The government has published a summary of responses to the recent Environment Agency consultation on changes to the water company drought plan guideline (WC DPG) and the new and updated supplementary guidance.

The EA will amend the guidance to:

• emphasise the need for water companies to engage with their customers as early as possible as a drought develops
• suggest water companies consider and include actions they could take in a scenario where public water supplies are relatively healthy but where the water environment is showing signs of stress due to drought conditions
• make it clearer that a good water company drought plan needs to be flexible and be able to adapt to the conditions emerging in an actual drought – water companies need to feed into multi-sector action plans that are likely to be commissioned by the NDG during a drought event
• add as an example that water companies could provide advice to customers on reducing plumbing losses

The EA will publish the updated water company drought plan guidance by March 2020.

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