Water UK response to Defra consultation on a new Strategic Policy Statement for Ofwat

Our view is that the draft Strategic Policy Statement is a missed opportunity to ensure that the water industry can make significant progress before the end of the decade in addressing the many long-term challenges it faces, such as responding to the climate crisis, a growing population and improving the health of our rivers.

These challenges are bigger than those we have faced before. Their scale means that we cannot afford to miss the opportunity to set a proper long-term direction, nor miss the change to ensure everyone is held to account for delivery. We have to do things differently, and our response offers constructive suggestions on how best to do that.