Assessment of Techniques, Technologies and Practices which could result in cost savings in the UK Water Industry for OFWAT the Water Industry Regulator

The Office of Water Trading is responsible for controlling the expenditure and costs of the statutory functions of the ten UK Water PLCs. Every five years a procedure of Asset Management Planning (AMP) is undertaken which is used to set the planned charges for anticipated expenditure by each Water PLC.

As part of a consortium EBL staff were appointed to direct and advise on a study to estimate the potential savings in the UK Water industry in the next ten years. This included cost saving measures attributable to improved practice as well as implementing new technology in all parts of the business. A database was developed which identified each new cost saving measure, their stage of development, the area in which each saving might occur and the potential magnitude of the saving. Influences from other countries and industries were also reviewed. The impact of the top savings in each area were ranked and assessed. The same team were invited to repeat the exercise for the last two financial periods. The final report is now a matter of public record as of June 1999.

New Technologies in the Water Industry