Paul Shaffer, CIRIA
The legal framework for governing sewerage and drainage assets has developed over time. This organic evolution has led to a range of individuals and organisations having ownership and responsibility for all manner of related assets. With the myriad of duties, case law, precedents and bemusing anecdotes one has to wonder whether our sewerage undertakers, regulators and other stakeholders have the regulatory framework they need to make our sewerage and drainage system fit for the 21st Century?

Recognising this, the Water Strategy for Wales committed the Welsh Government to review the regulatory and legal framework for surface water in Wales. Arup in partnership with Atkins and CIRIA has undertaken to review the relevant legislation, case law and related guidance. The review will highlight gaps, ambiguities and overlaps and inform recommendations on the shape of new or amended legislation. It will also explore the powers, duties and liabilities of stakeholders and how they align with legislation to see how it works in practice, whether it helps, or hinders those working in the industry. This link provides some of the questions posed by Welsh Government.

Now have your say

If you work in Wales on drainage and sewerage you no doubt will have your own opinions on whether the framework works, or not. With this in mind the project team and Welsh Government would really value your input into the review and a short survey has been pulled together.

So if you work in Wales this is your chance to have your say on how the process works for you and how things can be improved. The short survey can be found here . It should take less than 10 minutes and it closes on midnight 18/11/16.

Tags: regulation, research