The Itchen Initiative report sets out the reforms required if we are to restore rivers and wetlands in our country that have too much water taken from them and if we are to protect our natural heritage and water supplies facing climate variability and a growing local population.
The reforms proposed here are based on a more intelligent approach to water: more flexible, affordable, and in tune with water’s natural variability.
If these reforms are successful, they need to be substantive: the introduction of a selection of marginal initiatives leading to limited incentives is unlikely to result in the change in approach and mindset that's called for.
Regulatory and policy leadership will be necessary. Yet, the costs of inaction are growing. We see this in the unnecessary prices linked with the piecemeal approach to metering or reducing over-abstraction or the increasing inequities of a charging system that's still mainly based on property rateable value.
Download the full report above.