The Society of Public Health Engineers (SoPHE), a society within the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), has expressed support for the publication of the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report and its call for transformational reform in the UK’s water sector.
Released on Monday, 4 August 2025, the report comes at a critical time as issues such as climate change, aging infrastructure, and underinvestment intersect with growing public concerns over water quality, pollution, and drought resilience. SoPHE, known for its advocacy for sustainable and integrated approaches to water management, welcomes the Commission’s evidence-led and transparent approach and endorses the following key themes:
– Integrated water systems thinking: SoPHE has long advocated for joined-up strategies that incorporate surface water, foul drainage, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), greywater reuse, and water demand reduction within the built environment. The society supports the Commission’s call for a shift towards system-level resilience within the industry.
– Regulatory reform and accountability: SoPHE echoes the Commission’s recommendation for a clearer governance model and simplified regulatory architecture that ensures accountability for performance outcomes. The society also supports the alignment of incentives for innovation and sustainability.
– Infrastructure investment and climate resilience: The report highlights the urgent need to upgrade the UK’s outdated water infrastructure, a concern that is shared by SoPHE members who witness firsthand the consequences of underfunded assets such as combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and constrained network capacities. SoPHE believes that new developments must be designed with both flood and drought resilience in mind.
– Water efficiency and demand management: SoPHE agrees with the Commission’s stance on accelerating water efficiency standards for all building types and implementing minimum performance requirements for fittings and plumbing systems. The society also advocates for incentives for innovation in areas such as smart metering, leakage detection, behavior change, and public awareness to ensure water security in the future.
– Skills and technical competence: SoPHE emphasizes the central role of skilled public health engineers in delivering the Commission’s vision. The society supports investment in training, professional development, and clearer technical leadership pathways in both consultancy and delivery.
In addition to endorsing the report’s themes, SoPHE has also provided strategic recommendations, including:
– Adopting a Whole-Life Water Cycle Design Mandate for new developments that integrates supply, drainage, reuse, and nature-based solutions.
– Mandating the use of SoPHE-Chartered professionals for strategic public health infrastructure schemes and planning gateway reviews.
– Accelerating national SuDS adoption through Building Regulations Part H reform and enhanced compliance with the drainage hierarchy.
– Embedding long-term outcomes into procurement models by rewarding water efficiency, carbon performance, and service quality.
– Strengthening the digital thread by encouraging the adoption of smart, sensor-based system monitoring that can be integrated into Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital twins.
– Encouraging water authorities to adopt smart metering and incentivizing lower costs based on lower usage.
In closing, SoPHE, a CIBSE society, reiterates its commitment to contributing to a new era of water system governance in the UK. The society urges policymakers and stakeholders to view the Commission’s report not as a criticism, but as a call to action to collectively reshape the way water is managed and valued, not just as an asset but as a fundamental human right and ecological imperative.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.