A turning point for water: MTC reflects on the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations
Water
The Independent Water Commission’s Final Report sets out a bold vision for the future of the UK water sector, highlighting the need for integrated planning, regulatory reform, and a renewed focus on resilience, innovation, and public trust. As the sector prepares for significant change, we’ve taken time to reflect on what these recommendations mean for our industry and the communities we serve. Below, you’ll find our response to the report and thoughts on how we can help turn this vision into reality.
The publication of the Water Sector Roadmap recommendations published by Sir Jon Cunliffe marks a pivotal moment for the UK water sector. With its bold recommendations for a single integrated regulator, regional planning authorities, infrastructure and asset health reforms, and a renewed focus on resilience and public trust, this is more than a roadmap—it’s a call to action.
At the MTC, we see this as a tremendous opportunity to harness the power of innovation and advanced manufacturing to support the transformation envisioned in the report. The challenges outlined—aging infrastructure, climate resilience, and fragmented governance—are precisely the kinds of complex, systemic issues that our R&D capabilities are built to address.
We believe the creation of regional water authorities and a unified regulatory framework will unlock new pathways for collaboration. These structures can accelerate the deployment of smart technologies, predictive maintenance systems, and digital twins—areas where the MTC has deep expertise.
Our work in automation, robotics, sensing and data-driven decision-making can help water companies deliver more reliable, efficient, and sustainable services.
Moreover, the report’s emphasis on long-term investment and public accountability aligns perfectly with our mission. We are ready to support the sector in developing scalable projects, de-risking innovation through knowledge transfer in other sectors, and building the skills pipeline needed to deliver the investment programme over the next five years.
This is a moment to be bold. From a manufacturing-led approach - faster, better and delivering greater value-outcomes through efficiencies and increased productivity - the MTC stands ready to partner with government, regulators, and industry to turn the report's vision into reality. Together, we can achieve transformation through progressive innovation, building a water sector that is truly fit for the future.
Matt Kite, Energy and Utilities Director at MTC