The Regulators' Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) has launched a consultation on proposals to expand its responsibilities, as England continues to reform the way major water infrastructure is planned and delivered.
The move follows recommendations from the Independent Water Commission’s (IWC) final report and the UK Government's White Paper A New Vision for Water, which endorsed RAPID's continued role in coordinating and assuring major infrastructure delivery.
The consultation will help shape the future operation of RAPID and inform Defra as it defines the responsibilities of England's proposed single water regulator
Established in 2019 as a partnership between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, RAPID was created to accelerate the development of large-scale water supply projects through coordinated regulatory oversight. Its programme has expanded from 17 projects included in the 2019 Price Review to 30 projects following the 2024 review.
The consultation examines how RAPID could assume a stronger national coordination role while complementing regional planning arrangements. Proposed changes would extend its oversight beyond water supply schemes to include other strategically important infrastructure, such as projects linked to industrial developments, data centres, sustainable urban drainage systems, wastewater flood or storm overflow solutions and large-scale wastewater schemes.
The consultation seeks feedback on four key areas:
- RAPID's role alongside new regional water planning arrangements;
- Opportunities to improve regulatory coordination and support faster infrastructure delivery;
- Criteria and thresholds for projects entering the RAPID programme; and
- The potential expansion of RAPID's remit to include wastewater and other strategically significant projects.
Paul Hickey, Managing Director of RAPID, said: “RAPID was created to cut through complexity and has shown that coordinated regulation can accelerate the development of major water supply infrastructure.
“RAPID has proven it works – now it needs to do more. We will consult on proposals to define RAPID's national role alongside systems planning arrangements – so we have the right tools and processes to safeguard our long-term water security."
The feedback received during the consultation will help shape the future operation of RAPID and the Major Water Infrastructure Programme during the sector's transition period. The findings are also expected to inform Defra as it defines the responsibilities of England's proposed single water regulator, which is set to be established through forthcoming Clean Water Bill legislation.
The consultation will remain open until 21 July.
