A Stream Steering Group was convened on 2026-07-14. The Steering Group comprises experts that represent [Stream] water companies, regulators, research, innovation bodies and government. Co-chaired by Icebreaker One and NWL, the group’s primary function is to help provide leadership and market signalling. 

Meeting Aims

1. Surface levels of comfort and any concerns regarding Stream’s direction of travel to function as an independent entity
2. Clarify and identify the stakeholders required to sign off on the direction of travel
3. Agree and sign off the Open Data Maturity Assessment policy and implementation activities

Summary:

• It was agreed that:
  • Outstanding SG votes must be completed promptly, including the previous meeting’s vote on Q3 outcomes and the Open Data Maturity Assessment vote from this meeting.
    • Current voting returns remain slow, causing delays and additional burden on the IB1 Secretariat, this is particularly exacerbated during the APR period.
  • Members should review the full Open Data Maturity Assessment pack and complete the Open Data Maturity Assessment by October 2026
  • Stream will proceed with drafting the transition paper explaining the move from project to independent entity, taking note of member feedback.
  • Business development principles received no objections so the process will be embedded and tested.
  • The business development process would be updated to include Member‑led (as opposed to externally requested) use cases.
  • Price‑review points will be added to Stream’s annual calendar (Oct/Nov) to ensure that what is being charged is in line with cost to serve. These will be scheduled to align with strategy planning.
  • Stream will formalise and publish its values, and define service offerings for members vs paid users.
  • Stream will support members with procurement and internal sign‑off, preparing collateral for exec‑level conversations.
• It was noted that:
  • Q3 will be a busy quarter, covering transition roadmap, Open October, three‑year strategy, WBC bids, continuous water quality monitoring, citizen science proposition, and refreshed web presence.
  • Resource constraints exist in some companies so the Product Team will provide procedural guidance where needed.
  • Transition to an independent entity is less overhead than might be perceived – primarily a change in where money flows and how contracts are held. Two transition checkpoints will occur:
    • 2027: new entity begins receiving funds within the existing project window
    • 2028: full legal transition when the collaboration agreement ends
  • Regulatory support from Ofwat is strengthening, including alignment with wider data‑sharing initiatives and future policy guidance.
  • Stream remains an exemplar of sector collaboration with strong cross‑company engagement.
• It was discussed that:
  • Members need clearer, more regular executive‑level communication from Stream to help articulate value internally.
  • Standardised service packages and repeatable processes will reduce bespoke estimation and support scale‑up.
  • The value framework is the critical decision point for assessing incoming commercial work and is being strengthened.
  • Transition planning should consider:
    • Funding risks and minimum viable membership numbers must be understood to ensure long‑term sustainability and Stream’s future funding model must balance member contributions with grants and sponsorship, keeping base costs low and avoiding discretionary‑spend risk.
    • Future recognition of Stream as a regulated business expense could support stable funding through business plans. Stream must avoid becoming a discretionary spend, requiring strong narrative, regulatory alignment, and visible outputs.
    • Breakout groups raised concerns about procurement blockers, transition clarity, scaling, and funding gaps, all to be addressed in the transition paper.
    • Procurement due diligence will be required when Stream becomes a supplier (anti‑slavery, ethics, minimum standards).
    • Scaling considerations (e.g. citizen science) must be carefully planned to remain sustainable.
  • Suggested internal member organisation stakeholders for sign off on the transition strategy include:
    • Exec sponsor (often CIO/CDO/IT Director or Chief Engineer)
    • Procurement
    • Legal
    • Open Data Governance / Data Strategy groups

Next meeting: Tuesday 10 September 10:00-12:00 BST

Formal records, including attendees, are maintained by the secretariat. 

These are confidential to the Steering Group Members.