Ernst & Young: Draft Water Bill Welcomed

By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Bill Easton, Utilities Director at Ernst & Young commented on the draft water bill by saying the  announcement marks an important milestone in the future development of the water industry.  He said the Bill adds further substance to the proposals outlined in last year’s Water White Paper which set out some of the most important reforms in the last 20 years.

“It is vital that the new high-level group leading this work ensures that all parties are quickly aligned on the necessary roadmap and timeline, as well as making sure that the work does not take any longer than necessary,” he said.

Easton also added that the focus of the draft Bill appears to be primarily on the extension of retail competition to all business customers.  He said he draft makes it clear that there is a very substantial programme of work required for the reforms to be successful.  “But we suspect that business customers, who have already benefited from retail competition in Scotland, will still wonder why they have to wait five years for  largely similar arrangements to be delivered in England and possibly Wales,” he also said.