Water Resources South East explores metrics for a "best value" water resource plan

Water Resources South East (WRSE) is looking to incorporate "best value" into the regional, multi-sector water resource resilience plan it is developing.

The group is consulting on objectives, value criteria and metrics for a first-time best value planning process; to date, the objective for water resource plans has been to deliver at as low a cost as possible. This could result in a programme being chosen that isn’t necessarily the cheapest but delivers the best broader benefits to society.

WRSE is seeking feedback on its proposed approach, to refine and potentially weight the best value criteria it will use. It said: “Our ambition is to deliver a multi-sector regional resilience plan that delivers additional value in the areas that matter most to the people of the region.”

Four overriding best value objectives have been set:

• deliver a secure and wholesome supply of water to customers and other users to 2100;

• be deliverable at a cost that is acceptable to customers;

• deliver long term environmental improvement and social benefits; and

• Increase the resilience of the region’s water systems.

The best value approach has been promoted by the Environment Agency in its National Framework for Water Resources and its draft Water Resources Planning Guidance.

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