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Water companies have assured Ofwat and the Environment Agency that the huge National Environment Programme for 2000-05 will be completed next year as planned. The regulators asked the water and sewerage companies for this reassurance after concern was raised that much of the capital programme was still to be completed and delivered in the last two years of the five-year programme. The regulators say they are generally satisfied with company assurances that this major capital investment programme will be substantially completed by April 2005, with a few schemes being planned for delivery by December 2005. The programme comprises over 1,700 new or improved sewage treatment works and improvements to over 4,300 overflows from the sewerage system. There are some regions where there remain potential delays to the programme: · in parts of west and north Cornwall where there is local pressure for improved schemes incorporating ultraviolet disinfection of coastal sewage discharges; · in North West England where United Utilities and the Environment Agency are reviewing the programme for intermittent discharges; and · in Margate/Broadstairs and Brighton/Hove where planning concerns have delayed the start of work on new sewage treatment plants. Ofwat's Chief Engineer Bill Emery said: "From the assurances we sought from the companies, our overall assessment is that the environmental programme, apart from the above exceptions, can be delivered by all ten companies in line with expected dates." Notes to editors: 1. The Director General of Water Services is the economic regulator of the water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. He exercises his powers in a way that he judges will allow them to carry out their functions properly, and finance them. Customers' interests are represented by WaterVoice. 2. The letter to Regulatory Directors, RD 03/04 'Progress with completing the National Environment Programme 2000-05' and the attached report 'Delivering the National Environment Programme' will be available on the Ofwat website www.ofwat.gov.uk or from the Ofwat library on 0121 625 1373. 3. The Environment Agency reports annually to Ofwat on company environmental performance and progress with funded improvements through the MD109 June return process. The companies' June returns provide financial information and the companies' own views of progress. Ofwat has monitored the companies' progress in completing schemes in the NEP and detailed information is available from the Ofwat library on CDROM (price £73.44 inc VAT). 4. The agreed improvements to be completed by the water and sewerage companies over the 2000-2005 period are listed in the annex to the Environment Agency's 'Achieving the Quality' (June 2000). Some alterations to these lists have been made over the past three years following agreement between the companies, regulators and Government. 5. Ofwat agreed to increase price limits for United Utilities in December 2003. Ofwat considered reviewing the work required to deliver the environment programme for improvements to intermittent discharges as part of the interim determination. United Utilities' interim determination can be found on Ofwat's website at www.ofwat.gov.uk MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO OFWAT PRESS OFFICE ON: 0121 625 1416/1496/1442 Out of hours enquiries to pager: 08700 555 500 water 503/509. Ofwat publications and press notices can be found on Ofwat's website at: www.ofwat.gov.uk  |
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