d to the high-income band and rates of investment have been adjusted accordingly (downwards as a proportion of GDP). INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2030: TELECOM, LAND TRANSPORT, WATER AND ELECTRICITY - ISBN 92-64-02398-4 © OECD 2006 5. THE IMPACTS OF CHANGE ON THE LONG-TERM FUTURE DEMAND FOR WATER SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE In estimating the changes in investment profiles as a result of the four main drivers, the effect of technology has been assessed as reducing the costs by some 6.66% on baseline. This has referred to an increase on typical current figures for efficiency gains for the England and Wales service providers at just less than 3%, but is estimated to be potentially some 6% by the economic regulator. For the other drivers, the costs have been assumed to increase by a total of some 33% as a consequence of environmental drivers (current UK estimates). The greater need to attract private sector participation and funding will mean that risk premiums will be higher, with more account of profit margins. Hence the increase for socioeconomic drivers has been taken to be some 25%; with the effects of internal politics it is slightly more than half of this figure at 15%. It should be noted that the projected investments represent an estimate of what in an ideal world would be required to provide and maintain adequate levels of water infrastructure services for all sectors of a countries' economy and population. The projections illustrate the scale of the challenge that faces those at all levels responsible for planning for and providing water service needs, indicating that there is no room for complacency. Furthermore, it is unlikely that there will be any significant tail-off in investment requirements over time; rather, priorities will switch from infrastructure investment to infrastructure maintenance. Earlier it was suggested that the potential benefits in health terms alone have been estimated at USD 84 billion per annum, just for meeting the MDG - and this is simply for bare minimum provision of water services. Improving 