Lunch & Learn: Environmental Incentives - Standardisation across the water sector to deliver water smart housing
Date / Time:
Friday, 17th April 2026 - 1-2PM
What is the webinar about?
All English water companies offer environmental incentives to encourage developers to incorporate water‑efficient design and sustainable surface‑water management into new housing developments. In some cases, these incentives can offset most—or even more than—the capital cost of water‑reuse assets. However, uptake has been limited because incentives are often difficult to locate and lack consistent guidance. To address this, EWSC produced two documents: a single consolidated summary of all current environmental incentives across English water companies, and a second report providing a standardised framework to align statements, standards, and guidance. Together, these aim to improve clarity, promote consistency, and support wider adoption of sustainable development practices.
Speaker
Stuart Edwards, Project Delivery Manager, United Utilities and EWSC
Stuart Edwards MCIEWM, C.WEM, CSci, CEnv is a Chartered Water and Environment Manager with more than 20 years of experience in the water industry. Over the past three years, he has served as Project Lead and Sponsor for the national Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) programme, driving forward initiatives on high‑quality SuDS, community stewardship, innovative finance and funding models, and the standardisation of environmental incentives across water companies.
Stuart has spent over a decade working closely with housebuilders to help them meet Water Company adoption requirements, integrate sustainable water solutions, and deliver more resilient developments. He brings deep technical expertise in wastewater networks and water reuse and is recognised for his ability to bridge strategic thinking with practical delivery. His work continues to shape more sustainable, future‑ready, and community‑focused water management across the UK.