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Charting a sustainable course
Severn Trent published Charting a sustainable course which aims to shine a light on the main policy issues facing the water sector and promote a constructive debate about its future. The report strives for a water sector that puts customers at the heart of the debate for sector reform.
Commenting on the publication, Liv Garfield, Chief Executive of Severn Trent said “The water sector is at a hugely exciting time. Big strides have been taken by Ofwat and government in developing the regulatory and policy framework for the sector going forward and there is now a far greater focus on customer outcomes. Our bills are coming down and investment is going up. But the water sector needs to change if we are to continue to be effective in the future. We specifically need to do more to empower customers, build resilience, be more environmentally sustainable and create markets in areas where they make sense for customers – all whilst doing everything we can to keep bills affordable”.
The report has a contribution from Professor Stephen Littlechild who asserts “Now is the time for posing questions and for engaging in debate. Charting a sustainable course makes a valuable contribution to many aspects of this debate...I hope that it will be widely read and its suggestions thoroughly explored”.
- How do we further empower customers in decisions about the future of their water services?
- How do we ensure the sector can deliver affordable services for customers in the long term?
- How do we create a more resilient sector for water resources?
- How do we tackle flooding and drainage?
- How do we establish a fairer approach to delivering further environmental improvements?
- How do we deliver innovation and introduce market solutions for the benefit of customers?
The report sets out responses to each of the questions and suggests a number of potential delivery options.
Severn Trent acknowledge that deciding on the right policy delivery options is not a straightforward task, but choices need to be made to ensure the sector remains on a sustainable course whilst maintaining the trust of customers and other stakeholders.
Charting a sustainable course – delivering a better future for customers is the latest document in Severn Trent’s thought leadership series.
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