28 Aug 2024

Ofwat has published details of how it will consider projects as part of the RAPID (Regulators’ Alliance to Progress Infrastructure Development) programme going forward, the overall portfolio of RAPID projects and the approach to the gated process, including expected deliverables. Ofwat will relax the strict criteria it applied to water resource solutions at PR19 – […]

21 Aug 2024

Recent cost of living research from Ofwat found that 20% of water bill payers are struggling to afford their charges. A March 2024 survey found one in five are struggling with water charges, up from 18% in October 2023. This is part of a wider picture of affordability challenges, with 53% saying they struggle to […]

07 Aug 2024

Ofwat has proposed that three water companies will be fined a total of £168m for failing to manage their wastewater treatment works and networks, as part of the first batch of outcomes from its biggest ever investigation. The penalties proposed for consultation will see Thames Water fined £104m, Yorkshire Water fined £47m and Northumbrian Water […]

07 Aug 2024

Ofwat has published the outputs of its sessions for customers on the PR24 draft determinations. The meetings were hosted by Ofwat and the Consumer Council for Water – one for England and one for Wales – and allowed customers and other stakeholders to quiz the regulator’s top team about the draft price and service decisions […]

17 Jul 2024

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 […]

17 Jul 2024

All 11 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales are now under scrutiny over sewage spills, after the regulator said it was expanding its investigation. This week, Ofwat opened enforcement cases into four more firms – Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent and United Utilities – as part of its probe into […]

11 Jul 2024

Ofwat has published its draft determinations for English and Welsh water companies, allowing a spending package of £88bn over the next 5 years, £16bn less than proposed by companies in their business plans. Ofwat’s headlines Investment of £10bn to tackle storm overflows with a target to reduce spills from storm overflows by 44% from levels […]

19 Jun 2024

Ofwat has published an updated timetable and key milestones for its 2024 price determination (PR24), after the general election necessitated a delay due to purdah rules. The regulator said it would endeavour to issue final determinations on 19 December, but that it was exploring the option of extending this until 31 January at the latest. […]