2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

UNITED KINGDOM PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
United Kingdom
Economics (2003)
GDP per capita US$28,320
GDP per capita (PPP) US$27,690
Agriculture 1%
Industry 27%
Services 72%
Regulatory environment
Water and sewerage in England and Wales is governed by the need to comply with UK national and
EU environmental law and international conventions, along with providing the highest standard of
customer service and value and by the principle that utilities should not exploit their monopoly position.
Companies are subject to regulation from three principal bodies;
The Office of Water Services (Ofwat), is the Government appointed regulator for the privatised water
utilities in England and Wales. Set up in 1989, its role is to ensure that all the private sector water
companies provide good value for money in terms of services provided along with meeting specified
water quality and certain environmental compliance targets. From April 2006, Ofwat will be
succeeded by WSRA with a Board, a Chairman and probably a separate Chief Executive.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) was established in 1990 by the Government to monitor the
quality of water after it had been treated and at various stages of its distribution process. Its role is to
ensure that potable drinking water is provided by the water service companies, and that it complies
with Government, EU and World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. In 2003, 99.9% of the 2.8
million samples taken by the DWI complied with these standards.
The Environment Agencies (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) were established in 1995
to take over monitoring the quality, availability and use of all non-tidal waters in England and Wales,
along with designated bathing areas. Since 1990, the EA has been markedly more aggressive
towards polluters, regularly taking transgressors, including the water companies, to court. In 1992, the
EA became increasingly concerned about over-abstraction of water from rivers and groundwater, and
is advocating stricter water conservation strategies.
Population
Total (2003, million) 59.3
Total (2015, million) 60.0
In urban areas (2003) 90%
In urban areas (2015) 90%
In urban agglomerations (2015) 23%
Sewage treatment development
1990 2000 2003
Tertiary 13% 28% 35%
Secondary 62% 64% 57%
Primary 8% 2% 2%
Connected 84% 94% 95%
Inland water quality
The quality of inland waters has improved since 1990, as spending has increased on sewage
treatment since the sector was privatised in 1989. The improvement in quality chiefly stems from
setting mandatory targets for sewage treatment works performance, rather than the expansion of the
sewage treatment infrastructure itself. The latter has made itself felt from 2000.
205 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006