UK water regulator Ofwat has given approval for utilities to spend £2.2 billion on improvements including reducing storm overflows and cleaning up bathing sites.
The office issued a final decision to let 33 infrastructure projects move forward, with most of the work beginning by the end of 2024, it said in a statement. This follows a public consultation on an initial announcement in April.
Ofwat’s approval covers £1.7 billion for 10 projects to curb drainage overflows from storms. It also gives the green light for companies to install smart meters to guard against drought, and to improve water quality in rivers and sites including Lake Windermere in England’s Lake District.
Britain is facing hotter, drier summers and periods of more intense rainfall. At the same time, public anger toward England’s privatized water companies has grown due to frequent sewage overflows into rivers and the surrounding sea. Millions of residents have also had their water use curtailed by hosepipe bans.
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The regulator aims to reduce overflow incidents by 10,000 a year. In 2022, there were more than 300,000 spills, separate government data show.
Water companies are preparing business plans to present to Ofwat in October for the 2025-2030 period. The funding for the projects announced Tuesday will come from these plans, which could result in bill increases for customers.
