable service delivery.
  • Support the maintenance, repair, and replacement of network assets to minimise interruptions to water supply and protect water quality.
  • Undertake planned and reactive maintenance activities, including:
  • Network operation and maintenance activities
  • Flushing and filtering programmes
  • Leak detection and investigation
  • No-dig repairs and replacements
  • Stop tap replacements
  • Meter installations and replacements
  • Pressure control valve maintenance
  • Distribution system performance monitoring
• Incident Response & Network Resilience
  • Respond effectively to network incidents and emergencies.
  • Support activities aimed at preventing Supply Interruption (SI) events.
  • Implement mitigation measures when interruptions occur, including:
  • Safe zoning of the network
  • Deployment of Alternative Water Supply (AWS) arrangements
  • Collection and recording of operational data
  • Event management and reporting
• Compliance, Safety & Record Keeping
  • Ensure all work is completed in line with health, safety, environmental, and water quality standards.
  • Complete risk assessments and maintain accurate records of operational activities.
  • Comply with regulatory requirements and company procedures.
  • Contribute to achieving key business performance measures, including Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODIs) and Customer Measure of Experience (C-MeX) targets.
• Team Working
  • Work collaboratively with Drinking Water Services teams, contractors, and delivery partners.
  • Support colleagues in delivering operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Contribute to a culture of safety, innovation, and customer focus.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Five GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C/4 or above, including: English, Mathematics.
• Full, clean UK Driving Licence.
• Strong customer service skills with a commitment to delivering excellent customer experiences.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to participate in standby and out-of-hours working arrangements.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• ONC, City & Guilds, NVQ, or equivalent qualification in a relevant engineering, utilities, or water networks discipline.
• Street Works qualification (New Roads and Street Works Act - Practitioner and Supervisory Units 2 & 10).
• Previous experience within water distribution, utilities, or network operations.
• Experience of leak detection, network maintenance, or asset management activities.
• Experience participating in standby rotas and responding to operational emergencies.

Skills & Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Accountability and Ownership
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Technical Aptitude
• Planning & Organisation
• Health & Safety Awareness
• Attention to Detail
• Resilience Under Pressure
• Effective Communication

Closing Date: 24th July 2026. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness. Our core values, which are essential to our success, are: Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on. Be You - We want you to bring your best every day. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way. Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.