(by Karma Loveday) Ofwat has published an overview of the combined gated process it and RAPID will now use to oversee and support the Major Water Infrastructure Programme. This consists of 30 projects, each valued at £200m+ totex, and either RAPID’s Strategic Resource Options or projects meeting the criteria for competitive procurement — Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) or the Specified Infrastructure Project Regulations (SIPR). There are now six gates, each associated

(by Verity Mitchell) Anglian Water has published an update on its AMP8 progress and plans. It expects to commit the highest-ever level of investment in its area during the next financial year: £1.6bn of capital and maintenance expenditure. In the first year, it reported that £1.1bn of investment was delivered. It has commenced more than 1,000 capital delivery schemes, with an additional 500 projects expected to start from April. A total of 315,000 new smart meters were instal

(by Verity Mitchell) Northumbrian Water has confirmed that it has received a £400m equity injection from CKI and KKR to support the company’s £4.5bn investment plans for AMP8. CKI will contribute £300m and KKR £100m, reflecting their respective equity holdings of 75% and 25%. At 31 March 2025, the Northumbrian Water Group reported debt/RCV of 72.4%, compared to average regulatory gearing across the sector of 67.9%. Fitch, at the time, estimated the Group needed around £300m

(by Karma Loveday) David Hill , Defra’s director general for strategy and water, will now focus on water only. His adjusted role, as director general for water , is in recognition of the volume and significance of Defra’s work on water as the sector is reformed. The Scottish Government is seeking a new chair for the Water Industry Commission for Scotland. The application window runs until 27 April. Interim WICS chair Ronnie Hinds shared: “We are looking for someone who is p

(by Karma Loveday) Done effectively, AMP8 could mark a turning point in restoring public trust. But rather than focusing solely on infrastructure improvements, the sector should appreciate that accountability, transparency, and prioritising customer concerns will also be important. That’s according to YouGov research for Cavendish Consulting. The headline findings included: Half (52%) of respondents believed that water supply and management across the UK is poor. However, per

(by Verity Mitchell) > Pennon trading at the lower end of market expectations In its pre-close update ahead of its full-year results for the year ending 31 March 2026, Pennon said EBITDA is expected to increase by c.55% year-on-year, despite weather-related cost pressures and higher costs in the first year of the regulatory cycle. The board expects profitability to be within the range of market expectations for 2025/26, albeit at the lower end. South West Water’s Pollution I

(by Karma Loveday) Project Zero, an Ofwat Innovation Funded project led by Affinity Water to explore the role of new housing developments in supporting water neutrality, has found homes designed to be water efficient can significantly reduce demand. High-efficiency fixtures and appliances such as air-power showers, low flush toilets and water-saving washing machines were found to reduce household consumption by between 40% and 60%, while integrated water reuse systems could c

(by Karma Loveday) A Water Smart Growth Board has been set up to support the delivery of sustainable housing growth through better, more integrated water management across England. Co-chaired by the Government and property developer Thakeham's chief executive Rob Boughton, the board brings together senior leaders from the Government, the housing sector, water industry, regulators, environmental bodies, academia and practitioners to drive ‘water-smart’ new homes: resilient, wa

(by Karma Loveday) The 2025 Event Duration Monitoring returns published by the Environment Agency show significant reductions in spill events. Storm discharge numbers fell by 35% to 291,492 in 2025 compared to 2024, and total monitored spill duration fell by 48%. There was also a 20% reduction in average duration per spill event . Reporting the data, the Environment Agency said: “Much of this improvement reflects unusually dry conditions in 2025 following a particularly wet 2

(by Karma Loveday) The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a damning report for Defra and its environmental regulators, which expresses scepticism about their ability to manage upcoming reform and deliver the twin goals of economic growth and environmental protection. Environmental regulation noted that Defra, the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England are changing the way they regulate in response to 149 recommendations from multiple independent reviews. But: