OFFICE OF WATER SERVICES

Water Industry Act 1991, Section 8(3)

Proposal by the Director General of Water Services to vary the appointments of Hartlepool Water plc and Northumbrian Water Ltd. as water undertakers.

Site at Wynyard Park, near Wolviston, Teesside

The site at Wynyard park is an area of land north of the A689 road near Wolviston, Teesside, which is at present within the water supply area of Northumbrian Water Ltd. but adjacent to the water supply area of Hartlepool Water plc.

The proposal

  The Director General of Water Services (the Director) proposes:

  (i) to vary the appointment of Hartlepool Water plc (Hartlepool) as a water undertaker so that it includes the site in its water supply area; and
  (ii) to vary the appointment of Northumbrian Water (Northumbrian) as a water undertaker by excluding the site from its water supply area.

  At present, the site receives no supplies of water from Northumbrian and the proposal is based on the “greenfield site” criterion under section 7(4)(b) of the Water Industry Act 1991. If appointed, Hartlepool intends to provide supplies of water for development on the site.

Representation of customers’ interests

  The Director considers that this proposal will facilitate competition in the provision of water supplies. Hartlepool intends to charge customers on its standard tariff.
  The Director has appointed 10 Customer Service Committees (CSCs). These Committees have responsibilities for the representation of the interests of customers of those water and sewerage companies which are allocated to each of them. Both Hartlepool’s and Northumbrian’s customers are served by the Northumbria CSC, which from 7th December 1998 will be based in Darlington.
  If Hartlepool does become the water undertaker for the sites as described above, the Director has provisionally concluded that the interests of new customers there should be represented by the Northumbria CSC.
  Any representations about, or objections to, the proposals should be sent in writing to Beryl Brown, Head of Competition Policy, Office of Water Services, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham B5 4UA (fax 0121-625 1379), so as to be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, 27th November 1998.