Regulators open one-stop innovation advisory shop

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, Ofwat and the Environment Agency have launched a new joint service to improve advice and slash regulatory response times for water innovators.

StreamLine will function as a one stop shop, making it easier for business and innovators to obtain informal regulatory advice, navigate regulations and access the information they need when developing new goods and services. The regulators said this could slash response times from 60 days for contacting each in turn, to less than 20 days to get co-ordinated advice from all three.

The launch of the service was funded by a £170,000 grant from the Regulators' Pioneer Fund operated by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Senior director at Ofwat, John Russell, said: “StreamLine is now open for any innovators in the UK and internationally to use. As well as providing a better service to innovators, it will enable all three regulators to work together collaboratively and share intelligence on how to make it easier for innovators to navigate regulation and remove unnecessary barriers. This will encourage more innovation to help secure the water services, drinking water and water environment for the future.”