Independent Water Commission – Call for Evidence

Overview

The Call for Evidence sets out the areas where the Independent Water Commission is seeking views in relation to the water sector in England and Wales.     

It outlines the current issues based on the evidence the Commission has gathered so far, and areas for potential change that the Commission wishes to explore. 

The task of the Commission is to stand back from the system and explore, with an open mind, potential changes. Its task is to make recommendations on how to equip and reform the system to meet the challenges of the future and, crucially, restore over time the trust that has been lost. This Call for Evidence is an essential building block in that process. 

Why your views matter

Water is essential to society. We rely on it for safe drinking water and sanitation of wastewater. It is also fundamental for public health, the enjoyment of our waters, the natural environment, economic growth and food security. 

The evidence sought here will inform the Commission’s development of recommendations. The Commission wants to deliver an ambitious, long-term approach to resetting the water sector, in a new partnership between government, regulators, water companies, customers, investors and all those who enjoy our waters and work to protect our environment. 

How to complete this Call for Evidence

This Call for Evidence consist of 73 questions (accessed below). You do not need to answer every question – the majority of questions are optional, so please only respond to those that are relevant to you. As you go through the online survey, you will be able to save your progress and return later.

For more information on the topics covered, the evidence we have gathered, and the type of evidence we are seeking, you can refer to the Call for Evidence document. This is available to view and download at the bottom of this page. However, reading this document is not required to answer the questions on Citizen Space.

Please read our privacy notice which sets out our Call for Evidence principles and explains how we use your data. This can be found on page 11 in the main Call for Evidence document, which is available to view and download at the bottom of this page. 

This Call for Evidence will run for 8 weeks. It opens at midnight on Thursday 27 February 2025 and closes on Wednesday 23 April 2025 at midnight. 

We strongly encourage you to respond to this Call for Evidence using the online survey below. If you are unable to answer the questions online, please see the Call for Evidence document for details on alternative ways of responding.