We set out here the information that is required to apply for a new appointment. This includes applications to vary an existing appointment.

There are three main areas of information required:

• information needed for every application
• which criterion your application falls under and information to support that
• details of the resources, including bulk supplies or sewer connections, you will use for the proposed appointment.

Before making any application we strongly recommend that you discuss it with us, including the information requirements.

Information to be provided with every application

Notices

You must give formal notice to the following parties within 14 days of submitting your application:

• relevant appointed water companies - there may be more than one if your proposed area straddles boundaries, or if your application is for water and sewerage services where they are provided by different companies
• the Environment Agency (local office regional manager)
• local authorities whose areas include any part of the site.

A notice must also be published on your website. You should send us copies of all of the notices, clearly showing the date, who they were sent to and details of newspaper circulation.

Details of the parties involved

For each applicant, customer and relevant appointed water company we require:

• a name and address
• the name of the person dealing with the application, their position, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address.

You should also demonstrate your company's managerial competence and financial viability.

Services

Your application should state if it is for water, sewerage or both services.

Maps

We require a site map that clearly and accurately shows the site boundary.

We also require a location map that clearly shows the proposed appointment area in relation to its surrounding area, including the nearest town.

Customer consent

It is your responsibility to ensure that we receive a letter from your anticipated customer endorsing your application. If your site has no customer we need a letter of support from the developer of the site.

The criterion on which the application is based

You must tell us which of the following criteria you are applying under:

• unserved
• large user
• consent

Unserved site

If you are applying under the unserved criterion you application should include the following.

• Whether the site is occupied and, if so, by whom.
• Whether the occupiers receive a private supply.
• Details of the anticipated customer base for the area.
• A map showing any existing infrastructure in place in the proposed site appointment area, who owns the assets and any premises in the locale receiving the benefit of a supply.
• A map showing any required infrastructure and connections.
• Whether pipe-laying powers are required and, if so, whether consent has been granted. If it has not, give details of the proposals.

We require independent verification of a site's status for applications under the unserved criterion, and will only consider applications once the verification has been received. The verification must be provided in a report by a qualified person who is independent of you and the appointed water company (such as an Ofwat Reporter) and should be based on their own assessment of the site, taking into account the views of both parties. We can provide a list of reporters.

The report should offer an opinion on whether the site is unserved. It should include plans of the area that clearly identify the boundaries and the surrounding area. It should also show the extent of the existing connections and the extent of land that does not have a connection.

Large user

Evidence to support an application based on the large user criterion can include:

• copies of previous bills;
• a letter from the customer(s) confirming the level of actual or expected consumption of water; and
• robust demand forecasts.

It should also indicate:

• where there are separately owned or occupied premises within the site area
• where there are existing supply or collection points
• the size of the main or sewer and the annual volumes normally associated with each
• details of any on-site storage and water or waste treatment facilities
• details of any assets owned by the existing undertaker dedicated to supplying the site
• if pipe-laying powers are required and, if so, whether consent has been granted (if it has not, details of the proposals should be given)

Consent

We will require a letter from the existing appointed water company consenting to the variation of its area and full supporting details of the proposal. This should include the following.

• Whether the site is occupied and, if so, by whom.
• Whether the occupiers receive a private supply.
• Details of the anticipated customer base for the area.
• A map showing any existing infrastructure in place in the proposed site appointment area, who owns the assets and any premises that receive a supply.
• A map showing any required infrastructure and connections.
• Whether pipe-laying powers are required and, if so, whether consent has been granted (if it has not, details of the proposals should be given).
• Where there are existing supply or collection points.
• The size of the main or sewer and the annual volumes normally associated with each.
• Any on-site storage and water or waste treatment facilities.
• Any assets owned by the existing appointed water company dedicated to supplying the site.

Resources - applications based on new or renewed sources of water or sewage treatment

We must be confident that you have access to the assets you need to operate the appointment.

You should provide the following information with your application, using a map where appropriate.

• The source or treatment works.
• Any infrastructure and connections to premises.
• Whether the site is self-contained or whether it will be linked to the applicant's existing infrastructure.
• The assets to be used.
• Details of any investment required, including length and size of pipes, size of works, how long it will take to complete the capital cost and how this cost is to be recovered.

The following questions must also be answered:

• Has access to the necessary assets been secured? If not, how is access proposed and to what timescale?
• Is consent required from any third parties? If so, has it been obtained? If it hasn’t been obtained, when will it be available?
• Are pipe-laying powers required and, if so, has consent been granted? If not, what are the proposals?

Applications using own resources

Where you propose to make a new connection to the site, that is using your own resources or works not those of the existing appointed water company, you should provide information about the planned investment.

This information includes:

• system capacity
• demand projections (both domestic and industrial)
• the source and cost of funding involved
• grants and capital contributions expected
• estimates of expenditure on capital and operating costs
• target levels of service provision and leakage control.

Applications based on new resources

In addition to the information above you must specify:

• where each new source of water will come from
• the volume of water that each new source will provide
• how the water will be transported
• how long new infrastructure will take to build
• if an abstraction licence is required, whether you have applied for it from the Environment Agency and, if so, when and whether it has been granted

Applications based on new sewerage facilities

In addition to the information above you must specify:

• how sewerage services will be provided
• whether the necessary infrastructure is in place and if not, how long the new infrastructure will take to build
• if a consent to discharge is required, whether you have applied for it from the Environment Agency and , if so, when and whether it has been granted

Resources - applications based on bulk supply agreements or sewer connection agreements

Where your application is based on a bulk supply or sewer connection agreement you should have negotiated the terms with the relevant appointed water company before you submitted your application.

Bulk supply agreements

The application should specify:

• which company has been asked to provide the bulk supply
• the terms that have been agreed with the company
• the terms that have not been agreed with the company
• the reasons and assumptions supporting proposals for terms.

A copy of the agreement should be enclosed if available. If not, provide details of what has been agreed, the negotiations and any information that has been exchanged.

Sewer connection agreements

Your application should specify:

• which company has been asked to provide the sewer connection
• the terms that have been agreed with the company
• the terms that have not been agreed with the company
• the reasons and assumptions supporting the proposals for terms.

A copy of the agreement should be enclosed if available. If not, provide details of what has been agreed, the negotiations and any information that has been exchanged.

Charges information

Before an appointment or variation is made, we need to understand how much you will charge customers on the site. Your application should show the following.

• The proposed charges for each class of customer (i.e. measured and unmeasured, household and non-household customers) showing
  • fixed charges
  • volumetric charges
  • standard charges
  • special agreements
• How the proposed charges compare to existing charges levied (if any)
• How the proposed charges will change over time
• Details of the capital investment required to provide the service
• How this investment is to be recovered other than through the tariff (for example, by a capital contribution from the customer)