RESIDENTS can talk all things water and waste with a new two-way artificial intelligence (AI) engagement service in Bridport.

Wessex Water has teamed up with Hello Lamp Post to enable residents to scan QR codes dotted around the town and start up a conversation with the AI service.

Signs where they can engage with the service have been put up all around Bridport near lampposts, fences and even the West Bay sluice gate.

All they have to do is scan QR codes or simply text the phone number provided to start up a conversation with the service.

The initiative is part of Wessex Waters Community Connectors project that is exploring new ways of engaging with the community.

Kirsty Scarlett, head of community engagement at Wessex Water, said: “After speaking to local people and groups in Bridport when we launched the Community Connectors project, two key priorities Wessex Water agreed to focus on together with the community are ways to help the town save water and improvements to water quality in the river and at West Bay.

“The Hello Lamp Post signs are a quick and simple way for our customers to find out what we’re doing to address these issues, while also discovering what they can do to help by saving water, energy and money at home, and not flushing items like wet wipes down the toilet to protect the environment.

“The chats also provide links for customers to claim our free water saving and waste products for their home and take advantage of our in-person Home Check service.”

The signage will be in place for 12 months and conversation topics will change seasonally to encourage residents to use the signs more than once.

Some of the information provided will include topics such as where the water comes from and local storm overflows.

The service will also be free to use with just standard messaging rates applying, and there is no need to register or download an app.

Tiernan Mines, CEO and co-founder of Hello Lamp Post, said: “We're thrilled to be supporting Wessex Water on their Community Connectors project.

"Using our on-site digital engagement tool, consumers will be able to have interactive two-way conversations to learn more about the work Wessex Water is doing to create a more sustainable future, and how they can play a part."