Committee publication · Correspondence · 23 April 2025
Correspondence from Heidi Mottram, Northumbrian Water, regarding Reforming the water sector inquiry oral evidence, dated 4 April 2025
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Reforming the water sector
Summary
Heidi Mottram, Chief Executive of Northumbrian Water, writes to EFRA Committee Chair following the company's 11 March 2025 oral evidence session on water sector reform. She provides supplementary written responses to specific questions raised during the hearing, addressing compensation for flooding incidents, population forecasting methodology, information disclosure decisions, and sewage overflow reporting practices.
Key findings
- No Guaranteed Standards Scheme compensation was payable for Chester Road flooding incidents as criteria were not met; two claims from commercial premises are being handled through insurance under strict liability provisions.
- Population forecasting methodology has evolved since 2013 from trend-based to proactive demand planning; Northumbrian Water consulted local authorities but acknowledges Ofwat noted this was not clearly documented in WRMP14.
- First Tier Tribunal judgment (April 2024) overturned ICO decision requiring disclosure of discharge information; Northumbrian Water immediately complied and has changed its approach to environmental information requests accordingly.
- Northumbrian Water operates sewage treatment works under Environment Agency discharge permits with no storm overflow volume measurement requirements; any media-reported figures are projections only, not measured data.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Heidi Mottram, Andrew Beaver, Alistair Carmichael MP, Northumbrian Water, Ofwat, Environment Agency, Information Commissioner's Office
Notable line
“As a result of the Tribunal's decision, the law has now changed. Northumbrian Water has now changed its approach to comply with the Tribunal ruling.”
Key Quotes
“We greatly appreciated the Committee's thoughtful and probing questions, which underscored the importance of ensuring a resilient and sustainable water sector.”
“In Ofwat's most recent Water Company Performance Report we were proud to be identified as a 'top performer' in relation to internal flooding measures 1 having delivered significant …”
“… the Ofwat comment was simply that we had not clearly documented this in the plan …”
“Northumbrian Water immediately complied with the terms of the judgment and supplied the requested information.”
“… whilst media reports have contained speculation, any calculation predicting volume can only ever be a projection.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