The independent Strategic Panel, the most senior industry group in the business retail water market, has today published its draft Roadmap to a Flourishing Market for consultation. It sets out what needs to change to improve how the market functions and deliver greater benefits for customers.
The roadmap sets out the barriers identified to the business water market flourishing and reflects the need to balance the benefits of a competitive market against the safeguards provided by regulation. Ultimately it aims to provide Ofwat with sufficient confidence that customers will remain protected and could benefit from a move to more self-regulation and increased competition. The approach to developing the roadmap was endorsed by Ofwat and Defra.
The roadmap sets out 31 market conditions which the Panel believes need to be met for the market to begin to flourish. These conditions fall into three themes:
- Customer engagement and choice: Customers of all sizes are clear how the market operates, have confidence in exercising the choices that are available and know they are protected from mis-practice
- Accurate and accessible data: The customer experience and market operation are underpinned by accurate data that is accessible and that can be used to develop innovative solutions for customers
- Processes, capability and economics: Increased investment in smart technology enables the delivery of enhanced services to customers and market participants unlocking the anticipated benefits of the market, including the delivery of water security nationally
These conditions have been used to set out 34 actions the Panel believes need to be taken to deliver them. These actions are grouped by stakeholder, theme and when the action needs to be taken by.
Delivery of the roadmap will be the prime focus for the Panel in the coming years. Once finalised it will largely replace the Panel’s Priorities document with the principal workstreams and priorities being derived from the activities set out in the roadmap.
Commenting on the roadmap, Trisha McAuley OBE, Chair of the Strategic Panel, said: “The roadmap aims to set out a pathway to enable the market to flourish with clear deadlines and collective accountability for delivering it. The Panel recognises we do not have all the answers at this point. Where necessary, the roadmap aims to provide a ‘direction of travel’, while setting out further work that needs to be undertaken.
What we have published is a draft for consultation and I encourage you to let us know what you think. We recognise delivery will be dependent upon actions from a number of stakeholders and I look forward to working closely with stakeholders as we develop the final roadmap.”
Sarah McMath, MOSL’s CEO, added: “We are pleased to have supported the Panel to produce the draft roadmap. This is a unique opportunity for market participants to reflect on the journey the market has been on since market opening and come together to inform the actions that can make the market work better and deliver benefits for customers of all sizes.”
The draft roadmap and supporting appendices are available here. The Panel is seeking views and evidence from all interested stakeholders. The consultation questions are set out on pages 29 and 30 of the main roadmap document. We ask that responses are submitted via email to
The feedback received will be used to finalise the roadmap with the aim of publishing this in September 2024.
The Strategic Panel presented the strategy, including Q&A, at a roundtable on Tuesday 30 July. The recording is available here. If you wish to discuss any aspect of this consultation, please email
