About Consultation
On 1 April 2018, our Charging Rules for New Connection Services (English Undertakers) came into effect. These rules were developed in consultation with the sector and having regard to the charging guidance issued to us by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
As set out in Information Notice 18/14, in June 2018 we made changes to the Charges Scheme Rules and the New Connection Rules (together, for the purposes of this consultation, the “Charging Rules”) to ensure that, regardless of the way that a new water or wastewater connection was made, water and wastewater companies were able to levy an infrastructure charge to recover network reinforcement costs they reasonably incur as a result of the provision or adoption of new water mains or public sewers and the connection of new premises.
This document sets out our proposal to make these temporary changes permanent, and should be read with the draft Charging Rules on which we are consulting. Consistent with the changes set out in Information Notice 18/14, we consider that the proposals set out in this document will ensure that English water and wastewater companies1 are able to recover the reasonable costs of providing these services regardless of the methods by which the customer procures them.
We welcome your responses to this consultation by close of business on 20 November 2018. Please complete the form below, email responses to [email protected] or post them to: Charging, Ofwat, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham B5 4UA.