Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1072554
P R E S E N T S the sector is seen to be in a greater state of transi on than individual businesses. On average, respondents scored their business at 7.0 and the wider industry as 7.4. According to one respondent, transi on in the water sector means "delivering customer expecta ons in a cost eff ec ve and effi cient manner". Similarly to energy u li es, the customer must be both catered for and an ac ve par cipant in the water sector's transi on to a smarter, more resilient and more sustainable future. But Ian Barker, managing director at consultancy Water Policy Interna onal, raises concerns that the sector is not yet doing enough to engage with its customers. "Adop ng new technologies, smart metering in par cular, will be a major part of this move to be er engagement with customers," he says. The UWL survey found that water metering is expected to reach its pping point for mass take up in 2026, while water reuse technologies will be a li le slower un l 2029. "It's important that there is a focus on consumers taking more control of their water usage," insists Barker. "However, if customers aren't delivering in the way that a company has forecast, then they're in trouble. It's crucial that customers know that they are part of the solu on. At the moment, that o en isn't the case." Overall, Barker admits it's a "mixed picture" across the water sector. The approach to environmental issues exemplifi es this, with some companies excelling, while others really struggle to meet standards. Barker says: "Wessex Water, for example, is doing quite a good job across the board on environmental issues, but that's not the case across the sector. "There have been recent examples of companies being fi ned for pollu ng the environment – this highlights the systema c lack of a en on that some fi rms are giving to environmental issues. "Technology will play a role in monitoring areas such as sewerage and waste water. But ul mately companies must be more proac ve in dealing with issues long before they become a serious problem." A key factor will be developing the right training and skills to ensure that water businesses have the right people across its teams who place environmental concerns as a cornerstone for all decision making. Mark Smith, CEO at consultancy WRc, also believes fi rms must place more importance on dealing with the skills gap to drive innova on throughout businesses. "U li es must address the real skills gap with genuine interac on with suppliers and universi es," he says. Technology will play a role in monitoring areas such as sewerage and wastewater, but ul mately companies must be more proac ve in dealing with issues before they become a serious problem. II 18 | FEBRUARY 2018 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk