Work to enhance the modelling tool used to target investment to improve river water quality has begun ahead of PR24.
UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) is leading work to develop the SAGIS-SIMCAT model, which has been used over successive price review periods to help water companies and the environmental regulators determine the environmental improvement programmes required to ensure that the UK meets the obligations of the Water Framework Directive.
It provides a single model for each river basin helping to pinpoint sources of pollution and identify the most effective interventions to improve water quality, including investment on water company assets and by other sectors operating within the catchment.
Ahead of PR24, the model will be further enhanced to:
- Understand Brexit’s impact on agricultural policy and how this could impact water quality
- Look at the link between improved water quality and overall ecological status of a catchment
- Model the impact of climate change to identify investment required to improve long-term resilience.
- Embed the sector share approach so water company customers only pay for investment needed by the water sector to address pollution.
More information about the SAGIS-SIMCAT model is available here
