Water Resource Management Plans
Water companies in England have published their draft plans covering the period 2010 to 2035. These are currently under public consultation and you can get involved by contacting your water company using the links in the sections below. Final plans will be published in April 2009.
As a statutory consultee, we are currently carrying out our role to analyse each plan to ensure they deliver suitable protection to the water environment. We also act as an advisor to Ministers and will report our recommendations in December 2008.
Water company plans show you how they intend to supply your water over the next 25 years. In doing so, they need to take into account population changes, climate change and protecting the environment from unnecessary damage caused by taking too much water for our use.
During our analysis we will be looking to see if water companies:
· Plan a twin track approach with a balance between demand management such as leakage control and increased metering, and resource developments such as new reservoirs or desalination.
· Take steps to further reduce leakage and outline how they are planning to stabilise supply pipe leakage.
· Plan to increase household metering particularly in areas where water is stressed, with appropriate protection for low income households. We would also like to see how water companies will make full use of increased meter penetration to promote water efficiency.
· Are forecasting demand that is in line with Government’s commitment to reduce water and energy use in new homes.
· Assess the impact of climate change on both water availability and demand of current and future operations. We are also expecting to see how water companies assess carbon footprint of current and future operations, with an aim to reduce carbon emissions.
· Are easing the environmental impact of new schemes such as reservoirs.
· Are making environmental improvements by proposing to reduce the amount of water they take from the environment near Habitats Directive and SSSI sites
· Have outlined their level of service by stating when there would be restrictions on water use – such as hosepipe bans during times of drought.
Further details on these considerations are available in our open letter below, which was sent to water companies in July 2007 to make them aware of our expectations of their draft water resources management plans. Since this letter water companies have prepared and now published their draft water resources management plans.
How do water companies form a plan?
Water companies use the water resources planning guideline that the Environment Agency produced in 2007.
Why do they need to form a plan?
Water companies have a statutory duty to prepare, consult, publish and maintain a water resources management plan under new sections of the Water Industry Act 1991, brought in by the Water Act of 2003.
What happened before?
Previously water companies submitted their plans on a voluntary basis. The last plans were submitted in 2004. We reviewed water companies plans for 2005 to 2030 and provided advice to Ministers in the document 'Maintaining water supply'.
- Have your say!
Details and links to water companies who are consulting on their water resources management plans. - Water company contact details (Ofwat website)
- Reviews of water company plans
Find out more about our annual reviews of water resources plans. -
WRMP open letter (Acrobat, 1522KB, 2 minutes)
This letter outlines our expectations of the water resources management plans to water companies in England and Wales. - Water resources planning guideline
Find our more about our updated framework that sets out how water companies should plan their water resources. -
Water Resources Managment Plans fact sheet (Acrobat, 106KB, 1 minute)
This fact sheet covers some frequently asked questions about water resources management plans and the consultation process.
