Owat and Water UK: Economic Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Water Sector

The scope of this project encompasses three elements:

1. Developing a series of scenarios covering economic and social/behavioural changes arising from COVID-19.
2. Identifying which aspects of water company businesses may be impacted (positively or negatively) in these scenarios, and assessing these impacts on water companies.
3. Projecting forward the scenarios and potential impacts on water companies to test the challenges and opportunities to deliver against the PR19 settlement under these scenarios.

The aim of this work is to understand in what situations water companies would be placed under greater stress due to the impact of COVID-19, what opportunities the new situation might present to them and what the overall effect in each considered scenario would be. This includes both financial elements as well as meeting outcome objectives. It should capture the range of options that water companies have available to them to respond to those scenarios, identify where there may be countervailing benefits or opportunities to companies, and highlight where regulation is a constraint. This work can then be used to understand areas to monitor in the future.

More detail on each element is provided in the ITT; it is envisaged that the first two elements will need to be carried out in parallel in order to meet the project timeline and for both to contribute to the third element.

The project will be overseen by an Advisory Group comprising of Ofwat, Water UK and thre...e 3: Discuss findings with the Advisory Group

Present the findings of deliverables 1 and 2 to the Advisory Group and potentially a wider set of representatives from water companies to provide feedback.

Deliverable 4: An optional webinar

There is likely to be a broad audience from across the sector interested in the outcome of this work and with perspectives to contribute to it. To facilitate the easy exchange of the information we may want the Supplier to run a webinar to discuss draft/interim findings.

In responding to this ITT please separate out the cost of providing a webinar to the sector. If access to relevant webinar services is a constraint it is something that Ofwat or Water UK may be able to provide.

Deliverable 5: A final report

A final report setting out how COVID-19 might impact the water sector under a range of scenarios is expected by September 2020. The supplier should set out a process for incorporating feedback on the draft noting that there are likely to be a range of views to take on board from companies in different positions, as well as Ofwat's. Where there is disagreement between parties, or between different providers making up a consortium providing the advice, it is anticipated that will be reflected in the final report by setting out the different positions rather than requiring the Supplier to necessarily opine on the relevant interpretation and/or solution. At some stage, the report may be published on Ofwat and Water UK websites.