Consultation opens on draft Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage services

A consultation on draft Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services (2021-27) opens today.

Consultation opens on draft Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services

The draft Guidance will influence future water and sewerage investment decisions - it is important that the public has an opportunity to submit their views.

The draft Guidance will help inform how water and sewerage services are provided in Northern Ireland from 2021 to 2027 and sets out the key social and environmental priorities that the Department will expect the Utility Regulator to have regard to when carrying out its role of regulating NI Water during this period.

This includes what NI Water needs to do to meet its environmental obligations, continue to make improvements in service delivery and work to operate sustainably, taking account of climate change.

The Department has worked closely with its statutory partners to prepare the draft Guidance including the Consumer Council and Northern Ireland Water to ensure that the draft Guidance reflects consumers’ priorities.

The full draft guidance can be accessed at:

• https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/consultations/draft-social-and-environmental-guidance-water-and-sewerage-services-2021-2027

Once the consultation closes on Friday 20 December 2019, all responses will be considered. If there is a continued absence of Ministers and taking account of the political context at that stage, the Department will then consider whether to issue final guidance.

Notes to editors: 

1. Copies of the consultation document can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting Water and Drainage Policy Division on 028 9054 2985 or downloaded from the Department for Infrastructure’s website at the link below:

• https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/consultations/draft-social-and-environmental-guidance-water-and-sewerage-services-2021-2027

2. Responses to the consultation can be e-mailed to the Department at waterpolicy@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or posted to the address below:

3. The draft Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services for the 2021-27 period is issued by the Department for Infrastructure under powers contained in Article 7 of the Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 2006.  This provision requires the Utility Regulator (the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation) to have regard to the Guidance in the discharge of its water and sewerage functions.  
4. The issue of this Guidance forms part of the Utility Regulator’s wider Price Control process for the period 2021 to 2027 (PC21), which will determine an efficient, consumer focused package of outputs and funding for the delivery of water and sewerage services by NI Water during the period..  More information on the PC21 process is available on the Utility Regulator’s website:

• https://www.uregni.gov.uk/niw-pc21

5. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office on 028 9054 0007 or email: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk. Out of hours please contact the duty press officer on 028 9037 8110.
6. Follow the Department on Twitter: @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure

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