environment magazine

By Nick Reeves OBE, Executive Director, CIWEM – Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management

Picture the scene…a group of youngsters waiting round the twinkling Christmas tree for something special to arrive, excitement growing as the days then hours are counted down to the great moment. Well, that was the scene in the CIWEM Policy Department while waiting for the Water White Paper. CIWEM has spent years campaigning for the true cost of water to be reflected in prices, has developed great reports on Regulation for a Sustainable Water Industry and Integrated Water Management, organised countless seminars and conferences and worked hard with Defra, Regulators, MPs and others in the run up to the production of the White Paper in order to get our points across.

By Keith Mason, Director of Finance, Ofwat

We have come a long way since the water and sewerage sectors were privatised 22 years ago.

In 1989 polluted beaches and rivers, and a neglected infrastructure, meant we were seen as the ‘dirty man of Europe’. In 1990, less than 80% of England and Wales' bathing waters met the required standards. Yet taxpayers had little appetite for spending more. Water companies were seen as inefficient, and the system meant there was little incentive for them to improve standards of service. Privatisation of the sector sought to tackle these challenges head on.

By Mark Prisk, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise

As we mark the five year anniversary of the UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, we should take time to consider why it’s in all our interests to correctly dispose of electrical goods to protect the environment and help bolster economic growth, says Business Minister Mark Prisk.