Regulators urge water firms to react more rapidly

Water regulators have jointly promised to change water resource planning methodology and set out expectations for water companies to adapt to changes before they happen.

In an open letter to water companies, Defra, Environment Agency (EA), Ofwat and Drinking Water Incorporate (DWI) updated stakeholders on activities to build resilience in water supplies and the expectations of the regulators.

“We expect you to continue to evolve your plans in real time, adapting and changing to meet the challenges faced year on year, instead of waiting for each five-year cycle of WRMP and Business Plans,” the letter read.

The four bodies wrote to stakeholders in August last year outlining five areas where additional effort was required, including making business plans more ambitious and acknowledged the response companies have made to rise to the challenges.

Achievements since last August’s call to action included EA’s effort to establish a national framework for water resources, which highlighted the importance of sharing methods and having common goals.

Five water resource management groups have been established across England and Wales; the letter advocated for an increase of collaborative working between water users and developers for industrial growth.

“We currently only observe this happening in pockets, and we want to see more. This is important because it unlocks a wider range of opportunities and a different menu of viable options. This is particularly important as we face the possibility of another dry winter causing difficulties for agriculture and the environment next year.”

The letter highlighted the need for preparedness to respond to emergency events, citing Whaley Bridge as an example of an incident to be managed: “Government, regulators and communities expect you to effectively manage all hazards associated with your industry.”

The open letter signed from the different bodies reflected the joined up regulatory approach that led to the formation of Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID), which will come into effect from early 2020.

“We are committed to working with you through the RAPID team to provide a seamless regulatory interface and overcome barriers enabling the schemes to become ready for construction.”

Defra saw “strong engagement” to its consultation on reducing per capita consumption, which closed earlier in October and will be published in the new year.

For their part, the regulators promised to “continue to respond to barriers as they arise by changing water resources planning and approaches to funding that support and encourage continuous improvement.”

RAPID was formed by Ofwat, EA and DWI to introduce a nationwide planning network to explore options to redistribute water to ensure a steady supply for all.

The group has three objectives: the first is to overcome barriers to collaboration; progress schemes; and to design the regulatory regimes of the future.