06/06/06
Water UK comments on 'Water Management' published today by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology.
Pamela Taylor, Chief Executive, said:
"Many of the findings are encouraging everyone involved in water management to continue in the direction they have already taken.
"In recent years the industry, consumer representatives, regulators and government have improved the way they work together to raise the quality of the service.
"This is particularly important for managing economic development and housing growth. It is vital that planning for land use and new communities goes hand-in-hand with planning for new water and wastewater infrastructure."
Included in the report are plans to make it easier for water companies to achieve universal metering of customers.
Water UK encourages a company-specific approach to metering. Metering has a real resource cost, which must be assessed against its benefits if metering policy is to be sustainable. National policy should be flexible enough to allow companies to pursue sustainable metering according to their local circumstances.
The industry also supports proposals for new resource development, where it fits with company sustainable water resource plans, and efforts to reduce leakage including taking account of environmental and social factors when calculating leakage targets.
Water UK does not endorse proposals for regional boards to determine water management objectives.
"We don't need another layer of bureaucracy in water resource planning. Water companies are best placed to plan for water resource needs working closely with industry regulators and consumer groups to develop robust, affordable and sustainable plans."
Ends
For more information please contact:
Barrie Clarke, Director of Communication
020 7344 1804 (out of hours pager 07623 960573)
Bruce Horton, Policy Adviser
020 7322 1817
