ICE urges the government to raise spending

The government’s management of the water and wastewater infrastructure is worsening, with more spending needed on mains replacement, better management of resources, more planning and more public education needed, according to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

In its State of the Nation report, the ICE said flood management measures were also worse than last year, with more money needed in flood-risk management.

On the road side, 12 of the 18 planned openings of major schemes had not taken place. The ICE called on the government to set up more pilot road pricing schemes to cut the growth of traffic, pointing out that current policies are poor in terms of sustainability.

It wants more local light rail schemes, following the government withdrawal of support for three schemes in Hampshire, Leeds and Merseyside. On the water side, it calls for new reservoirs, stepping up the replacement of mains, recycling sewage effluent, water transfer and desalination plants.

[Contract Journal, 18 Novemeber 2006, p 3]