This consultation closes on 19 October 2007
The Welsh Assembly Government and Defra have issued a joint consultation paper seeking views on the implementation options for the transfer of private sewers and lateral drains into the ownership of sewerage companies.
Please click on the following external link to be redirected to the DEFRA website for full details - http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/industry/sewers/index.htm
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Thursday, 9 August 2007
EA Consultation - Water resources strategy
The pressures on our water resources are growing. More houses are being built, our population is increasing and we are all using more water. Climate change will only add to these pressures. Longer, drier summers will mean we need to think differently and we need to act now.
The Environment Agency is consulting on a new Water Resources Strategy for England and Wales. The consultation starts the process of developing a new strategy, which they plan to be available in December 2008, including a separate strategy for Wales.
It seeks views on the main water resources issues facing us all over the next few decades and beyond. It looks at how the Environment Agency and others could manage water resources in the future. The EA believe that many organisations, abstractors and water users all have a role to play.
The consultation closes on 31st October 2007.
You can get a copy of the consultation document water for the people and environment from their publication catalogue or download the pdf (8.5 mins). You can also get a copy by e-mailing wrstrategy@environment-agency.gov.uk or by writing to: Water Resources, Environment Agency, Rio House, Waterside Drive, Bristol BS32 4UD.
Following the consultation, the EA will publish a series of working papers to inform the strategy, which consider:
1. Water resources in the south east of England.
2. Managing uncertainty in water resources.
3. Carbon and energy use in water resources.
4. Valuing water resources.
5. Governance and legislation for water resources management.
For more information visit http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/981441/137651/
The Environment Agency is consulting on a new Water Resources Strategy for England and Wales. The consultation starts the process of developing a new strategy, which they plan to be available in December 2008, including a separate strategy for Wales.
It seeks views on the main water resources issues facing us all over the next few decades and beyond. It looks at how the Environment Agency and others could manage water resources in the future. The EA believe that many organisations, abstractors and water users all have a role to play.
The consultation closes on 31st October 2007.
You can get a copy of the consultation document water for the people and environment from their publication catalogue or download the pdf (8.5 mins). You can also get a copy by e-mailing wrstrategy@environment-agency.gov.uk or by writing to: Water Resources, Environment Agency, Rio House, Waterside Drive, Bristol BS32 4UD.
Following the consultation, the EA will publish a series of working papers to inform the strategy, which consider:
1. Water resources in the south east of England.
2. Managing uncertainty in water resources.
3. Carbon and energy use in water resources.
4. Valuing water resources.
5. Governance and legislation for water resources management.
For more information visit http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/981441/137651/
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
Competitive market for water and sewerage in Scotland draws closer
The Water Industry Commission for Scotland has approved Scottish Water’s wholesale charges scheme and has established the Central Market Agency (CMA) which are both significant developments in opening the market for business customers to buy water from suppliers other than Scottish Water.
From April 2008, Scottish Water will act as the wholesaler, selling on to new retail entrants. The new charges scheme sets out what Scottish Water can charge new licensees for water and sewerage services. The scheme allows Scottish Water to recover all of its wholesale costs and also allows scope for competitive licensed service providers to reduce end bills to business customers.
The Commission’s approval of the scheme coincided with the incorporation of the CMA. This Agency will facilitate the secure and efficient transfer of customer information in the newly competitive market, enabling customers to change service provider if they wish. Greater competition should bring wider choice, lower prices, better services and increased innovation for customers.
From April 2008, Scottish Water will act as the wholesaler, selling on to new retail entrants. The new charges scheme sets out what Scottish Water can charge new licensees for water and sewerage services. The scheme allows Scottish Water to recover all of its wholesale costs and also allows scope for competitive licensed service providers to reduce end bills to business customers.
The Commission’s approval of the scheme coincided with the incorporation of the CMA. This Agency will facilitate the secure and efficient transfer of customer information in the newly competitive market, enabling customers to change service provider if they wish. Greater competition should bring wider choice, lower prices, better services and increased innovation for customers.
Floods to cost Severn Trent £35m
Severn Trent today estimated the cost of last month's flood crisis at between £25m and £35m. Furthermore the scale of the emergency was described as unprecedented in the recent history of the UK water industry after the rivers Avon and Severn burst their banks and forced the evacuation of the company's Mythe Water treatment works near Tewkesbury.
Since the start of the incident, Severn had bought and made available 50m litres of bottled water and deployed more than 2,000 staff from Severn Trent Water and its contractors to deal with the crisis. The water company expects the cost of dealing with the incident could be partially offset by insurance recoveries of between £10m and £20m.
The estimated costs figure of up £35m includes up to £3.5m to support affected communities in recovering from the flooding. Severn Trent, which serves 3.7m household and business customers in England and Wales, is willing to co-operate fully with inquiries into the flooding, as well as carry out its own review to learn any appropriate lessons from last month's crisis.
Since the start of the incident, Severn had bought and made available 50m litres of bottled water and deployed more than 2,000 staff from Severn Trent Water and its contractors to deal with the crisis. The water company expects the cost of dealing with the incident could be partially offset by insurance recoveries of between £10m and £20m.
