Last week’s Ofwat announcement on draft determinations for 2025-2030 business plans was covered in Water News. The headlines are that the £96bn proposed programme has been reduced by nearly 10% to £88bn, and allowable bill increases have been reduced by 33%. In slightly more detail, there is

• £10bn to reduce storm overflows, £1.4bn of which is to be delivered through catchment- and nature-based solutions
• £6bn to strip nutrients from wastewater discharges at over 1,500 wastewater treatment works to protect rivers
• £4bn on increasing supplies, including building nine reservoirs, seven transfer schemes and 12 water recycling plants, to deliver 425m extra litres of water per day by 2030
• A total of £2.2bn for nature-based solutions
• £2bn on drinking water quality improvements, including addressing PFAS and replacing lead pipes
• £1.5bn to fund 10 million smart meters

There is a useful summary in the Water Report’s summary of key points from the PR24 Draft Determinations

Reaction has not been favourable, and no-one seems to be particularly happy

Water UK says Ofwat is repeating the mistakes of the past, and the determination risks blocking house-building, delaying the recovery of rivers and failing to tackle looming water shortages.

Surfers Against Sewage called the announcement “just another disappointment from a failing regulator”.

Water regulation expert Dieter Helm said it’s a “bad answer to the wrong questions”.

Feargal Sharkey, reported in The Guardian, said Ofwat had showed contempt for customers and utter disregard for the environment.

CCW said that that consumers will feel anxious and upset about bill rises.