Smart Metering in the Water Industry: Deep Dive
18 September 2025
Insight Hub
15 September 2025
Introduction: A Watershed Moment for the UK Water Sector Steve Gummer and Allan Owen, Partners in Sharpe Pritchard’s Infrastructure Department are the authors of the case summary for the Cunliffe Report’s latest findings. It is easy to get lost in headlines about regulators being abolished and water company profiteering. However, the Independent Water Commission’s final…
Read more21 July 2025
It is easy to get lost in headlines about regulators being abolished and water company profiteering. However, the Independent Water Commission’s final report, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe and published on 21 July 2025, sets out the most ambitious overhaul of the UK water sector since privatisation. With 88 formal recommendations, the Cunliffe Report outlines…
Read more16 June 2025
Is it Time for Public Sector Major Infrastructure Debt Guarantor? Ofwat, Government and Industry have identified that the UK’s water sector urgently needs substantial investment to modernise ageing infrastructure, tackle critical environmental issues, and comply with increasingly stringent regulations. The capital requirement could be as much as £12 billion per year. Recent high-profile incidents of…
Read more5 December 2024
The concept of Defects under NEC contracts is central to the management of risks and liabilities related to the quality of works and services provided. The ethos of Defects in NEC contracts is rooted in the principles of mutual trust, flexibility, and clarity. In this article, we outline the key principles and mechanisms relating to…
Read more23 October 2024
Various different NEC payment mechanisms are used across the construction industry and all standard forms of construction contract include different payment mechanism options. The three most commonly used payment mechanisms are fixed price, target price, and cost reimbursable, and there is a myriad of variants of each of these mechanisms. The NEC suite of contracts…
Read more9 September 2024
Overview The Water (Special Measures) Bill (Bill) introduces significant and wide-ranging changes to the regulatory framework governing water companies in the UK. The Bill aims to enhance the governance, accountability, and regulatory compliance of water companies in the UK. By introducing stricter penalties and enhancing consumer involvement, the Bill seeks to achieve Labour manifesto commitments…
Read more28 May 2024
Allan Owen and Beth Edwards provide a summary of the High Court’s recent Judgement in Tata Consultancy Services Ltd v Disclosure and Barring Service which provides useful guidance on limits of liability.[1] Facts The Disclosure and Barring Service (“DBS”) entered into a contract with Tata Consultancy Services Limited (“TCS”) for both the operation of “business…
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