These are challenging times for the water sector. Stakeholder expectations, for high water quality, for a rich natural water environment and for an effective and well-regulated water industry, have never been higher. The price for failing to meet those expectations, in terms of environmental liability, regulatory action or reputational damage, is just as high. Policy makers, regulators and providers face increasingly complex choices as they seek to deliver effective and efficient outcomes for the consumers of water and wastewater services. These choices have to be made, in turn, within the tight financing constraints which apply in both the public and private sector context. 

Furthermore, there has been increasing emphasis on the importance of competition in the water sector, not least in light of the final report of the Cave Review. Coupled with the judgement of the Competition Appeals Tribunal in the Albion case, recent developments in this area have highlighted the role that competition law has to play in the water sector.

Shepherd and Wedderburn together with the Water Industry Commission for Scotland have distilled their experiences of successfully introducing retail competition into the Scottish water and wastewater markets into the attached 'Lessons Learned' paper. We hope this provides useful food for thought for any others considering or embarking on industry reform projects.

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