BOSSES at Yorkshire Water have promised that 2006 will be another vintage year for the company.

This year the company picked up several awards and plaudits but managers have said there is still a lot of work to be done and intend to carry on in the same manner.

During the past 12 months Yorkshire Water held on to its title of Utility Company of the Year and topped Ofwat's customer service charts.

In September, a consortium consisting of the Yorkshire Water's sister company, Kelda Water Services, was announced as the preferred bidder for a multi-million pound project building four water treatment works in Northern Ireland.

Yorkshire Water director of corporate affairs Rob Salmon said: "I can safely say that 2005 will be remembered as a vintage year for Yorkshire Water.

"Over the last 12 months we have achieved a great deal, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the employees we have topped Ofwat's customer service chart and continue to provide the best quality drinking water in the country.

"However, we still recognise that there is so much more to be done in terms of customer service and 2006 will see us continuing in the same direction."

A number of employees also picked up awards including human resources advisor Diane Bindley, who won Cares Volunteer of the Year at the Business in the Community's annual Yorkshire and Humberside Awards for Excellence.

The corporate affairs team also collected a Big Tick award for its Cool Schools initiative which placed mains-fed water coolers in Yorkshire's primary schools.

Finally, last week, Yorkshire Water was again named as the most efficient water company in the UK, according to industry regulator Ofwat, which awarded it three "A" ratings for efficiency for its water and waste operations.