News and Comment from Water UK
Business performance in
the Spotlight
The Environment Agency’s ‘Spotlight on business
environmental performance 2001’ in England and
Wales showed a small rise in significant water
pollution incidents last year, with the water and
sewerage sector responsible for around 10% of the
total. This was, as the report points out, against an
encouraging trend – in fact a seven-fold reduction
in incidents since 1993. In response, companies are
working hard, on their own account and in support
of their customers, to ensure that incidents resume
a downward trend in the year ahead. Scale and
context are relevant, especially where prosecutions
and fines data is used. Everyday sewage treatment
works receive some 15 billion litres of domestic
and industrial effluent. Since 1990 the industry has
invested some £40billion in environmental
protection with the result that we now have the
cleanest rivers “since the industrial revolution”
(Environment Agency). Spotlight and Water UK
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
http://www.water.org.uk/index.php?cat=3-1200
Category 1 and 2 Water
Pollution Incidents
31 July 2002
Drinking water and bathing water quality is up and
more sludge is being recycled or reused. However,
C02 emissions have risen at fixed sites, a reflection
of the increasing energy demand of meeting higher
standards for water and wastewater. A project is
now underway to develop social and economic
indicators for the industry with the help of our
stakeholders. These will be integrated with the
existing set. If you would like to take part, please
contact Sue Nowak: snowak@water.org.uk
Contact us. About any aspect of water or
environment policy jtompkins@water.org.uk
Pesticides progress of
Voluntary Initiative
Water companies are working with farmers,
pesticide manufacturers and suppliers, and others,
to develop and implement local catchment
protection initiatives. Local groups have been set
up in seven pilot catchments across the UK and
measures to reduce pesticides in raw water are
being drawn up.
Ugie
Pilot Catchments
Number of
Incidents
8000
Whittle Dene
6000
Boston Park
4000
Ingbirchworth
2000
Blythe
0
'93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01
Measuring sustainability
The third water industry report on environmental
sustainability has recently been published by Water
UK. The report shows if progress has been made
on a set of nineteen indicators, which cover the
whole range of industry activities with an impact
on the environment.
http://admin.dev.5emedia.net/users/files/4Sustaina
bility_Report_20021.pdf
Leam
Cherwell
http://www.voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/
Water Efficiency Awards
The Awards take place in Spring 2003, with a call
for entries in the autumn. Water UK’s formal
sponsorship has now ended, but the association
will be promoting the Awards to members and
stakeholders and others. Contact Sarah Butler:
sarah.butler@environment-agency.gov.uk
2001 report including case studies:
http://www.water.org.uk/index.php?raw=353
Nitrate vulnerable zones
Extensions to NVZs were announced last month,
the majority in England. DEFRA made the best of
a tricky situation - inherited infraction proceedings,
poor policy position - using a science-based
approach. Yet this was watered down by politics.
The controversy highlighted the need for a national
diffuse pollution strategy (reinforced by DEFRA’s
diffuse pollution of water review also this month).
And it underlined the need to get it right first time the perception of UK ‘gold-plating’ of directives
often comes from poor initial implementation
followed by stricter revisions when infraction
threatens. NVZs:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/qualit
y/nitrate/ DEFRA review and Water UK comment
http://www.water.org.uk/index.php?cat=3-1143
Water UK represents the interests and
champions the environment policies of water
operators at national and European level
CAP reform prospects
CAP reform looks set to be a key influence on the
creation of a sustainable water environment and
water industry in the near future. Agricultural land
management and practices have a major impact on
raw water quality and available resources, while
the CAP is the key driver of patterns of land
management.
Unsurprisingly therefore water companies are
pressing for changes to the way farming is funded.
Action is needed at EU and UK level to deliver: a
shift from production subsidies to environmental
payments; payments to farmers related to water
protection; and payments or subsidies linked to a
certain level of environmental compliance. Yet,
while robust on all these points, Water UK
recognises that the best way to protect the
environment is to ensure that farmers have
sustainable incomes. For further information:
<http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/mtr/ind
ex_en.htm>
CAMS and RAM
The Environment Agency’s CAMS (Catchment
Abstraction Management Strategy) process is
being rolled out across England and Wales and
first reports are being produced. Although in
support of the process, water companies worry that
the underlying RAM (Resources Assessement
Methodology) process is being treated as a
mysterious ‘black box’. The Agency’s stakeholder
engagement policy has developed impressively in
the past year and RAM would be an eminently
suitable case for treatment; to date information and
explanation have been available only in response
to repeated external requests.
http://www.netregs.environmentagency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/128299/?version=
1
Chemicals strategy and
Water UK conference
The Environment Agency is consulting on a new
chemicals strategy intended to fill gaps in existing
government strategy, which doesn’t cover
discharges to air via factory stacks or to rivers from
sewage treatment works. The strategy envisages
five tools for implemention: position statements;
pollution reduction programmes; environmental
and human health standards; biological effects
measures; science base. To help inform its
response Water UK is organising a conference in
collaboration with the Environment Agency and
the CBI (see below).
Chemicals in the Environment
19 September 2002
Focus on key groups of chemicals in the
Environment Agency strategy. Regulators,
distributors, retail and consumer representatives
To register call Chris Lund 020 7344 1886
clund@info-learn.co.uk
Leakage
New figures published by Ofwat last week show a
slight increase in leakage from the public water
supply network during 2001-02. These figures are
not altogether surprising. All UK water companies
take leakage seriously and allocate significant
resources to minimising network losses. However,
as they approach their economic levels of leakage
(ELL), there will be minor fluctuations. Our water
industry is acknowledged as a world leader in
leakage technology and best practice. As Ofwat
reported last year, since 1994-95 companies have
saved over 1,800 megalitres a day enough to
supply 12 million domestic customers.
(1 megalitre = 1 million litres) Read more:
http://www.water.org.uk/index.php?cat=3-1205
Environment Water UK edited by Jacob Tompkins
020 7344 1817 and Barrie Clarke 020 7344 1804.