All reservoir engineers and supervising engineers register
The ICE Reservoirs Committee (RC) is a statutory committee that advises the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on the operation of the Reservoirs Act 1975 (as amended).
This legislation, first introduced in 1930 as a public safety measure, permits the regulation of large raised reservoirs (those designed to hold or capable of holding more than 25,000m3 of water) in the UK.
Panels
Monitoring and inspection is carried out by panels of qualified civil engineers who make the technical decisions relating to the safety of reservoirs.
- Applicants for membership of these panels are appointed by the Secretary of State (of Defra) “after consultation” as to whether they are “qualified and fit to be placed on that panel”.
- Appointments are for 5 years and before their term expires engineers may apply for re-appointment for a further term.
- A fee of £385 is payable for each application for appointment or re-appointment to a panel.
A list of all Reservoirs Panel England and Wales can be found here
A list of Supervising Engineer Panel England and Wales can be found here
A list of Scottish panels of reservoir engineers can be found here
The reservoir engineers panel structure
There are four panels of qualified civil engineers:
- Supervising Engineers (SupE)
- All Reservoir Engineers (AR)*
- Non-Impounding Reservoirs (NIR)
- Service Reservoirs (SR)
* Members of the ‘All Reservoirs’ Panel (also called Inspecting Engineers) are qualified to undertake all aspects of the design, construction, inspection and supervision of all types of reservoir – this includes the NIR and SR categories.
Owners or operators of reservoirs under the Act (‘Undertakers’) must employ a supervising engineer to at all times supervise the reservoir and to inform the undertaker of anything in its behaviour that might affect safety.
How to apply for appointment to panels
Supervising Engineers Panel (SupE)
Applications for appointment are made via DEFRA and assessed for suitability by the ICE Reservoirs Committee.
N.B. Applications to panel(s) in Scotland: If you're applying to a panel in Scotland only, or at the same time as applying to a panel in England and Wales, you must complete an additional form.
Making your application
E-mail your application for appointment or re-appointment to reservoirfm@defra.gsi.gov.uk – and please make sure you cc: reservoirs@ice.org.uk.
Include the application to a panel in Scotland – this will be forwarded to the Scottish Government by the team at Defra.
Applications for reappointment should be submitted at least 8 months before expiry.
- Applications submitted by 10 August 2018 will be assessed and interviewed, if applicable, during week commencing 17 September 2018.
- Applications submitted by 30 November 2018 will be assessed and interviewed, if applicable, during week commencing 14 January 2019.
- Applications submitted by 29 March 2019 will be assessed and interviewed, if applicable, during week commencing 6 May 2019.
- Applications submitted by 9 August 2019 will be assessed and interviewed, if applicable, during week commencing 16 September 2019.
Advice from Defra on the outcome of an application will follow in due course.
A fee of £385 is payable for each application for appointment or re-appointment to a panel.
Cheques are made payable to ‘Defra’ and should be sent to
Jason Bedassie
Dept. for the Environment, Food and Rural Affair (Defra)
Reservoir Safety Team
Seacole Building
3rd Floor, SW Quadrant
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Information for engineers:
Guidance notes and application forms for re-appointment to the Supervising Engineers Panel are available here:
All Reservoirs Panel (AR)
As above, applications for appointment are made via DEFRA and assessed for suitability by the ICE Reservoirs Committee.
Information for engineers
The following guidance is available for new appointments to the AR Panel and for those seeking re-appointment:
ICE Reservoirs Committee
The composition of the Reservoirs Committee is determined by ICE, and comprises representatives of the government, reservoir owners, the enforcement authorities and members of the All Reservoirs panel. The Committee’s chairman is either the ICE President or his nominee.
Members of the All Reservoirs panel are appointed to the RC via nomination to a shortlist, which is then subject to a vote. Appointments to membership of the RC are for a 3 year period.
New applicants for appointment to Reservoir Engineer Panels are usually interviewed by a sub-committee, and the Act requires that those appointed to a panel are required to re-apply for membership of that panel every five years.
The ICE Reservoirs Committee is currently chaired by David Balmforth.