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Defra has released its Water White Paper, setting out how it plans to better meet the needs of investors, business and consumers, alongside sustainability commitments.
The report recommends taking a strategic overview regarding the quality and capacity of water and wastewater infrastructure, whilst ensuring the robustness of the sector’s plans for future service delivery.
There will also be further consideration as to whether there are any strategic national infrastructure projects required, and if this is the case, barriers to their delivery will be removed.
The paper also proposes reform of the abstraction regime to reflect concerns over climate change and population growth. It is felt that some practices at present may prove unsustainable, and the reforms will be guided by a new national advisory group.
Under other proposals, Ofwat will provide incentives for bulk water trading by water companies and there will be moves to improve interconnection, including a look at large scale transfers through existing river and canal systems.
Looking at planning, the white paper suggests that agencies will be required to work together to ensure a more strategic approach to drainage planning. There will also be moves to minimise the burden on companies from the separate planning processes within the water sector.
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