EWSC Project Reports
Delivered as part of EWSC ‘Enabling Actions’
Reports
Here are a list of all the EWSC project reports so far, listed in chronological order. Each project report has been produced by an EWSC project member as part of the individual ‘Enabling Actions’ that make up the EWSC project.
Tokenising water smart
communities
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Water Ledger is a blockchain-powered platform for water management that creates shared, tamper proof records of water allocations, usage, trades and rights, using distributed ledger technology (DLT).
This report from the Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) project focuses on the use-case of Environmental Incentives for Developers.
Water reuse: Whole life OPEX and carbon
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This summary report sets out the headline findings from EWSC’s assessment of the whole‑life operational cost and carbon impacts of water reuse systems in new residential development in England.
It provides a clear, decision focused overview of what water reuse systems cost to run over a building’s lifetime, how those costs compare to conventional infrastructure solutions, and what the implications are for carbon, water security, and housing delivery.
Impact of reduced water usage on wastewater treatment performance
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This document outlines the findings of the Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) wastewater treatment modelling study, which addresses the central question: What is the impact of water conservation measures on WWTPs, and what actions are recommended for utilities, developers, and regulators?
Environmental Incentives: Standardisation across the water sector to deliver water smart housing
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In 2024 Ofwat published the “Environmental Incentives Common Framework”. It sets out the high-level principles and processes for all Water Companies and Developer Customers to follow with respect to Environmental Incentives.
Some companies have had incentives in place for years; however, it has been observed that: a) Uptake has been low and b) Stakeholder awareness is low.
A collaborative review of the current Environmental Incentives proposed by Water Companies has been undertaken, to agree on a standardised set of incentives applicable across UK’s Water Sector.
Planning for Water: The Value Of High-Quality SuDS
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Exploring the value of high quality SuDS: With growing pressures from climate change and ageing infrastructure, we need new approaches to managing rainwater and surface water in housing developments.
This work explored perspectives around Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) through a poll with over 2000 UK adults, immersive field work in new build locations with SuDS, and interviews with developers. It also undertook economic analysis to value the wider benefits of these systems, beyond their drainage and flood control benefits.
The report calls for decisive action from government to make high-quality SuDS mandatory in all new developments and clarify adoption and maintenance responsibilities.
Bridging the skills gap for water reuse in the UK
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Currently, workforce and supply chain capabilities are insufficient to meet projected demand for water reuse schemes, essential for tackling water scarcity and supporting housing growth – but there is action that can be taken to fill this skills gap.
This report, prepared by Waterwise as part of the EWSC project, calls for a comprehensive strategy involving training and education for all stakeholders, clarification of regulatory frameworks, and the establishment of funding opportunities to ensure the safe, effective, and sustainable implementation of water reuse systems across the UK.
Building Standards Part G Consultation: EWSC Response
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This document lists EWSC’s response to the consultation, including our suggested amendments.
We encourage the Government to use this opportunity to ensure that these Building Regulations play an instrumental role within a new regulatory framework that supports long-term resilience, ensuring that new developments delivered in the coming years make more efficient and sustainable use of water resources.
Sewer impacts pamphlet: Impacts of water use strategies on sewerage
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Several UK water companies are making great efforts to reduce water consumption but often those planning water efficiency measures have little understanding of the potential impacts on sewerage infrastructure downstream.
This pamphlet displays the information and methods available to assess these impacts in a format that is accessible for decision making.
Community-led stewardship: Research insights
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This workstream explored the concept of community-based stewardship, specifically focusing on the stewardship of water-related assets in new developments.
It uncovered insights on the challenges and barriers associated with implementing community stewardship, and developed approaches for overcoming these – leading to the development of a Blueprint for water stewardship for use at different stages of community development.
EWSC Independent Water Commission response: Managing rainwater where it falls
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This report sets out a rationale and evidence to the Independent Water Commission (IWC) on the need for a more concerted approach to both harvesting and using rainwater beneficially where it falls, and likewise infiltrating, storing and slowing it to reduce flood risk and pollution from overloaded combined sewer networks and contaminated runoff from highways and other hard surfaces.
Water reuse in new housing: Understanding the business case
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This study sought to increase clarity over the costs of installing individual property or community-scale water reuse by sourcing and analysing capital cost information on the main components of water reuse installations: external pipework, storage and treatment equipment, and internal pipework.
The case for water smart housing: economic and public perspective analysis
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This economic analysis by Public First estimates the proportion of planned homes that could be delayed by a lack of water capacity in the southeast and east of England, and the potential knock-on impact to the economy over the next five years.
