Three South West Water Women Shortlisted for National Awards

More than 6,200 pupils across Devon and Cornwall sat in on her lessons in the last year. The woman who built that programme from scratch is now up for a national award. And she is one of three South West Water women on this year’s shortlist.

Three women from South West Water have been shortlisted for the Women in Utilities Awards 2026, recognised for their work in wastewater services, communities and environmental education across the South West.

Jenny Eamer, Caitlin Crutchley and Sophie Moore are among those being recognised by Utility Week and the Women’s Utility Network.

The awards are run by Utility Week in partnership with the Women’s Utility Network. They celebrate the achievements of women and allies across the UK utilities sector, recognising people making a positive impact through leadership, innovation and service.

Each of the three has played a part in supporting customers, communities and the environment across the South West, from keeping essential wastewater services running to inspiring young people through education.

Jenny Eamer, leading frontline wastewater operations

Jenny Eamer has spent more than a decade at the heart of wastewater operations at South West Water, leading teams responsible for keeping essential services running across Exeter and the surrounding area.

As Wastewater Operations Manager, Jenny oversees managers and field teams working across sewage networks, pumping stations and treatment works. The job means meeting strict environmental standards while still delivering for customers and communities.

“It’s an honour to be shortlisted for this award,” Jenny said. “Supporting our frontline teams and helping deliver essential services for our communities is something I’m hugely passionate about. I’m really proud to work alongside an amazing group of people who make a real difference every day.”

Caitlin Crutchley, driving environmental improvement programmes

Caitlin Crutchley joined South West Water as a graduate in 2024 and quickly took on one of the company’s most significant environmental programmes.

As Assistant Programme Manager, Caitlin leads delivery of the Pollution Incident Reduction Plan, which covers around 40 initiatives across the company’s wastewater operations.

She came from a non-technical background, and said the role has given her the chance to keep learning and developing her knowledge in new areas. She said she is grateful for the support she has had since joining.

“It’s such an honour to be recognised alongside so many inspiring women across the utilities sector,” Caitlin said. “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far and excited to continue contributing to improvements that help protect the environment.”

📷Sophie Moore

Sophie Moore, building an education programme from the ground up

When Sophie Moore joined South West Water in 2021, there was no education programme in place to teach young people about water. Today she delivers it at scale across Devon and Cornwall.

Sophie created and grew South West Water’s Education and Community Outreach Programme. In the last year alone it has reached more than 6,200 pupils, with 188 lessons delivered across 128 schools on topics including climate change, plastic pollution and the journey of water.

She is a finalist in the Community Outreach Award category for the programme, which helps young people understand wastewater, sustainable water use and why protecting the environment matters.

“Building the education programme and seeing it grow year after year has been incredibly rewarding,” Sophie said. “A lot of hours go in behind the scenes to make sure the pupils receive the most up to date information and learning in a fun and interesting way. It’s amazing to be nominated for something you are really passionate about and I am so excited for the awards.”

When the winners are announced

The winners of the Women in Utilities Awards will be announced on Friday 3 July at a ceremony at City Central at the HAC in London.

📷Jenny Eamer & Caitlin Crutchley