The estimated costs figure of up £35m includes up to £3.5m to support affected communities in recovering from the flooding. Severn Trent, which serves 3.7m household and business customers in England and Wales, is willing to co-operate fully with inquiries into the flooding, as well as carry out its own review to learn any appropriate lessons from last month's crisis.
US firm rescues UK flooding crisis
A drinking water treatment firm which has newly launched in the US has seen its profile raised astronomically thanks to a UK flooding crisis. Panton McLeod Americas (PMA) received an unexpected boost for its specialist cleaning products after they helped end an emergency which left 350,000 people without water.
Dramatic footage of catastrophic flooding in Gloucestershire was shown around the world after freak weather left huge areas under water. A major water treatment works was submerged which meant that already stricken customers had no safe drinking water. As the huge clean up operation started, Severn Trent Water called in PMA to restore the treatment works.
The firm worked round-the-clock for a week to disinfect every square inch of the works – an area equivalent to four full size football pitches. John Copeland, vice president of Denver-based PMA, said: “In common with the rest of Western Europe, England has some of the toughest drinking water standards in the world. It is heavily regulated and this treatment works couldn’t be reopened until it met those exacting standards".
In June PMA was awarded the coveted NSF Standard 60 certification to supply its five key cleaning and de-biofouling chemicals to the North American drinking water industry. The products are designed for the removal of iron and manganese deposits and bio-fouling from drinking water infrastructure such as storage tanks and towers. The most powerful of the cleaners PM88 – nicknamed the “Oil Buster” because it even removes hydrocarbon contamination – was used in the Gloucestershire case.
Dramatic footage of catastrophic flooding in Gloucestershire was shown around the world after freak weather left huge areas under water. A major water treatment works was submerged which meant that already stricken customers had no safe drinking water. As the huge clean up operation started, Severn Trent Water called in PMA to restore the treatment works.
The firm worked round-the-clock for a week to disinfect every square inch of the works – an area equivalent to four full size football pitches. John Copeland, vice president of Denver-based PMA, said: “In common with the rest of Western Europe, England has some of the toughest drinking water standards in the world. It is heavily regulated and this treatment works couldn’t be reopened until it met those exacting standards".
In June PMA was awarded the coveted NSF Standard 60 certification to supply its five key cleaning and de-biofouling chemicals to the North American drinking water industry. The products are designed for the removal of iron and manganese deposits and bio-fouling from drinking water infrastructure such as storage tanks and towers. The most powerful of the cleaners PM88 – nicknamed the “Oil Buster” because it even removes hydrocarbon contamination – was used in the Gloucestershire case.
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
End of vertically integrated water sector in UK and Wales?
Ofwat launched a consultation exercise last month that could ultimately lead to the un-bundling and sale of various water companies in the country, said industry participants. According to their spokesperson Ofwat would be in the stage of still receiving submissions to the consultation through to September 2007. “No option” was off the table with respect to potential un-bundling of the vertically integrated water sector in the UK and Wales.
A UK press report last month cited Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent as two potential companies that could come up for sale in the event of industry un-bundling. Traditionally, the UK government had been a strong proponent of vertical integration of water companies in England and Wales. Nevertheless Ian Pearson, the minister in charge of the water portfolio under Tony Blair’s government, indicated that he might seek the end of vertical integration.
Ofwat appears to have taken a cue from Pearson’s direction in launching the consultation paper, but as the water portfolio was unfilled it remains to be seen if the new minister in charge would take a different direction. There is already some precedent for forced un-bundling in Scotland, where the country’s Parliament has recently legislated for the forced separation of Scottish Water’s retail operations.
A UK-based industry source said there would be a continuation of un-bundling in the utility sector in general and that the separation of these assets would increase operational quality and competitiveness for the end-user, and would be EU driven.
The Ofwat spokesperson said its initial document is expected to be issued by the end of 2007. According to a Water UK source, Ofwat is also conducting a separate “economic analysis” of the British water industry, and this analysis paper is often a prelude to forced un-bundling. The source said that both the economic analysis and the formal results of the Ofwat consultation exercise would likely be released in March 2008.
A UK press report last month cited Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent as two potential companies that could come up for sale in the event of industry un-bundling. Traditionally, the UK government had been a strong proponent of vertical integration of water companies in England and Wales. Nevertheless Ian Pearson, the minister in charge of the water portfolio under Tony Blair’s government, indicated that he might seek the end of vertical integration.
Ofwat appears to have taken a cue from Pearson’s direction in launching the consultation paper, but as the water portfolio was unfilled it remains to be seen if the new minister in charge would take a different direction. There is already some precedent for forced un-bundling in Scotland, where the country’s Parliament has recently legislated for the forced separation of Scottish Water’s retail operations.
A UK-based industry source said there would be a continuation of un-bundling in the utility sector in general and that the separation of these assets would increase operational quality and competitiveness for the end-user, and would be EU driven.
The Ofwat spokesperson said its initial document is expected to be issued by the end of 2007. According to a Water UK source, Ofwat is also conducting a separate “economic analysis” of the British water industry, and this analysis paper is often a prelude to forced un-bundling. The source said that both the economic analysis and the formal results of the Ofwat consultation exercise would likely be released in March 2008.
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