Water companies are under increasing pressure to improve water resilience, protect local water resources and reduce the need for costly new infrastructure. Environmental Incentive Schemes encourage developers to reduce water demand, supporting both regional water security and the UK’s wider sustainability goals.

Resources:

• Ofwat >
• EWSC >

Not necessarily.

Most schemes assess the overall water efficiency of the development, rather than the performance of an individual product. Water-efficient showers, taps, toilets and appliances all contribute towards the overall litres per person per day (l/p/d) calculation used to determine eligibility.

Resources:

• Ofwat >
• EWSC >

Although the Environmental Incentives Common Framework aims to improve consistency, each water company still operates its own scheme with different eligibility criteria, incentive structures and application processes. Understanding the requirements early can help avoid delays and maximise available support.

Several reasons are commonly cited:

• – Each water company has its own eligibility criteria.
• – Different evidence may be required.
• – Applications often need to be submitted at specific stages of development.
• – Some incentives reduce infrastructure charges rather than providing direct payments.
• – Awareness of the schemes remains relatively low across the industry.

As early as possible.
Water efficiency is much easier to incorporate during the design stage than later in the development process. Engaging with your local water company early can help ensure opportunities aren’t missed and that the most appropriate specification is considered from the outset.

Each English water company publishes its own guidance, but we do have a guide here >

EWSC has also produced one of the best comparison documents available, bringing all current Environmental Incentive Schemes together into a single guide.

Resources:

• – EWSC Environmental Incentive Summary Report >
• – EWSC Environmental Incentives One-Pager >
• – EWSC Project Reports Library >
• – Ofwat Environmental Incentives Common Framework >