In response to Defra's 'Making the Most of Every Drop' consultation, which seeks to reform the water abstraction management system, ICE said meeting England's future water needs under current circumstances would become 'increasingly challenging' and agreed on the need for abstraction reform.ICE welcomes the concept of the 'water shares' option put forward by Defra which we believe could increase the value placed on water and help to bring about a more collaborative approach to managing catchments. These things should ultimately help make the water sector more resilient.
ICE call for trading met
'The 'Water Shares' option has trading at the centre of its proposal, a concept ICE promoted in our 2012 State of the Nation: Water report. But its benefits would depend on effective implementation, responsible management and regulation, and ensuring the system is workable for all concerned.
Chair of ICE's Expert Water Panel, Michael Norton said 'Water trading will require increased storage and interconnections. Water companies should be incentivised through the regulatory regime, to develop multi-use water resources which benefit society, the environment and industry.'
Pressing the need for strategy
ICE also urged Defra to push ahead with a proper strategy or 'roadmap' which sets out the objectives for the UK's water resources and how these benefit society, the economy and the environment – also a key call in its State of the Nation: Water report.
Norton comments 'While ICE supports the concept of abstraction licence reform there is still no overarching water security strategy.
'Abstraction licence reform would form a part of an overarching strategy – however, without this strategy there is a risk that abstraction reform will progress in isolation and not account for other aspects of improving the UK's water security, such as increased water storage, interconnections and demand management.'
State of the Nation: Infrastructure 2014
In June this year, ICE's State of the Nation: Infrastructure 2014 report – a 'scorecard' style report grading each of the economic infrastructure networks – will set out more recommendations for the UK's water sector ahead of the May 2015 general election.
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