There should be greater consistency in how companies assure the competency of their own contractors/staff and self-lay providers (SLPs), Ofwat said in a letter to water company regulatory directors last week.
The Code for Adoption Agreements covers agreements developers or SLPs enter when they want an appointed water company to take over responsibility for infrastructure they have constructed. SLPs must have accreditation from the Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS) but that not all water companies require this from their own contractors/staff. SLPs raised competition concerns about this previously which resulted in a consultant making recommendations but, Ofwat said: “Disappointingly, this did not result in any sector-wide action to respond to SLP concerns”.
Ofwat requested information from firms on this last year and now, while understanding the desire for accreditation of SLPs, has concluded greater consistency is desirable.
It called on companies to take the lead on resolving this; the letter asked for replies by 30 November setting out how companies will achieve the request.
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