What are 'Codes for Adoption'?

The Water Act 2014 introduced changes to the Water Industry Act 1991 (WIA91) requiring Ofwat to issue statutory codes for adoption agreements. These are the agreements that developers or self-lay providers (SLPs) enter into when they want an appointed water or sewerage company to take over responsibility for infrastructure they have constructed. They are the agreements entered into under Section 51A WIA91 for water infrastructure, and under Section 104 WIA91 for sewerage infrastructure.

 

The Codes were introduced by Ofwat to ensure a consistent approach in the sector, that developers, new appointees and SLPs, are provided with confidence that they will receive the services they want from water companies to enable their own business in providing contestable services.

 

An Ofwat set of documents can be found below and also on the Water UK website.

 

A requirement of Ofwat’s Code for adoption agreements is that all requests for changes to the documentation approved by Ofwat be submitted to an independent panel, comprised of an equal number of water companies and customers. The role of the panel is to make recommendations to Ofwat where it consider that changes to the approved documentation are appropriate. Read further information on Water UK ‘Water Adoption Panel’.

 

If you would like to review any open or closed proposals, respond to a proposal, submit a change proposal, review minutes from previous meetings or make any further enquiries with regards to the Water Adoption Panel, please visit Home | Water UK Water Adoption.

 

Following the implementation of Codes for Adoption, all water companies are required to publish certain documents which we have detailed below.

Design & Construction Specification (DCS)

Our Design & Construction Specification guide can be found here.

The DCS allows Anglian Water to introduce a local practice in certain permitted areas where our operational requirements are not adequately covered in the document.

 

Plot Reference Number:

Our local practice guidance for issuing plot reference numbers and cost information in accordance with Codes for Adoption.

 

Generation of plot reference numbers and cost information shall be issued in accordance with the Water Sector Guidance published performance metrics following the onsite pre-commencement meeting.

 

Pre-commencement meeting will take place with an Anglian Water Project Engineer to discuss project and onsite and offsite delivery.

 

Each phase of delivery requires its own pre-commencement meeting to ensure all plot information is raised in alignment with the project.

 

For further information in relation to this practice, please see point 19.2 of the DCS.

 

Design Service:

Our local practice guidance for design service offerings in accordance with Codes for Adoption.  We offer both a full design and a technical vetting service for accredited SLP design.

 

All SLP designs should be in accordance with the Design and Construction Specification.

Anglian Water design delivery and SLP technical design vetting shall be issued in accordance with the Water Sector Guidance published performance metrics.

 

Applications are made using InFlow, our online customer portal.

 

For further information in relation to this practice, please see point 19.3 of the DCS.

The connection work that is open to competition is known as “contestable” work. This category includes the majority of work a Developer needs to serve a new development and includes all work to lay and test new mains and services. Water Companies have a responsibility to maintain wholesome water supplies to Customers, some higher risk work may be defined as “non-contestable” and can normally only be carried out by the Water Company itself.

 

We will publish our ACS with updates and evolve the document to enable further contestability.

 

You can view our Annual Contestability Summary here.

 

Further information on the ACS can be found on page 5 of the Water Sector Guidance (WSG).

Should you wish to discuss your scheme or are not satisfied with the level of service you have received, you may wish to email our team directly.

 

Andrew George - Mains Engineering Manager 

 

Graham Lenton - Regional Delivery Manager

 

Garry Kerman - Regional Self Lay Manager

 

If you’re unhappy with any element of our service, please let us know – we want to make sure that we put things right!

 

You can contact us through your Project Engineer or contacting one of the team above.

 

We are committed to ensure that all our developers, NAVs and self‐lay providers (SLPs) receive a consistently high level of service and we monitor our performance very carefully. 

 

Our redress scheme has been published below in line with Section 10 of the Water Sector Guidance in relation to the adoption of self-laid assets by Anglian Water.

 

You can view our redress policy here.