Water resource planning guidance updates

The government and The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) have separately published updated water resource planning guidance.

The government's Water Resources Planning Guidance for water companies developing Water Resource Management Plans covers practical matters, including consultation and process, and factors relating to the basis of planning, including drought vulnerability, planning to a 1-in-500 year level of resilience, and working with business water retailers.

It provides information on supply and demand forecasting and how to compile a ‘best value’ plan – one that considers factors alongside economic cost and seeks to achieve an outcome that increases the overall benefit to customers, the wider environment and overall society.

Meanwhile RAPID has published new guidance setting out how it will treat 2021 strategic regional water resource solution submissions.

The guidance covers how the gated process will work; timetables for both the standard gate (aligned with Water Resource Management Plans and regional plan timetables) and accelerated gate (for solutions that are most likely to provide Southern Water with additional supplies by end 2027); how the assessment process will work; delivery incentives application; solution progression; and how new solutions that may arise down the line will be handled. Covid recovery report recommends sustainable drainage as a stimulus measure