Other stories from last week

(by Karma Loveday)

Amidst a focus on asset health in the Water White Paper, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) has published the outputs from its work to identify A common definition and calculation of asset health. The project provides a framework and guidance which can be commonly applied to bring greater alignment to the assessment and management of asset health. UKWIR noted: “Understanding the health of assets has uses in both investment planning within water companies, and as part of regulatory measures or incentives. The project found that the same definition cannot effectively serve both uses and given public and regulator attention on asset health, it recommends that the definition of asset health is aligned with the latter.”

The Scottish Parliament has passed the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill. For the first time, statutory targets will be in place to enhance nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland. There are ambitions for the country to be ‘nature positive’ by 2030 and to have substantially restored nature by 2045. Ministers will get new powers to develop legislation relating to wildfire management, sustainable forestry management and internationally important protected sites. 

RAPID has given Affinity Water and Severn Trent the green light for the Grand Union Canal Strategic Resource Option and the associated Minworth water reuse scheme to proceed to Gate Four of its staged process, following a successful conditional review point check in. 

Shaun Spiers is stepping down as executive director of Green Alliance from the end of February. He has led the organisation since 2017. 

WildFish has been granted leave to appeal against the High Court’s decision to reject its claim against Buckinghamshire Council for granting planning permission for a 156 new home development in an area where it argued the sewage works is already “overwhelmed”. WildFish said this will cause more raw sewage discharge into the Great Ouse, which has protected areas. A Court of Appeal hearing is scheduled for 18 February.