When customers need help with their water supply, they can’t afford barriers. Whether reporting a problem, managing bills, or finding urgent information, access to digital services must work for everyone – including people with disabilities.
For Northumbrian Water, ensuring that no customer is excluded isn’t just good practice, it’s part of delivering an essential public service. But maintaining an accessible website at scale requires more than intention. It requires continuous monitoring, clear priorities, and the right tools.
To strengthen its approach to digital accessibility, the organisation turned to the Recite Me Accessibility Checker.
“As part of our ongoing digital accessibility improvements, we recognised the need to monitor and maintain accessibility across our online services. Ensuring WCAG compliance is essential both for regulatory reasons and for providing a seamless experience to all customers, including those with disabilities.”
The team needed more than a snapshot audit. They wanted a proactive approach that would help them detect issues early and prioritise improvements effectively.
“We needed a tool that could help us identify issues early, prioritise improvements, and continuously measure accessible performance in a structured and reliable way.”
Choosing a Tool That Supports Real Progress
With multiple teams contributing to website content and functionality, Northumbrian Water required a solution that was both robust and practical for everyday use. Complex tools can create barriers of their own if they are difficult to interpret or act upon.
The Recite Me Accessibility Checker stood out because it translates accessibility requirements into clear, manageable actions.
“The Recite Me Checker is easy to use and allows us to scan a page at a time, making it easier to determine what improvements we need to prioritise,” says Barbara. “The instructions for resolution are very clear, helping our teams work through issues efficiently.”
By enabling teams to focus on individual pages, the Checker makes accessibility improvements feel achievable rather than overwhelming. Clear guidance also helps ensure that fixes are implemented correctly, reducing guesswork and saving time.
Supporting a Wider Commitment to Digital Inclusion
For Northumbrian Water, accessibility is closely linked to customer experience and trust. An inclusive website helps ensure all customers can access services independently, without additional barriers or frustration.
Using the Accessibility Checker has become an important part of delivering on that commitment.
“Using the Accessibility Checker helps ensure that our website remains accessible and compliant,” Barbara explains. “It supports our wider digital accessibility strategy by enabling us to proactively remove barriers, track progress over time, and deliver a consistent online experience for all our customers.”
Beyond compliance, the tool helps reinforce the organisation’s broader values around inclusion and responsiveness.
“Ultimately, it strengthens our commitment to being inclusive, and responsive to customer needs.”
Accessibility as an Ongoing Responsibility
Northumbrian Water’s approach highlights a key reality: digital accessibility is not a project with a finish line. Websites evolve constantly, and maintaining compliance requires continuous monitoring and improvement.
By embedding accessibility checks into their workflows, the organisation is building a more resilient, inclusive digital service, one that works for all customers, not just the majority.
If you’d like to explore how accessibility technology can support your website visitors, get in touch with the Recite Me team to find out more.
