Defra has  published its response to the consultation on measures to implement the Nitrates Directive. Implementation of the Nitrates Directive is a “base measure” for the purposes of implementing the Water Framework Directive.

Water industry regulator Ofwat has opened a consultation on a range of options for introducing effective market competition into the water and sewerage sectors in England and Wales.

Members of the Blueprint for Water coalition have written to the Guardian newspaper describing the Consumer Council for Water's recent comment that revoking environmentally damaging abstraction licences could see domestic supplies dry up as “both alarmist and inaccurate”.

Water UK, the organisation which represents all UK water and wastewater service suppliers at national and European level, has said that required changes to abstraction licences could have a serious effect on planning for the public water supply.

The Environment Agency has prosecuted Southern Water for causing sewage to enter the Bevern Stream at Barcombe in East Sussex during September last year.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) is starting the process to revoke Aquavitae’s licences as a response to the company entering administration - but the Commission also sees increasing signs that customers are benefiting from the new market arrangements

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has renewed its warning to companies to ensure that water storage and cooling systems are adequately treated to prevent the growth of the legionella bacteria - which affects around 300 people in the UK each year.

Ofwat has written to the water and sewerage companies to clarify its position on how renewable energy will be treated under the forthcoming PR09 Price Review.