Regulators set out next-stage expectations for strategic water resource schemes

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has issued guidance on the process it will follow in assessing strategic water resource schemes at Gate 2, and on its expectations of the evidence that the company partnerships promoting the schemes should include with their Gate 2 submissions.

On timing, RAPID said the deadline for Gate 2 submissions had been moved back two weeks to 14 November 2022, to allow time for Defra and the Welsh Government to complete checks on statutory draft Water Resources Management Plans, so that these (and regional plans) will be available when Gate 2 submissions are published. Draft decisions are expected on 1 March 2023 and final decision on 7 June 2023.

Elsewhere on process, RAPID detailed the assessment process it will use and said submissions would be graded into four categories: meets expectation; falls short in some areas; falls short in many areas; and unacceptable. Penalties of up to 30% of each company’s total efficient spend will be applied for submission delays or poor quality deliverables.

The guidance went on to cover a wide range of aspects including: solution design, water resource assessment, drinking water quality considerations, environmental assessment, planning, costs and benefits, stakeholder engagement, assurance and the process for any new solutions coming through.