What is the Environmental Incentives Common Framework
Ofwat introduced the Environmental Incentives Common Framework (EICF), effective 1 April 2025. This is aimed toward incentivising new household developments to build more water efficient properties. This introduces two new elements, the Environmental Component and Environmental Incentive. The framework is only available for developments that have made an application from 1 April 2025.
Environmental Component
The Environmental Component is a charge for each water service provided to a household property connected to the network. This charge is to fund the Environmental Incentives.
Environmental Incentives
The Environmental Incentive is a payment designed to encourage customers to create water-efficient properties by installing more efficient fixtures and fittings (e.g. taps, showers) and/or combining these with other water reuse opportunities. To qualify for an incentive, you must submit the required information during your application. All payments are subject to eligibility and compliance with the relevant qualifying criteria.
Our Sustainable Homes teams are here to support you through the framework and can help guide you through practical solutions to achieve incentives. We are available at dx@affinitywater.co.uk
What are the Environmental Incentives Tiers
Our Environmental Incentives operate on a three-tier system: ‘Basic’, ‘Enhanced’, and ‘Premium’. We also offer a more ambitious ‘Water Neutral’ tariff for developments aiming to create new properties without increasing the overall demand on Affinity’s water network. For more information, please refer to the Bespoke Incentive section.
When submitting your application, each tier will require a supporting form outlining how you intend to meet the requirements for the incentive.
Basic Environmental Incentive
The Basic Environmental Incentive requires customers to install fixtures and fittings that meet the methodology detailed in the table below.
Ofwat methodology for measuring water efficiency under the EICF
| Water fittings |
Maximum consumption (equal or less than the following values) |
| WC |
≤ 4 / 2.6 litres dual flush |
| Shower |
≤ 7 l/min |
| Bath |
≤ 170 litres |
| Basin taps |
≤ 5 l/min |
| Sink taps |
≤ 6 l/min |
| Dishwasher |
≤ 1.0 l/place setting |
| Washing machine |
≤ 6 l/kilogram |
If a dishwasher or washing machine is not to be fitted prior to occupation, and the remaining fixtures and fitting are installed at the qualifying rates, you will still only be eligible for this tier.
Enhanced Environmental Incentive.
The Enhanced Environmental Incentive requires customers to exceed the minimum requirements for our basic incentive and achieve water usage of 81–90 litres per person per day.
If a dishwasher or washing machine is not to be fitted prior to occupation, the calculation will assume the consumption rates in the basic table.
Premium Environmental Incentive
The Premium Environmental Incentive requires customers to exceed the minimum requirements for our basic Incentive and achieve water usage of 80 litres or less per person per day. This can be achieved through a combination of efficient fixtures and fittings alongside water reuse systems.
Please note the calculation for litres per person per day requires the inclusion of usage for a dishwasher and washing machine. Where these aren’t fitted prior to occupation, the calculation will assume consumption rates as shown in the basic table.
Your easy guide to Environmental Incentives
Step 1
Making Your Application
Step 2
Requesting Your Audit
Step 4
Compliance Assessment
Step 1: Making Your Application
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As part of your development’s application, we will ask whether any of your properties meet the qualifying criteria for Environmental Incentives. Within five calendar days of receiving your application, we will confirm if all the necessary information has been provided.
Please note that Environmental Incentives must be applied for during your initial application. Unfortunately, we are unable to add them at a later stage in the process.
Step 2: Requesting Your Audit
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Once the property has all fixtures and fittings installed and is unoccupied, it will be ready for an audit. All audit requests should be made through the Development Experience Portal by completing the request for audit form. Please allow at least seven working days for us to arrange an audit. For more details, see the Audit section.
Please note that audits will not be carried out under any circumstances on occupied properties, in line with Ofwat’s guidance.
Step 3: The Audit
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There are two methods of audit: an Affinity audit or a self-audit. Upon receiving your request for audit, Affinity Water will review your submission and confirm the appropriate approach.
