Water Resources South East (WRSE) has published its response to its recent consultation on its proposals for developing a regional water resources plan.

The six water companies which make up WRSE are currently developing a multi-sector, resilience plan for the South East of England to ensure the region’s water supply is sustainable and resilient in the future.

WRSE is taking a long-term view, looking ahead to 2100 and are considering the water needs for public water supply, the environment and that required by all other major users in the region –primarily agriculture, electricity generators, industry (paper mills) and golf courses.

The August 2020 consultation sought comment on the initial policy positions WRSE is planning to use to inform the long-term, multi-sector plan. WRSE has set out its approach on a number of policy positions based on best value, including:

• carbon
• drought permits and orders
• environmental ambition
• ethical buying, social equity and public value
• leakage
• levels of service
• personal water use
• private water supplies in droughts
• resilience

The consultation covered 13 questions – the response document presents the feedback on a question by question basis, summarising the main issues followed by WRSE consideration and response.

Commenting on the Environment Agency’s National Framework target for a 50 per cent reduction in leakage by 2050, WRSE said the majority of respondents supported its ambition to align with the target as an appropriate measure, with several stating this should be a minimum target.

The response paper says:

“While this is predominately an issue between the companies, their customers’ preferences and regulators, we will explore how the leakage policy of a 50 per cent reduction in the regional planning process could help to achieve more even performance.”

Many respondents were disappointed not to see a specific target for Per Capita Consumption (PCC), with many suggesting a target of 110 litres of water per person per day as a maximum.

WRSE said that on balance, it feels at this stage it is “most appropriate to continue with the best-value approach”, as regulators and the Government have set out a process which requires the investment that drives bills to be derived through best-value planning, as well as supported by engagement with the customers who will be paying the bill.

The member water companies will continue to explore how stronger signals can be used to help manage water use and these will be assessed, as options, within the plan. WRSE will also include local planning policy on PCC targets where it has been developed and approved by the authorities.

WRSE had also sought comment on its position that the regional plan should take an evidence-based approach to define best value for the environment, in combination with the views of customers and stakeholders and underpinned by legislative drivers.

Based on the responses overall, WRSE said it would continue to use the best-value approach, as set out by UKWIR in its recently published framework for water resources planning and in regulatory guidance. However, respondents had expressed concern that the best-value approach could be “overruled by customer and stakeholder views.” South East Rivers Trust had stressed that the quantification and assessment of environmental need was crucial and that “the actual environmental need must be represented accurately and not outweighed by customer preference.”

WRSE will build its approach based on the responses, including making sure that natural capital and net gain approaches are included. The draft Water Resources Planning Guideline states a biodiversity net gain of 10% should be delivered and “we expect the regional plan to deliver this as a minimum,” WRSE said.

Commenting on the use of drought permits and orders to improve levels of service and drought resilience, WRSE said it would continue to use these only if it was clear “they won’t unnecessarily harm the environment” and would work with regulators to ensure a clear and consistent definition of ‘unnecessarily harm.

Next steps

The next steps on the development and application of WRSE policy positions are to:

• revise the policy positions, taking into account the feedback received
• finalise the policy positions in October to inform the first phase of modelling for the regional plan
• continue to track progress on national policies which may be mandated by Government to incorporate them into the plan as it develops
• develop costed scenarios around policy positions to help customers, stakeholders and regulators make informed choices about their preferences
• continue conversations with customers and their representatives, other sectors, environmental groups, businesses and other abstractors and the other water resource groups in England and Wales

Simon Cocks  to step down as independent Chair of WRSE

WRSE also announced this week that Simon Cocks is to step down as independent Chair of Water Resources South East (WRSE) before the end of the financial year.

Cocks has chaired the regional group for south east England since Autumn 2016, a role he took on whilst CEO of Affinity Water. He will remain in position whilst the organisation, made up of the six water companies that operate in south east England, complete the appointment of a successor.

Ian McAulay, Deputy Chair of WRSE and CEO of Southern Water commented:

“Simon has provided great leadership, navigating WRSE and its member companies through this intense, transitional period for regional groups and we are grateful for his contribution and commitment.

“Our attention now turns to producing a regional plan that will effectively mitigate climate change, prepare for the impact of extreme weather and sensitively manage the precious water environment that we rely upon in the south east, whilst delivering more than 3 billion additional litres of water per day to meet the needs of all users in the driest part of the country.”

Click here to download Policies to shape the South East’s multi-sector, regional resilience plan – response paper