WET News

News+ Bristol Water questions Oat's output models • Utility calls on CMA to find alternative approaches that reflect differences between the water companies, as it questions the 'robustness' of the regulator models. The proposed new reservoir is located to the south of the existing Cheddar reservoir, and will be similar in size, with approximate capacity of 6,000Ml The deadline for the CMA to send its determination to Ofwat is September 3 In August 2014, Ofwat wrote to United Utilities, Thames Water and Bristol Water outlining a £1.3bn difference between their re-submitted plans for AMP6, and its assessment of efficient wholesale costs In its final determination, Ofwat accepted that more water resources are required in Bristol Water's supply area from 2030 due to population and commercial growth Bristol Water's final determination was referred to the CMA in March 2015 Bristol Water's proposed new reservoir is located to the south of the existing Cheddar reservoir MEAN MACHINE RAG, FAT, PLASTIC and other solid or fibrous debris will cause blockages, disruption and excessive downtime costs to most sewage and effluent streams. PROBLEM! There are many 'solids handling' pumps but only ONE CHOPPER pump that can provide the answer. VAUGHAN has been designed and built to perform in the most severe applications and is proven over 50 years …WHAT PROBLEM? WET WELL or DRY WELL, SUBMERSIBLE TO SELF-PRIMING… Use the right machine… A MEAN MACHINE …and there will be… NO PROBLEM. Vaughan Chopper pumps Mar 15.indd 1 04/03/2015 20:05 B ristol Water has questioned the 'robustness' of Ofwat's output models used to decide its final determination covering 2015-20, and says it wants the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to explore a range of alternative approaches that can 'cope with genuine differences between the operating environments' of each water company, rather than replicate the modelling approach used by Ofwat. The water company rejected its final determination from Ofwat earlier this year, saying it made it "very difficult for us maintain our levels of service and make sufficient investment to deliver the enhancements needed to improve and protect the water supply that our customers told us they wanted, for now and in the future". The matter was referred to the CMA in March. Replying to Ofwat's response 4 weT News MAY 2015 properly understand all the components that contribute to the gap. "Similarly, Ofwat has neither offered any suggestions as to the nature of the 'very significant efficiency savings' it suggests are required, nor whether they would be practicably achievable within the allowed timeframe," said Bristol Water. The company has also shared its concerns that as late as last September that Ofwat "had not looked at the detail of our plan beyond the cost exclusion cases, indicating that its reliance on its modelled cost thresholds and the cost exclusion process was absolute". Ofwat's decision that there is not a case for Bristol Water proceed with its Cheddar Reservoir Two project in AMP6 is also a bone of contention for the utility. Bristol Water said analysis by Jacobs is limited in that it was not an assessment of the Cheddar Congratulations to all the winners of our Water Industry Achievement Awards 2015 (see WIAA supplement with this issue) Arvia Technology, which has an innovative wastewater treatment process combining adsorption and electrochemical oxidation, secured £4M in its latest round of investment funding. Sembcorp Bournemouth Water was fined just over £130,000 for supplying contaminated water that led to residents of four households in the city becoming seriously ill. A five-year investigation by Thames Water and the EA has corrected misconnections in north London, which saw household appliances emptying into watercourses. to Bristol Water's Statement of Case (SoC), the utility said: "The only evidence that Ofwat has presented in support of its position is based on the output of its models. It is our understanding that Ofwat has neither carried out a detailed review of each component of our proposed costs, nor carried out an assessment of what it considers operating expenditure should be on a standalone basis with the exception of certain special cost factor claims." The company continued: "The grounds on which it concludes that our plan is relatively high cost are, therefore, only as robust as Ofwat's models. ...we question this robustness." Bristol Water added that it would have been helpful, where there was a significant gap in the totex estimates, if the regulator had made more use of engineering assessments to Malvern, Worcs WR14 1JJ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1684 891 371 info@pulsar-pm.com www.pulsar-pm.com I n nov ati o n. I t' s i n our DNA. Ultimate Pump Control One complete integrated solution l Intelligent pump control l Remote telemetry l Asset management data l Level measurement l Flow measurement l Predictive maintenance SEE US AT THE PUMP CENTRE CONFERENCE STAND S22 Reservoir Two proposal on its merits, but by reference to the specific assessment criteria applied by Ofwat. Also, it is "not clear exactly what information" Jacobs had access to when carrying out its assessment. "There was certainly no interaction between Jacobs and Bristol Water directly."

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