30/10/09
News: The water quality regulators have published responses to Ofwat's draft determinations. They make interesting reading.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate urges Ofwat to fund capital maintenance essential for continuing high quality, and a number of schemes to address specific issues. They will take regulatory action to ensure that all the drinking water quality schemes they have supported are delivered – whether or not funding is included in final determinations.
The Environment Agency calls for final determinations to include all actions necessary to enable water companies to deliver their published final Water Resource Management Plans, and is concerned that Ofwat has not (in draft price limits) taken account of the EA's intention to increase abstraction charges.
Natural England is concerned that longer-term planning needs may not be delivered by the draft determinations. They too call for actions necessary for water resource plans to be included and regret the exclusion of water efficiency proposals.
As the PR09 process has now been going on for years, it is surprising at this late stage that there still appear to be differences between the sector's key regulators. It is vital for the industry that the outputs it has to deliver are clear, agreed by all stakeholders, and funded. The differences should be resolved in a sustainable way in time for the final determinations.
Environment Agency response to Ofwat
Natural England response to Ofwat
Contact: Rob Wesley
Published in The View from Water UK, October 2009
