Proposed solutions
Ten new solutions identified through the Price Review 2024 joined the RAPID programme in April 2025. These can be seen on the map below, alongside existing solutions, giving a total of 28 solutions in the RAPID programme and five smaller-scale solutions with RAPID oversight.
The combined gated process
In March 2026, in response to feedback from solution owners, RAPID and Ofwat’s Major Projects team moved to a new combined gated process for the Major Water Infrastructure Programme.
The Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP) includes the 30 large-scale water infrastructure projects set out at PR24. The new MWIP combined gated process brings together RAPID’s oversight of early project development and Ofwat’s Major Projects team’s regulation of later stage delivery. RAPID and Ofwat’s Major Projects team continue to carry out their regulatory roles, now operating using this single, combined process that reduces duplication and helps critical infrastructure progress at pace while protecting customers and the environment.
The combined process reduces duplication, supports earlier and more effective collaboration between regulators and companies, and helps major water infrastructure projects progress at pace while maintaining robust scrutiny and value for customers and the environment.
More information on the combined gated process and Major Water Infrastructure Programme.
Transition to new Major Water Infrastructure Programme combined gated process
Some SROs will move to the new combined gated process gradually to support a smooth transition. Recognising where projects are already well advanced and to avoid introducing unnecessary cost, delay, or disruption while maintaining regulatory certainty, some more advanced solutions will stay on the existing RAPID gated process path.
Major Water Infrastructure Programme: combined gated process
In March 2026, RAPID began transitioning SROs to a new combined gated process that brings together the RAPID gates and Ofwat’s Major Projects stages under the Major Water Infrastructure Programme. Some schemes will move across gradually as part of this transition. Find out more here.
The Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP) includes the 30 large-scale water infrastructure projects set out at PR24. The new MWIP combined gated process brings together RAPID’s oversight of early project development and Ofwat’s Major Projects team’s regulation of later stage delivery. RAPID and Ofwat’s Major Projects team continue to carry out their regulatory roles, now operating using this single, combined process that reduces duplication and helps critical infrastructure progress at pace while protecting customers and the environment.
RAPID gated process
This information relates to SROs that will stay on the RAPID gated process or will move over to the new combined gated process slowly.
The RAPID gated process relates to the funding of investigations and development of water resource solutions.
There are four gates. At each gate, companies submit information about their work on a solution, which is assessed to ensure companies are making progress on investigation and development of solutions.
Ofwat then decides whether companies should have further funding released to investigate and develop a solution to the next gate.
The purpose of the gated process is to ensure at each gate that:
- companies are progressing strategic water resource solutions that have been allocated funding at Price Review 2024;
- costs incurred in doing so are efficient; and
- solutions merit continued investigation and development during the period 2025 to 2030.
Gate one
Gate one is a first opportunity to check progress on investigations and development of solutions in the gated process. At gate one, all solutions are expected to proceed to gate two, meaning that companies can continue to spend ring-fenced funding on their investigation and development to gate two, unless there is a clear reason why they no longer merit this.
Gate two
Gate two will look at the solutions in more detail with focus on ensuring that funding for continued investigation and development of solutions is aligned to water resources planning. Decisions about whether or not a solution goes ahead will be made through water resources planning and subsequently applications for local planning and environmental consents.
Gate three
Gate three of the RAPID programme represents a checkpoint on the way to solutions being prepared for Development Consent Order (DCO) or Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) applications.
Our assessment at gate three will focus on the breadth and comprehensiveness of activities being undertaken in preparation for planning application submission. This includes progress on activities through to their completion, and consideration of specific activities to address particular risks or issues associated with a solution.
Gate four
Gate four is timed after solutions have had their planning applications accepted, this is to avoid duplication and respect the roles of the examining and decision-making bodies for these applications. The gate four assessment will focus on actions set at previous gates, cost assessment and efficiency of spend of the development allowance.
Smaller-scale solutions with RAPID oversight
Through the Price Review 2024, we identified five solutions that would benefit from additional regulatory oversight and support, whilst not necessarily being subject to the full requirements of the RAPID gated process.
We will engage with relevant regulators on cross-cutting strategic risks and issues associated with these solutions. These solutions are represented on the map above by smaller coloured circles.
All solutions will be subject to all the normal regulatory planning and consenting requirements.