The Welsh Government has confirmed it is developing a water strategy with which it intends to settle the future direction of water policy and the delivery of water services.
A statement is expected later this year as the administration firms up plans to establish a single body to replace the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency Wales and the Forestry Commission for Wales. Formal consultation on details of the new entity has just started.
It would be responsible for all environmental permitting – including power plants – as well as abstraction licensing and compliance with European Union water directives. It would also be responsible for strategic policy on water resources, abstraction licence schemes and assessment of water company water resource and drought plans.
The administration wants to establish the new organisation by April 2013, although ministers accept this may have to be delayed by six months. The Welsh government plans to use powers under the Public Bodies Act 2011 to carry out the reorganisation and has promised to set out the new arrangements in a Sustainable Development Bill later this year.
Ministers estimate that the net value of savings associated with the new body would be £68 million over ten years, which would be invested in environmental improvements and services.
This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 17 February 2012.
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