The water investment challenge with Siân Thomas

The Infrastructure Podcast

In today's podcast we focus on the UK’s mammoth, unprecedented, and, often, highly controversial water investment challenge.

As climate pressures mount, population grows, and economic demands increase, the security of our water supply is becoming a defining issue for national resilience.

Last December, Ofwat’s latest Price Review - PR24 – underscored the scale of that challenge, with more than £48 billion in capital investment planned across England and Wales over the next five years.

At the heart of this effort is the need to secure an additional 5 billion litres of water per day by 2050 - equivalent to more than a third of the current supply.

This is a national endeavour. The RAPID programme, launched by Ofwat in 2019 to oversee water company spending and prompt more collaborative approach to investment, is now being scaled up to deliver a new generation of strategic water infrastructure in AMP9 – the water companies’ latest five year Asset Management Plans.

This means new reservoirs, water recycling, large-scale transfers and desalination schemes - many of which will define how and where the UK secures its water future.

But meeting these goals will require not just infrastructure, but public trust, regulatory innovation, and cross-sector collaboration. All issue that of course are being reviewed for government right now by Sir Jon Cunliffe, Chair of the Independent Water Commission.

My guest today is at the sharp end of this challenge. Siân Thomas is Director of Strategic Asset Management at Anglian Water, one of the biggest and perhaps most progressive water companies, serving over 7 million customers across the East of England

Siân is delivering Anglian’s AMP8 business plan - the largest in its history, including two new reservoirs, significant upgrades to water recycling and mains networks, and a commitment to cut emissions and improve river health. So well placed to give great insight into the challenges.

Siân welcome to the Infrastructure Podcast

Resources

• Ofwat's PR24 determination
• The RAPID programme
• Anglian Water's AMP8 plans
• Utility Week article - "Big projects lured me back into water" (behnid paywall)
• Sir Jon Cunliffe review