Water Environment Governance Group (WEGG)

The WEGG covers NWG’s approach to improving bluespaces across its Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water supply and operating areas (covering the North East and parts of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk).

We define the water environment as the environment close to all surface water within our regions, including streams and rivers, lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, coasts and beaches.

Bluespaces are defined as the areas of rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, beaches and coastline that customers can get to via public or private access, principally via public rights of way, allowing customers to engage with, enjoy and benefit from water in the environment.

Water environment improvements are being delivered across 10 management catchments in our NW and ESW regions, with our ESW area expanded to a broader area to include downstream catchments which ESW customers may visit and to facilitate a regional and catchment-based approach.

The WEGG provides advice on project opportunities and development, approves Candidate Projects for the bluespaces scheme, and signs off km water environment improved through review of project Evidence Packs following delivery and completion.

The aims of the WEGG are to:

1. Bring together key individuals to work together to provide NWG with advice, guidance and external assurance on its water environment approach, including the partnership scheme and ODI;
2. Work closely with and provide strategic advice and support to NWG’s Water Environment ODI Lead, who will have overall responsibility for NWG’s water environment approach;
3. Help ensure, through development of and involvement in due process, that the approach taken delivers km of improvements to meet and exceed targets for NWG’s Water Environment Improvements ODI that are justified and of benefit to customers;
4. Provide a formal link to regional stakeholder groups and through these to other partnerships and partners, demonstrating external assurance and supporting engagement activity which can be of benefit to improving the water environment;
5. Have oversight of the bluespaces scheme, including the costs and benefits of planned investment, advising NWG on investment and spending against priorities, and reviewing ODI accounting;
6. Provide evidence of external assurance to Ofwat on NWG’s Water Environment ODI through reporting to and interactions with The Water Forum Environment Group.

• Chair - Richard Powell OBE, Independent Member
• Anna Gerring, The Rivers Trust www.theriverstrust.org/people/anna-gerring
• Graham Dale, CC Water
• Mike Jeffries, Northumbria University www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/j/mike-jeffries/
• Melissa Lockwood, Environment Agency