All audits will be recorded using a mobile device camera via a dedicated webpage designed to capture the flow rates of the installed fixtures and fittings. Affinity Water will provide the weblink upon confirmation of the audit approach. The webpage will guide self-audits to ensure the process is straightforward.
Please note that self-audits require a flow cup, stopwatch, measuring jug, and a mobile device to complete the process. The recording must be live and cannot be uploaded from a library.
Step 4: Compliance Assessment
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Once the audit is complete, we will review it against your application tier to check for compliance.
If passed, we will send an email confirming with you the outcome of the audit and details on the next steps.
If failed, we will discuss the issues with you and agree on next steps, which may include a chargeable re-visit.
Step 5: Payment
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At the start of each month, we will review all plots that have passed compliance in the preceding month. Payment will be processed no later than the final working week of the month. For further information please see our charging arrangements.
Auditing and Compliance
Audits
Auditing is essential to ensure new properties comply with their respective tier. Audits must be conducted on unoccupied properties where all relevant fittings and fixtures have been installed.
In line with Ofwat guidance, Affinity Water will not conduct audits on properties that are occupied.
The developer is responsible for requesting an audit through the customer portal at least seven days before the property is occupied. Affinity Water will confirm the audit method within three working days of receiving the request.
Affinity Audit
Affinity Audits are conducted by an Affinity Water representative. They will arrange the audit using the contact details provided in the request for audit form on the customer portal. The representative will meet the relevant site agent at the agreed date and time and will require access to the properties included in the request.
Self-Audit
In some cases, customers will be asked to perform a self-audit. When this method is required, Affinity Water will provide a link to a website with detailed instructions on completing the self-audit using a mobile device’s camera.
Self-audits require the following:
- A flow cup
- A stopwatch
- A measuring jug
- A mobile device
The recording must be live and cannot be uploaded from the device’s library
Audit Outcome
Once the audit is completed, a review will determine whether the property complies with the tier applied for, this will be completed within 5 working days. Affinity Water follows a consistent approach to auditing, as outlined below:
| Level |
Criteria |
Output |
| Pass |
All fixtures, fittings and products installed align with the relevant qualifying criteria. |
We will issue a confirmation email confirming compliance alongside next steps, where applicable this could include reduced intensity audits for future visits. |
| Fail |
Any of the installed fixtures, fittings and products do not meet the relevant qualifying criteria. |
We will talk you through the issues and agree next steps that may include a chargeable re-visit.
Customer developments maybe subject to higher intensity audits. |
Developments may be subject to higher-intensity audits if non-compliance is identified.
Deterrence and Penalty Measures
To deter non-compliance, Affinity Water reserves the right to impose penalties on customers failing to meet qualifying criteria:
- Customers failing three audits within a 12-month period will be disqualified from applying for Environmental Incentives for 12 months from the date of the last failed audit.
- Applications for Environmental Incentives submitted prior to a prohibition notice will continue but remain subject to audits and compliance checks.
- Any changes to penalty measures will be communicated to customers serving a prohibition notice.
Audit Intensity
| Audit Intensity |
Applicable to |
Audit Frequency |
| Low |
Customers who demonstrate compliance at moderate intensity across 3 consecutive site audits. |
Singular inspection of each house type on development. |
| Moderate |
First time applicant for Environmental Incentives
Customers who have non-compliance at moderate or low level and customers who demonstrate compliance at high intensity across 3 consecutive site audits. |
Minimum of 1 in 10 properties (10% of development). Each house type must have at least 1 audit. |
| High |
Customer who has received or completed a prohibition notice. |
Minimum of 1 in 4 properties (25% of development). Each house type must have at least 1 audit. |
Payment
At the start of each month, we will review all plots that have passed compliance in the preceding month. Payment will be processed no later than the final working week of the month. For further information please see our charging arrangements.