Ahead of land, consent or even capital, it is the supply and treatment of water that is impacting the growth of housing, renewables and digital infrastructure in many areas. In an Expert Focus article for WaterBriefing, James Cattermole, ​​​​Partner - Infrastructures at Carter Jonas takes a look at water as a limiting factor on economic growth.

The UK Water Partnership has published a white paper on river health and restoring public trust, saying that trust in the management of the UK water environment is at a historic low. The Partnership is warning that many of the recommendations set out in the Independent Water Commission’s landmark report of July 2025 as a blueprint for water sector reform require legislative change - a process that is slow and risks losing public confidence.

Steve Morris, Managing Director of HUBER Technology UK, takes a look at how the first year of AMP8 has panned out, some of the issues that are driving the water sector and where it might be heading for in 2026.

Publication of the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report, alongside new legislation and updated national standards, marks a major turning point in the wider adoption of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) by water companies and developers, according to Alex Stephenson, director, SuDSPlanter.

Ofwat has issued a statement this morning confirming that it will be business-as-usual for the regulator’s £600 million Innovation Fund activities. 

Ofwat is to be abolished and replaced by one single water regulator responsible for the entire water system, the Government has announced today.

In an Expert Focus article for WaterBriefing, John Lillistone, Director of Market Development at Arqiva, discusses how the water sector can seize the opportunities presented by the Cunliffe Report.