Public perspectives around water scarcity and reuse were explored through an anonymous online survey of over 4,000 people across the UK.
Community-led stewardship insights report
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This report collates the findings from Phase Two of the Community-Led Stewardship work-stream Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) project.
This phase tested the Water Stewardship Blueprint – a framework designed in Phase One to support the integration of long-term water management into new housing development - with two Community Land Trusts (CLTs) at different development stages.
Benefit-cost analysis for high-quality SuDS
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WSP, commissioned by United Utilities (UU) under the Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) innovation programme, conducted a comprehensive analysis to evaluate the whole-life benefit-cost of high-quality Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) compared to low-quality SuDS.
The study addresses a key question: Can high-quality SuDS deliver greater benefits than low-quality SuDS without incurring additional costs?
A people-centred perspective on Enabling Water Smart Communities
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This research, conducted by the University of Manchester for EWSC, explores the perspectives of potential future residents of water smart communities, and the wider community of practice involved in the design, construction, and long-term governance of water smart housing.
Water reuse regulations and guidance: A single source of truth
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In a previous report from the The EWSC project “A Roadmap to Water Reuse V2.0”, a key finding was that there was confusion over the relevant regulations and guidance in the water reuse area.
This report considers the regulations and guidance (with emphasis on non-potable, community-scale schemes) in concurrent stages from the initial concept of a water reuse initiative through to its on-going operation.
Water reuse: Safety planning and delivery roadmap
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Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) has developed a suite of practical guidance and strategic tools to support the safe, scalable adoption of water reuse across the UK.
This includes a Water Reuse Safety Plan Template, which provides a structured methodology and template for developing Water Reuse Safety Plans (WRSPs), and the Water Reuse Roadmap 3.0 which sets out the latest position on enabling water reuse at scale.
Climate Resilient Gardens: Project summary
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The EWSC project has explored the potential to establish a Climate Resilient Gardens Accreditation Scheme for new housing developments, setting a clear benchmark for how residential landscapes must perform in a changing climate.
The scheme looks to drive the delivery of gardens that withstand hotter, drier summers with minimal irrigation, while remaining robust, functional, and flood-resilient through wetter winters.
Water Efficiency and Reuse in Housing: Design Guide for a Changing Climate
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This is a new guide developed in collaboration with the Good Homes Alliance, the UK Water Efficiency Collaborative Fund (administered by Waterwise) and EWSC is for architects, developers, planners, and housing associations.
The guide, authored and edited by Pollard Thomas Edwards, provides case studies, best practice, and industry insight to respond to the urgent need for ‘water-smart’ homes due to mounting water stress in the UK.
Summary of Water Sector Environmental Incentives 2025-2026 Charging Period
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This new report from EWSC is an attempt to simplify the environmental incentive offering across the sector, by compiling all the environmental incentive offerings into this single document in a table format as well as providing a two-page summary of each, which follows a common structure.
We hope the combination of these resources will encourage developers to see water reuse as a viable option when constructing new homes across the UK.
Reducing the prevalence of private estate management arrangements: EWSC Response
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The EWSC project team welcomes the opportunity to respond to the MHCLG consultation “Reducing the prevalence of private estate management arrangements” considering its work examining how Integrated Water Management (IWM) can be embedded within new housing developments, and how water-related infrastructure can be effectively stewarded over the long term.
Integrated Water Management Studies (IWMS) review
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The EWSC project has published a landmark review of Integrated Water Management Studies (IWMS) across the UK, offering vital insights into the current landscape of sustainable water management — and a clear path forward.
The review highlights the urgent need for a more joined-up approach to water management, where regulation, governance, and community engagement are aligned around shared outcomes.
A Roadmap for enabling water reuse in new housing developments
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The Roadmap identifies in chronological order the key activities required, primarily by Water companies, but also others, in order for England and Wales to be ready to rapidly implement community scale water reuse schemes going forward.
The roadmap was developed via a workshop with several water companies and later refined at a roundtable with water industry regulators. To ensure a holistic approach, the work covers: Political, Environmental, Social, Technological, Legal and Economic issues.
Designing smarter urban water systems for low water demand developments
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This Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) report examines how low-water-use housing developments affect drinking water and sewer networks, helping inform future design standards for low-demand communities. While reducing household water demand supports water security and sustainable growth, lower flows can increase risks such as water stagnation, reduced water quality, sediment build-up, odour and sewer blockages.
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