Looking beyond the treatment works boundary Ruth Barden – Director of Environment & Catchment Strategy
Content • Why work at a catchment scale? • Developing the approach: • Catchment management and EnTrade • Catchment permitting • Investigations and SAGIS modelling • Partnership working • Bringing it all together • Next steps 2
Why work at a catchment scale? What are we trying to achieve? • Holistically improve environment • Outcomes not outputs • 25 Year Environment Plan objectives • Natural capital net gain? What are the current limitations? • Not recognising complex systems • Existing regulatory/sectoral approach To do more we need a different approach 3
Developing the approach- Catchment Management & EnTrade • Last 10 years- focus DrWPA • Incorporates: • advisers, measures, data, data, data • Online platform creating markets of environmental targets • Business 2 business transactions • WW 2016 auction, target 20 tN/yr reduction: 4
Developing the approach- Catchment Permitting • Number of sites: • P removal at 24 sites (19 existing P removal) • 13 Opex solution, 11 capex solution • Stretch targets: • 9 sites < 1mg/l (0.5 – 0.8mg/l) • 13 sites 1 – 1.5mg/l • 2 sites >1.5mg/l • Costs: • £20m saving compared to a traditional approach • Improved waterbodies • 63 WFD waterbodies • Tonnes of Phosphorus removed • C.46 tonnes per year 5
Catchment Permitting Phase 2 • Or Catchment Nutrient Balancing 6
Developing the approach- investigations & SAGIS • Ensuring investment is based on sound science and data • Example- Hampshire Avon: • River monitoring • Final effluent monitoring • Spot flow gauging • Modelling to understand: • Indicative WFD status • Hot spots of STW impact • Accuracy of models in PR19 planning • Mass balance to identify confidence in investment 7
Catchment Partnerships • No one sector can deliver in isolation • Strongly supportive of Catchment Based Approach • Key aims: • share local knowledge and expertise • identify the local challenges • deliver cost effective solutions with multiple benefits https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/bristolavon/ https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/pooleharbour/ https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/stour/ 8
Environmental Enhancement: PR19 & beyond Challenge to improve allocative efficiency at a catchment scale to deliver the best environmental and societal outcome: • Recognises common challenges across sectors and complex systems • Working in partnership to devise new mechanisms to deliver the right outcomes • Using organisational strengths in partnership Mechanisms: Common issues: • Strategic partnerships • Excess nutrients • Identify most efficient • Excess sediments Goal: deliverer • Flood risk Best environment & • Trading mechanisms & • Climate change societal outcome for offsetting • Increase resilience the catchment • Shared resilience planning • Improve biodiversity • Goals and Governance • Development 9
Bringing it all together Moving from an asset approach to an integrated catchment approach, e.g: Focus might be on nutrients but aim to Catchment Nutrient Balancing bring together wider natural capital benefits, Reduction Target (N or P) e.g. biodiversity, amenity, carbon Offsetting via Trader STW asset Agricultural agricultural reductions & optimisation & input reduction interventions & charging new solutions trading mechanisms Mix of solutions, partners and financial instruments delivers the best environmental outcome 10
But not just nutrients! • BUT - not just nutrients- what about natural capital? • Water flow regulation, carbon sequestration, pollination, soil erosion • Mapping & trading platform identify combined service provision • Collaborative Public Health Project: • Working with Public Health providers & deliverers • Green prescribing to reduce risk of non-communicable diseases • Lower increase in prescribing rates, reduce treatment burden, healthier society 11
Next Steps • Catchment Nutrient Balancing in 2 catchments • Extend Catchment Permitting in Bristol Avon • Extend public health project to include blended funding • Extend EnTrade to wider natural capital offering • Continue working with Catchment Partnerships • PR19 focus on demonstrating the delivery of 25 YEP through new mechanisms 12
Thank you Ruth.barden@wessexwater.co.uk
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