Policy paper

Reservoir safety reform programme

Updated 24 March 2026

Applies to England and Wales

Reservoirs play a vital role in safeguarding our water supply by storing water that falls in the wetter part of the year. This makes sure there is continuity of supply when it is dry.

Reservoir safety is about ensuring the physical structure of a reservoir, its dams and embankments are safe. In England, reservoir safety legislation applies on “large raised reservoirs” which can store more than 25,000 meters cubed (m³) of water above ground level. In Wales, this applies to reservoirs storing more than 10,000m³. 

As of March 2025, there are 2,146 such reservoirs in England and 403 in Wales. Around 3 million people in England and Wales are potentially at risk from reservoir dams failing and causing flooding which could endanger life.

1. The reservoir safety reform programme

The UK and Welsh Governments launched the reservoir safety reform programme to modernise and strengthen reservoir regulation across England and Wales. This was based on recommendations from the Independent Reservoir Safety Review Report following the Toddbrook reservoir incident in 2019. Although Toddbrook met legal standards, it was not safe.

On 4 November 2024, the Deputy First Minister for Wales confirmed the Welsh Government’s intention to join the reservoir safety reform programme. They plan to implement the reforms across Wales and the intention is outlined in a ministerial statement.

The devolved administrations for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for reservoir safety in their countries. We are working closely with all the devolved administrations to share knowledge. This will help make sure there is a coherent approach to reservoir regulation across the UK.  

The reservoir safety reform programme is being delivered in phases over several years by:

• the Environment Agency
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Welsh Government
• Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

You can keep up to date via the Welsh information page or England’s information page.

2. Programme vision and aims

Our vision is to create a safety regime for reservoir dams in England and Wales which protects our communities. We will do this by increasing our resilience to climate change – today, tomorrow and the future.

3. Roles and responsibilities

Responsibility for reservoir safety regulation is divided between 3 main groups. These are:   

• reservoir owners and operators – who are responsible for the safety of their reservoirs - they must appoint engineers to supervise and inspect their reservoirs, and must act on the engineer’s recommendations
• reservoir panel engineers – who supervise and inspect reservoir construction and operation -  only engineers appointed by ministers to the reservoir panels of engineers can carry out these roles
• regulators - the Environment Agency manages and enforces reservoir safety regulation in England, while NRW does this in Wales

4. The need for reform

England and Wales have an excellent reservoir safety record. However, there are now several reasons to re-evaluate how we regulate reservoir safety. These include:

• the Toddbrook incident and the Independent Reservoir Safety Review
• climate change  -  which is increasing the pressures on reservoir infrastructure and demand for reservoirs and water resources
• the need to update the Reservoirs Act 1975 to a more, proportionate flexible regime – this is in line with safety management practices in other sectors and countries
• concerns about the limited numbers of reservoir engineers and the increasing demand for specialist engineers in future

5. Areas for reform

We are working with stakeholders to help shape our approach and achieve the following reforms:

• strengthening the roles and responsibilities for reservoir owners, operators, engineers, and the regulators
• improving the safety practice and culture, through a programme of continuous development of skills, capacity and training across the reservoir community
• modernising legislation and safety management practice to make sure we have a robust and proportionate safety regime that is fit for the future

5.1 Creating a more modern approach to hazard management

Hazard classification

We commissioned research to help develop a new hazard classification system which could enable a more proportionate approach to the regulation of reservoirs.

We are developing options for this new hazard classification and safety management system. It will be suitable for both countries and will work for all sizes of regulated reservoir.

This reform was identified in recommendations 1, 10, 3, 4, 5 and 11 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

Safety management practices

We are currently reviewing recommended changes to the management practices for reservoir safety. This includes improvements to systems that ensure risk assessment, operation, maintenance, monitoring and surveillance are being carried out effectively. The review is also looking to update and streamline the existing record and information-keeping requirements.

These reforms would be closely linked to the hazard classification proposals, with the requirements varying depending on the hazard posed by the reservoir.  

This reform was suggested in recommendations 3 and 4 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

Small raised reservoirs

Small raised reservoirs are any reservoirs that have a volume of between 10,000m³ and 25,000m³. 

The Reservoirs Act 1975 was amended by Schedule 4 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to enable these reservoirs to be brought into regulation if they have a volume of between 10,000m³ and 25,000m³. This change was made in Wales in 2016. However, this change has not yet been brought into force in England. We are now looking at applying this regulation in England.

New reporting system for recording reservoir incidents

We have launched a website to share lessons learnt from reservoir incidents. The reservoir incidents knowledge base contains case studies of reported reservoir incidents in England and Wales. You can filter and export case studies, as well as read them online.    

This reform was identified in recommendation 9 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

5.2 Improving the supply and capacity of reservoir safety engineers

Reservoir engineers’ roles

We are developing proposals to adjust and clarify the role and responsibilities of supervising and inspecting engineers, along with engineer panels.

This will:

• support achieving best practice 
• reflect the new hazard classification system 
• better support and enable skills development and career progression for engineers 

This reform was suggested in recommendations 5, 6 and 8 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

Future supply of reservoir engineers

The aim is to improve the sustainability of reservoir engineering as a profession, with robust training and employing a more diverse group of people. We need to have a functioning commercial market with sufficient panel engineers available to inspect all types of reservoirs. This will include encouraging collaboration between small organisations where they can jointly procure reservoir safety engineer services.

This reform was suggested in the  ICE review and recommendations 7 and 9 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

5.3 Updating the approach to regulation and enforcement

Modernising the legal framework

We are considering the options for modernising the legal framework.

Options include:

• new primary legislation to replace the Reservoirs Act 1975
• retaining the Act and amending it
• using existing powers to bring reservoir safety within the environmental permitting regime

This reform was suggested in recommendations 2 and 12 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review.

Role of the regulator

These reform proposals would include a stronger role for the regulators (the Environment Agency and NRW) in assessing and challenging engineer’s reports.

We are also looking at proposals for regulators to visit reservoirs to carry out spot-checks of owners’ activities. 

This reform was suggested in recommendations 2, 11 and 12 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review. 

Charging scheme

We are planning to consult on developing a proportionate charging scheme for the Environment Agency’s reservoir regulation tasks. This would be similar to other regulated sectors where more of the costs of regulation are paid by the regulated sectors rather than taxpayers. There is already a charging scheme for reservoir safety regulation in Wales. Charges for regulatory activity should consider the differences in the risks posed and hence the level of regulatory activity required.

This reform was suggested in recommendations 2 and 12 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review. 

Civil sanctions

The enforcement authority has no powers to issue civil sanctions to enforce the existing range of reservoir safety offences. In most cases the only options are:

• enforcement notice
• formal caution
• criminal prosecution

The aim is to develop and consult on civil sanction options, for example:

• variable monetary penalties
• enforcement undertakings

These would be in addition to the existing enforcement options. Different types of sanctions will be appropriate depending on the type of owner, reservoir and offence. 

This reform was suggested in recommendation 12 of the Independent Reservoir Safety Review. 

6. Working with other groups

We are engaging regularly with industry and professional bodies. These include:

• Institution of Civil Engineers
• Major Reservoir Owners Group
• Single Reservoir Owners Group
• High Level Engagement Group

We encourage you to share your views with your representative body so they can represent your interests in shaping the reforms.

7. Contact us

Email us at RSR_Programme@environment-agency.gov.uk to get in touch or visit our Welsh information page or England’s information page for more information.