DWMP23 explained

The first step established the partnership-working principle. We also needed to define the scope of the shared plan and how to measure it.

DWMP23 focused on the impact of population growth and climate change across our region. It was led by 12 planning objectives, six common across the water industry and six designed specifically for our region. We chose these objectives through consulting with our partners and incorporating their views.

We worked with stakeholders from over 70 organisations, institutions and groups at a local, regional and national level. We produced summary documents to drive the consultation and summarise the responses.

This stage was a high-level screening process. It looked at the performance of over 350 areas that drain to sewage treatment works. These areas are known as drainage and wastewater catchments.

We reviewed 17 different aspects, including flooding, pollution and permit compliance for each area. This helped us to understand whether the catchment was likely to be at risk in the future. Only catchments at risk progress to Stage 3 of the development process for long-term planning. 

We worked with stakeholders to capture the risks throughout this stage.

This was the more detailed risk assessment stage within the development process. BRAVA helps us to understand the level of risk to our wastewater service over time.

It focused on the catchments that progressed from the RBCS stage. For each catchment, we modelled their predicted performance in 2030, 2035 and 2050. 

The ODA stage developed a set of ‘best value’ solution options for the most at-risk catchments in our region. Best value means including broader factors for us to consider and measure within DWMP23. These include wellbeing, biodiversity and carbon impact.

We worked with our customers and stakeholders throughout this stage. We discussed the possible options with them, to understand which they preferred. We then used our local knowledge and the results from Stage 2 to select the potential options most likely to address the risks for each catchment.

Stakeholders reviewed the options. Once agreed we wrote them up in more detail.

The final stage looked at the costs and benefits of the solution options. We developed 14 criteria to assess the options. We carried out customer research and developed a decision support tool. This helped us select the options that deliver the best value for our customers and the environment.

Through programme appraisal, we had discussions with our partners and customers. Together with the consultation feedback we received on our draft plan, this helped us to co-create a plan that met the needs of everyone. It also met recent regulatory requirements and maintained bill affordability. At the same time, our shared plan aligned with wider industry strategic plans and delivery programmes. These included the:

• Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP)
• Long-Term Delivery Strategy (LTDS)