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History of AMPs since privatisation of the water industry

Previous investment by the water industry has transformed water quality and the protection of the water environment in England and Wales. Following a price review, the resulting investment programme is known as an Asset Management Plan or AMP and includes the National Environment Programme that has been drawn up by the Environment Agency. We are currently in the fifth price review known as ‘PR09’ for the period 2010-2015.

AMP4 (2005-2010)

In AMP4 water companies invested £3.5 billion to improve sewage treatment works and storm overflow discharges to the water environment. This was in addition to the £4.2 billion to maintain infrastructure.

These programmes were designed to deliver improvements to more than 3500 km of rivers and 300 km of coastal waters during the period to 2010. Many of the water companies have already finished the improvements under AMP4 ahead of the 2010 deadline.

AMP3 (2000-2005)

During AMP3 the water companies spent over £5 billion on nearly 7,000 environmental projects to improve rivers and coastal waters in England and Wales. Most of these projects improved discharges from sewers and sewage treatment works to water courses.

AMP2 (1995-2000)

AMP2 saw in 1994 the first ever setting of price limits by the Director General of Water Services. This £5 billion programme was directed towards the new Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive which required all significant coastal discharges to have secondary treatment for the first time and for sewer networks to perform to acceptable standards. Work also started on raising river quality by upgrading inland sewage treatment to standards required by the local watercourse.

AMP1 (1989-1995)

AMP1 followed the privatisation of water and sewerage provision in 1989. A £6 billion investment programme was implemented to start the very large task of bringing the UK water industry up to the standards required by European directives.