RD 19/01

TO REGULATORY DIRECTORS OF ALL
WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANIES AND
WATER ONLY COMPANIES

CONSULTATION ON OUR REVIEW OF WATER QUALITY AND OTHER ASPECTS OF SERVICEABILITY RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND NON-INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency and Ofwat have today jointly issued two reports on the work of a review of water quality and other aspects of serviceability relating to water supply and sewerage systems. They are issued to Regulatory Directors and DWI Board level contacts of water and sewerage companies and water only companies in England and Wales. The reports were prepared by WRc and BHR Group in respect of the water supply sector (known as 'Phase 3'), and Ewan Associates and Mott MacDonald in respect of sewerage sector. Aspects of the Ewan/MottMacDonald report have application in both sectors. The reports are issued for information and comment. They are also displayed on the  DWI  website (http://www.dwi.gov.uk).

We are issuing the reports in electronic form via our web-sites for consultation. A hard copy can be obtained through contact with our library.

Each report contains a joint foreword by our respective heads of division, and preliminary views from practitioners from the relevant participating water companies in its appendix.  ANNEX 1 is the forewords of the reports. In ANNEX 2 we summarise our proposals for serviceability indicators for JR02, for information and comment. These include proposals so far identified from the UKWIR project on the framework for capital maintenance assessment. And for completeness, in ANNEX 3 we provide a summary of responses from the consultation earlier this year on the WS Atkins' Phase 2 report on serviceability relating to water supply systems.

This consultation will help inform our decision on the guidelines for reporting in June Returns, and preparation for the next Periodic Review. The three month consultation period ends on 8 February 2002. However, if you have concerns regarding our serviceability reporting proposals for JR02 please comment by 6 December 2001.

Yours faithfully

BILL EMERY

Director of Costs & Performance

and Chief Engineer