Water Industry

Material concerned with policies on water supply, water conservation and leakage, regulation and sponsorship of the water industry, and water charging, is indexed here.

• 8 December 2003: Joint Defra/Ofwat report: Structure of the water industry in England: does it remain fit for purpose?

• Consultation: Review of existing private sewers and drains England and Wales (closing date 26 September 2003)

• Water Industry: the 2004 periodic review of water price limits

• Water Regulations Advisory Committee

• Consultation: Water industry charges - reductions for vulnerable groups (closing date 9 May)
• The following consultation paper, produced by Defra staff working on "nuisance" issues, may be of interest: Proposals for the Statutory Control of Odour & Other Nuisance from Sewage Treatment Works - Consultation (published 23 December 2002; closing date 28 March 2003 - see also this News Release)
• Extending Opportunities for Competition in the Water Industry in England and Wales - Consultation Paper (closing date for comments: 1 October 2002)
• Protocol on Design, Construction and Adoption of Sewers in England and Wales
• Water Charging in England and Wales - A New Approach: Response to Consultation
• Water Prices and the Environment - The Government's Response to the Seventh Report of the Environmental Audit Committee
• Competition in the Water Industry
• Water metering: your new rights
• Water metering: help for people receiving benefits or tax credits
• Water Industry Act 1999
• Water Conservation Research Database
• Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
  • A review of the enforcement of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 - A Report by the Water Regulations Advisory Committee
• The Sewerage Undertakers (Pollution Inventory) Direction 2001
• Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation
• Public Health and Drinking Water: Preventing Cryptosporidium Getting into Public Drinking Water Supplies
• Maintaining Public Water Supplies - Ministerial guidance to the Director General of Water Services and to the Environment Agency on issues arising in the preparation of water resources plans by the water companies of England and Wales
• Raising the Quality - Guidance to The Director General of Water Services on the environmental and quality objectives to be achieved by the water industry in England and Wales 2000-2005
• The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 [S.I. 2000 No. 3184] - Regulatory Impact Assessment (final version)

• Consultation on Regulations for Drinking Water - Government Response

• International work - Partners for Water and Sanitation
• Future approaches to leakage target setting for water companies in England and Wales - Tripartite Study (March 2002) (This document is on the OFWAT web site)

External sites

• OFWAT - the Office of Water Services
• Water UK (representing the regulated water and wastewater industry)
• Water Voice (water company customer issues)

Contacting Defra

If you want further information that is not covered by these pages, you can contact us by e-mail at the following address: