AMP8 and the Future of the UK’s drainage and sewerage system in 2026
Why the Water System Is Under Strain – The Challenge
At the heart of the challenge is a combined sewer network. In most of England and Wales there is a system conveying both wastewater (from homes and businesses) and surface water (from roads and roofs) together. When rainfall exceeds capacity, regulators permit storm overflows (also known as Combined Sewer Overflows or CSOs) to discharge diluted sewage into rivers and coastal waters to protect homes and businesses from flooding. It’s the reason why we have seen a significant increase in budget for AMP8.
Population growth, widespread hard surfaces (tarmac and pavements), and more frequent heavy rains due to climate change have dramatically increased the frequency and severity of these overflows in recent years. Meanwhile, many sections of the network are far from fully mapped, assessed, or reliably monitored, complicating proactive management and targeted investment.
Recent Performance & Environmental Impact
Official data from the UK government’s Environmental Performance Assessment shows that sewerage pollution incidents reached their worst levels in over a decade in 2024,
with increases observed across most major water companies compared to the year before. No company achieved the top performance category, and several companies had material year-on-year deterioration in sewer performance.
Independent reporting and Environment Agency data also tell a stark story of continued raw sewage discharges into rivers and coastal waters with events measured in millions of hours annually, despite pledges to invest billions into infrastructure improvements.
Priority Work with AMP8
Many companies are targeting large reductions in storm overflow frequency through targeted interventions including storage tanks, green infrastructure (Sustainable Drainage Systems), relining of sewer pipelines, and wetland buffers.
- National industry planning (via Water UK’s National Storm Overflows Plan) seeks to modernise almost 9,000 poorly performing overflow sites across England alone.
- Investment proposals of over £10 billion aim to significantly cut spill numbers by 2030. Indeed, some plans aim to halve overall pollution volumes within this period.
Looking toward 2026 and beyond, the picture is a mix of progress and frustration: regulatory reforms are accelerating, monitoring is expanding, and enforcement actions (including civil penalties) are increasing. However, the scale of required upgrades, complexity of networks, and ongoing climate pressures mean that meaningful, observable environmental improvements will continue to play out over several years.
AMP8: Current State of Play
The indicators from combined sewer overflow monitoring, ecosystem stresses and public concern have pushed regulators, government and companies to front-load investment on storm overflows, network capacity, treatment work upgrades, and sustainability measures. The National Storm Overflows Plan and new regulatory requirements are driving much of the activity within AMP8.
1. Unprecedented Funding Levels
- Ofwat’s PR24 price review set allowed expenditure across AMP8 at roughly £104 billion. a significant step-up from recent cycles, with a focus on environmental outcomes and infrastructure resilience.
- Within that, a material portion is allocated to wastewater network performance, including storm overflow reduction, wastewater treatment upgrades, and rehabilitation of ageing sewer networks.
2. National Storm Overflows Plan (NSOP)
- Industry proposals underpinning AMP8 envisage £10.2 billion+ of investment during 2025–2030 targeted at reducing storm overflow discharges, making it one of the most expansive programmes for sewer overflows globally.
- Delivering the NSOP investments is subject to regulator (Ofwat)and government approval, and delivery proposals remain under detailed scrutiny.
3. Regulatory and Environmental Drivers
- The Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan (SODRP) is still being embedded into regulatory frameworks such as the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). This sets long-term targets that AMP8 will begin to implement.
- New statutory targets (e.g., Environment Act phosphorus limits) drive complementary wastewater quality upgrades that many companies align with AMP8 delivery and permits.
4. Strategic Focus Areas Within AMP8
- Storm overflow reduction across thousands of sites with new storage tanks, network separation, real-time monitoring and green (e.g., Sustainable Drainage Systems) solutions.
- Wastewater treatment work upgrades including major capital programmes (e.g., Thames Water’s planned £840 million package of works).
- Network resilience & digital investment to improve operational visibility and early fault detection.
- Net zero carbon initiatives, aligning with the sector goal of operational emissions neutrality by 2030.
Key Themes & Likely 2026 Sector Expectations
Regulatory & Government Interaction
- Ofwat’s PR24 Delivery Plans are under continuous refinement in dialogue with government aims (e.g., the SODRP) and environmental permits.
- It’s expected that much regulator approval for funding spend and performance incentives/penalties will crystallise in 2026 as companies transition from planning to visible delivery.
Performance Outcomes
- Early AMP8 flood and overflow reduction performance metrics will start to be published later in 2026, feeding into regulator assessments for future Incentive/Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODIs).
Supplier Market
- The supply chain, engineering consultancies, civil contractors, specialist plant hire and equipment providers will see increasing demand through 2026 as AMP8 procurement opens fully.
Why AMP8 Is So Different
Where previous AMPs focused on steady incremental improvements, AMP8 marks a transformative period with higher investment, sharper environmental targets and deeper integration of technology and sustainability in delivery. With storm overflow prevention and infrastructure resilience at the core, 2026 represents the transition from design and procurement into full-scale delivery — turning regulatory commitments into physical outcomes.
Tanker Types & Equipment Commonly Used in Drainage & Sewerage Work
Specialist plant and vehicles are essential to construction, maintenance and emergency response work across the drainage and sewerage sector. The most commonly used types include:
- High-capacity suction units used for collecting liquids, sludge and debris from pits, drains, pumping stations and treatment works.
- Standard industry choice for initial clearing and site preparation.
- These units not only empty waste but separate solids from liquids on-board, returning clean water back to drains or recovery tanks, reducing disposal costs and environmental impact.
- Increasingly popular on congested urban sites where space and discharge options are limited.
- Use high-pressure water jets and vacuum recovery to safely excavate around sensitive hidden assets (e.g., utility lines) with minimal collateral damage.
- Preferred for pinpoint utility exposure during repairs.
- High-pressure water jetting gear clears blockages, cleans sewer walls and facilitates CCTV inspections.
- Multi-function vehicles combining jetting and vacuum capability for versatility on tight schedules.
When selecting equipment for installations and remediation work, key considerations include:
- Capacity & Reach: Matching tank volume and boom reach to site needs.
- Waste Handling: Whether separation and on-board treatment can reduce disposal logistics.
- Terrain & Access: Urban versus rural access constraints.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring permit and waste transfer documentation standards are met.
Dawsongroup EMC’s Leadership in the Sector
In a market where reliability, efficiency and uptime matter, Dawsongroup EMC has solidified its position as a key partner across the UK water sector, supporting:
- Tier 1 & Tier 2 contractors engaged by water authorities on major infrastructure programmes (including AMP8-related works), supplying the specialist plant and vehicles they need to deliver on time.
- Local civil contractors and SMEs, enabling access to tankers and equipment from industry-leading manufacturers such as Whale, Bucher, Kaiser and Crossland, fostering flexibility and efficiency on projects of all scales.
- Consultative support, helping operators specify the right assets for particular job profiles, whether high-volume vacuum tankers for big jobs or specialised recyclers for environmentally sensitive sites.
With a focus on service, asset uptime and compliance, Dawsongroup EMC is at the forefront of helping the industry meet current demands and future performance expectations. Get in touch and we can advise on the equipment and your requirements.
