There are opportunities for limited companies to provide water and sewerage services, water only services, or sewerage only services for a defined area in place of the existing appointed water company in that area. Throughout this section, we use the term ‘new appointments’ to refer to both new appointments, and variations of existing appointments as appropriate, unless otherwise specified.
NAVs have the same duties and responsibilities and will generally be treated in the same way as all other appointed water companies.
We publish and update a register of all the new appointments and variations that have been made.
We must take into account a number of considerations before granting a new appointment, which are outlined below. For more information on any of the areas, please consult our guidance document.
We can only appoint a new water and/or sewerage company for a defined area in a limited number of circumstances. In order to grant a new appointee, a site must meet one of the following criteria: unserved, consent, or large user.
You must satisfy us that you can finance and carry out the functions of an appointed water company. We will assess the financial position of your company and your proposal at a site level.
Before your appointment is made, you must provide us with evidence of customer support, for example from the developer or any existing customers on the site confirming their consent.
We have a duty of care to customers which means that customers should be no worse off under your company, than under the regional monopoly supplier. Where either the area of the applicant is, or will be should the application be granted, wholly or mainly in Wales, or where the existing undertaker operates wholly or mainly in Wales, applicants must also set out how end customers and / or environment would benefit as a result of the applicant serving the site rather than the existing undertaker. Throughout our published documents, when we refer to the “no worse off” requirement, this includes a positive requirement to show customer benefit in respect of such applications.
A successful new appointee can serve its new customers either with its own resources or by requesting use of the appointed water company’s assets under a bulk supply agreement.
You will have the same duties and responsibilities as the previous appointed water company for the specified area.
You will generally be treated in the same way as all other appointed water companies, with the same licence.
Applying for a new appointment
If you are interested in becoming a new appointee, please refer to the documents detailed in the NAV publications table.
Section 3 of our Application Guidance provides an overview of the application process.
If you have any questions, please contact our Licensing team at [email protected].