Water for Life describes a vision for future water management in which the water sector is resilient, in which water companies are more efficient and customer focused, and in which water is valued as the precious and finite resource it is. And it explains that we all have a part to play in the realisation of this vision.

• Water White Paper (Official Documents website)

Latest news

• 9 May 2012 – In the Queen’s Speech it was announced that a draft Bill will be published to reform the water industry in England and Wales. See below…

What are the key reforms?

• Over the long-term we will introduce a reformed water abstraction regime, as signalled in the Natural Environment White Paper earlier this year;
• We set out changes we can make now to deal with the legacy of over-abstraction of our rivers;
• We re-affirm our new catchment approach to dealing with water quality and wider environmental issues;
• We will remove barriers to the greater trading of abstraction licences and bulk supplies of water to make our supply system more flexible;
• With the Environment Agency and Ofwat we will provide clearer guidance to water companies on planning for the long-term, and keeping demand down;
• We will consult on the introduction of national standards and a new planning approval system for sustainable drainage;
• We will make payments to address the historical unfairness of high bills in the South West;
• We will encourage water companies to introduce social tariffs to support vulnerable customers;
• We will introduce a package of reforms to extend competition in the water sector by increasing choice for business customers and public sector bodies and by making the market more attractive to new entrants; and
• We will collaborate on a campaign to save water and protect the environment, working with water companies, regulators and customers to raise awareness of the connection between how we use water and the quality of our rivers.

Delivery developments

09 May 2012: draft Water Bill

01 May 2012: The Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Act received Royal Assent

28 March 2012: Defra launched the Love Your River campaign to highlight the link between river health and water use, so that people understand and value water and take action to improve their local rivers and the environment around them. Backed by a coalition of NGOs and water companies, the campaign celebrates the importance of rivers to local people for their health, well-being, leisure and sport. Through this campaign we want to recognise the great work that local groups already do to look after their rivers.

Additional information

You can read the:

• Technical Report – Market reform proposals
• Environment Agency – case for change
• Press Release
• Factsheets -
  • Natural Environment (PDF 150KB)
  • Water and the green economy (PDF 150KB)
  • Water and you (PDF 150KB)
• Impact Assessment:
  • Upstream (PDF 700KB)
  • Retail (PDF 1.6MB)
  • Abstraction (PDF 240KB)

Background information

• Martin Cave’s Review of Competition and Innovation in Water Markets,
• Anna Walker’s Review of Charging for Household Water and Sewerage Services
• Review of Ofwat and consumer representation in the water sector
• Affordability consultation,
• Flood and Water Management Act 2010

Keep in touch

To be kept informed of developments email us at waterwp@defra.gsi.gov.uk