Environmental Protection – Operator Pollution Risk Appraisal (EP OPRA).

UKWIR have commissioned WRc to undertake an important research programme to provide the UK water and wastewater undertakings with information on the likely nature and impact of the introduction by the Environment Agency of a new approach, designated Environmental Protection – Operator Pollution Risk Appraisal (EP OPRA). This alternative approach to compliance assessment includes the possibility of Operator Self-Monitoring (OSM), as a way of giving operators more responsibility for managing their environmental performance.

This strategic piece of work arises from the opportunity that the Regulators have to develop Process Based Control (PBC) principles as a means of regulation; supporting or displacing the current end-of pipe sampling and monitoring system. Process control measures including management systems and alternative methods of monitoring such as continuous monitors or on-site testing offer opportunities for improvement to both the regulator and the operator.

The Programme will be seeking to clarify the EA's position with respect to OPRA, through discussion and consultation. It will also examine the industry’s chosen preferred practice PBC measures (applied now or intended) to try to understand how these compare, to consider how they fit into OPRA and to determine what the direct benefits arise from this. The programme will also examine what additional measures might be required to gain more from OPRA and to identify any additional effort that might be required.

The programme will improve the Water Industry's understanding of the likely nature and impact of a new form of regulatory control and enable them to make informed decisions relating to different consenting regimes. The project started in September 2008 and is due to report in December 2009. For more information contact Leo Carswell on leo.carswell@wrcplc.co.uk