We published our first ever DWMP in May 2023 which was well received amongst regulators, stakeholders, and customers. We’re proud of what we achieved and as we embark on the next iteration the plan, we strive to be even more ambitious, building on the successes, whilst also looking for ways to improve.
We are currently reviewing and updating the DWMP, and we will share with you our updated draft plan in November 2027, ahead of final publication in August 2028. You can find out more about our approach to developing the DWMP below.
What is the DWMP?
The DWMP is a long-term strategic plan for the North West (up to 2055), and it will build on the existing plan published in May 2023. The DWMP will continue to have a strategic and evidence-based focus, and throughout the development of the plan, we will identify risks and opportunities both now and in the future. The outputs from this becoming the building block of the future business plans.
The DWMP will:
- assess the capacity of wastewater and drainage systems;
- strengthen partnership working to drive integrated investment across the North West; and
- explore and facilitate innovative solutions.
This will deliver benefits to customers, communities and the environment and ensure a resilient and sustainable future for the region.
How we will deliver the DWMP
We will develop our plan through six development stages, to understand risk and opportunities at a local level and to provide an overall regional view.
The development of the DWMP is a step-by-step process and each component focusses on a different aspect:
- Strategic Context – sets our long-term ambition for the future
- Understanding the past – focusses on past performance to understand where risks and opportunities may arise
- Understanding the future – forward forecasting performance to understand what risks and opportunities may arise
- Options development – understanding what interventions and options could be used to deliver benefits across the North West
- Preferred Plan – defining how the preferred interventions could be delivered across the short- and longer-term
- Reporting and review – where we share with you the collated DWMP in November 2027 and August 2028.
Who will we work with along the way
We see the development of the DWMP as a way to bring stakeholders and customers together to plan for the future of the region’s drainage. The North West is a diverse region and different stakeholders and customers could have varying views and priorities. In the development of the DWMP we will seek a wide range of views and aim to balance these where possible, to deliver a final preferred plan which provides best value.
We will be working with stakeholders at every stage to develop the plan collaboratively, from setting long‐term ambitions to selecting preferred solutions. This inclusive approach will help safeguard the environment and public health and support housing, economic growth, and climate resilience across the region.
Get in touch
Please get in touch if you would like any further information, have any questions, or would like to be involved.