Consultation outcome

Review of the water industry national environment programme (WINEP)

Applies to England

This consultation has concluded

Detail of outcome

See the guidance Developing the environmental, resilience and flood risk actions for the price review 2024 for:

  • how to meet the ambition and expectations in the water industry strategic environmental requirements (WISER)
  • the water industry national environment programme (WINEP) methodology

Feedback received

Detail of feedback received

Read the summary of consultation responses for the:

  • main findings
  • number of responses to each question and a summary of the comments received

We received 40 responses:

  • 15 from water companies
  • 8 from environmental charities and organisations
  • 7 from members of the public
  • 2 from councils

We received a response from each of the following categories:

  • trade union
  • trade body
  • national park authority
  • professional institution
  • consumer body
  • academic institution
  • public body

See the Water industry national environment programme (WINEP) roadmap which sets out the actions:

  • for the next price review in 2024
  • to consider in future price reviews (2029 and beyond)

Original consultation

Summary

We want your comments on the proposed redesign of the WINEP and the roadmap which sets out our ambition and plan for long-term change.

This consultation was held on another website.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

The water industry national environment programme (WINEP) is the programme of work water companies in England are required to do to meet their obligations from environmental legislation and UK government policy.

The WINEP is the most important and substantial programme of environmental investment in England. For 2020 to 2025 it consists of £5.2 billion of asset improvements, investigations, monitoring and catchment interventions. It sets out how the water industry will contribute to improving the natural environment.

The water industry has taken steps over the last 3 decades to improve the water environment. However, there is a collective ambition for the WINEP to deliver more for the environment, for customers and for communities. This reflects society’s high expectations and the UK government’s ambition to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation.

To help meet this ambition, the Environment Agency, Defra and Ofwat have come together to lead a taskforce to improve the WINEP. They have worked with representatives from water companies, Natural England, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, CCW, and environmental non-governmental organisations.

They have redesigned the WINEP, ahead of the next periodic review of water company investments.

Read the ‘Review of the water industry national environment programme consultation document’ to:

  • find out about the context and challenges (part 1)
  • see the proposals for redesigning the WINEP and the consultation questions – the responses we receive will inform the final WINEP methodology (part 2)
  • find out about the wider considerations for government, regulators and water companies to achieve the ambitions of the WINEP review (part 3)

Read the ‘Draft water industry national environment programme methodology’ document to:

  • find out about the proposed changes to the methodology
  • review the detail of the proposed stages to develop the WINEP

Documents

Review of the water industry national environment programme – consultation document

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Draft water industry national environment programme methodology

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 22 July 2021
Last updated 11 May 2022 + show all updates
  1. We have published the consultation response document and linked to the water industry national environment programme (WINEP) roadmap.

  2. First published.

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