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Water industry asset management in England and Wales: successes and challenges
Author(s) -
Bridgeman John
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2010.00224.x
Subject(s) - water industry , incentive , asset (computer security) , industrial water , business , effluent , water quality , environmental planning , water consumption , resource (disambiguation) , sustainable development , sewage treatment , sewage , asset management , natural resource economics , environmental economics , environmental science , environmental engineering , engineering , water supply , waste management , economics , computer science , finance , ecology , computer network , computer security , law , political science , biology , microeconomics
This paper considers the structure, regulation and performance of the water industry in England and Wales in the postprivatisation period from 1989. The paper examines the improvements achieved in drinking water and wastewater effluent quality and in the overall performance. The challenges facing the industry in the areas of water resource planning, energy efficiency and chemical consumption, arising from climate change, are also considered. The paper considers how the industry's current approach and attitude towards research and development (R&D) will influence its ability to meet the latest challenges laid down by the regulators. The paper calls for increased emphasis on, and incentive for, R&D in the water industry to ensure sustainable solutions in both water and sewage treatment.