The Government has announced it will make sustainable drainage systems mandatory to new developments in England – the new approach to sustainable drainage is set to reduce flood risk and clean up rivers. 

Water UK is warning that a new Government proposal to tackle nutrient pollution in rivers will have the unintended consequence of forcing water companies to rebuild sewage treatment works with solutions that must (without exception) use new concrete and steel – rather than creating woodlands, reed beds and wetlands that can be faster, more effective, and cheaper.

A study conducted on behalf of Ofwat and CCW on assessing the affordability and acceptability of water companies’ AMP8 business plans to customers has flagged up the scale of the challenges the water companies could face in engaging effectively with their customers on a range of issues.

Ofwat has proposed that water companies should as a minimum test their proposed AMP8 business plan and a least cost version for the upcoming 2024 Price Review to give customers a meaningful choice between different service and bill levels.

Ofwat has launched a consultation on its response to Portsmouth Water’s request for funding of £370.4 million of totex for the period 2020-2030, an increase of £235.1 million on the £123.6 million funding allowed in final determinations in PR19, for the Havant Thicket Winter Storage Reservoir.

Ofwat has today published the final methodology for the upcoming Price Review (PR24) setting out the framework which water companies will follow to develop their AMP8 business plans -  the methodology will set the price, service and incentive package for 2025-2030 in December 2024.

More than 40 expert bodies, academics and delivery organisations have written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling on the Government to implement a 2010 flooding law to ease flood risk and sewage spills.