AMP7 and the Importance of Effective Project Management for the Water Industry

Within the water sector in the UK there are many regulations and certification requirements that must be legally met. Being able to plan to the most effective degree is vital, and therefore it is important that water companies choose the highest quality of planning software that can help devise and implement robust and thorough plans to ensure site health and safety are seen as priorities, and that AMP7 and PR19 are both met with ease.

AMP7 is the seventh Asset Management Period in the UK, which all water companies have to work within. This latest AMP7 is due to begin in 2020 and run until 2025, and the major water companies are in the process of implementing changes that will run effectively within the new framework prior to 2020. AMP7 has been devised to improve the communication processes between water companies and consumers. It is hoped that customer satisfaction levels will increase as transparency from utility companies increases.

The regulations set out in AMP7 ensure that should water companies fail to meet the new regulations, they will be given penalties in the form of fines. For those that meet the standards there will be financial reward. AMP7 encourages transparent communication, affordable bills for consumers, technological innovation for design and implementation of the service, as well as a resilient water network that understands and responds to any complexities, challenges and consumer use that puts pressure on the system.

Another area of the running of water companies that will be improved by the implementation of AMP7 is that of the welfare of all contractors and full-time water company employees. Key, qualified staff will implement AMP7 measures, and this is where it is advisable to utilise the professional assistance of a site management tool or service. The safety and security of all working personnel is of the utmost importance at all times, especially within the water industry where there are many complexities and potential hazards on a daily basis.

With regards technological innovation and advancement, AMP7 has been designed to push forward with an environmental consciousness that proposes technological innovation that could be the key to unlocking the potential of the energy sector to look towards renewable options and to perform a better job of looking after the environment for future generations.

PR19 is a provision that has been included within AMP7. Ofwat (The Economic Regulator of the Water Sector in England and Wales) has put forward the entire proposal. PR19 is the section that deals with the current price review and strategies for change within this sphere. It will put forward a framework for water companies to bring forward more affordable water for consumers, punishing poor performance from water companies and incentivising higher standards over a long period of time that improve consumer satisfaction levels.

Both PR19 and AMP7 have been developed to improve service delivery for the water sector as a whole. With encouragement, incentives and potential repercussions, water companies should improve the consumer experience over the next few years, and with the right site tool management at hand, each individual company can also improve the lives of employees and health and safety standards on a daily basis.