Water companies in England and Wales have called for the new Parliament to create a long-term strategy for the water industry and its regulators that would bridge the ‘policy gap’ between environmental objectives and economic sustainability.
‘We are building on a decade of success, but this could be at risk if the policy vacuum continues,’ said Pamela Taylor, chief executive of trade association Water UK, introducing the Water Industry Manifesto. ‘The strategy should enable the industry to balance conflicting objectives and build long term confidence among customers and funding institutions,’ she added.
The manifesto calls for: *A more coherent vision and strategy for water.
Better regulation, namely a defined role for the secretary of state in setting a direction and framework for decision-making and a government-led forum of all stakeholders to advise on the decision-making process.
*A well-managed legal framework for new entrants.
*A code of practice for the Environment Agency, to ensure that it co-ordinates water regulation with the industry’s other regulators.
*A long-term strategy for water resources management.
*And a new guidance underlining the connectivity of sustainable conditions, so that the conservation or creation of wetlands not only supports threatened wildlife, but also plays a major role in flood management.
To read the Water UK manifesto in full, click on the weblink below.
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