Water UK responds to the launch of PR24

Christine McGourty, Water UK Chief Executive said: 

“We welcome Ofwat starting a conversation about the long-term challenges facing the water sector, and how PR24 can help deal with those. This work will make an important contribution to the sector’s strategic response to a growing set of challenges.

“Foremost among those is the urgent need to tackle climate change. While we are the first sector internationally to commit to net zero operational emissions by 2030, it is clear there will be much more focus needed in coming years on preventing and adapting to drought and floods.

"Our response will need the combined leadership and creativity of companies, all of the regulators, and Government. We will have more to say in due course on the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, and also look forward to contributing to Ofwat’s work.

“In the meantime, it is also good to see Ofwat’s commitment to learning lessons from PR19. It is vital that we approach this with an open mind and ensure the views of everyone inside and outside the sector are heard.

"Any process as complex and important as this will be open to improvement, and we look forward to discussing ideas for making processes simpler and more sharply focussed on the things that matter most.”