Utility Week

34 | DECEMBER 2021 | UTILITY WEEK Event A glass half full? Innovation and the water sector Amid a rising tide of new commitments and changing customer behaviours, experts gathered at Utility Week Innovate's Drinking Water Quality Conference to tap into the industry's innovation pipeline. I n light of a tumultuous pandemic year yielding new water usage behaviours and a tightened focus on health and well being, providing clean, safe and affordable water is more crucial than ever. What's more, with both new and existing regulatory targets looming alongside net zero ambitions, it remains imperative that the water industry continues to adapt and review techniques, technology and opportu nities for sectorwide innovation in drinking water. All of this comes against a backdrop of Brexit, Covid19 and climate emergency – challenges, which Neil Dewis of Yorkshire Water told Utility Week Innovate's Drinking Water Quality Conference are "interwoven". Beatrice Martin, business development manager and head of clean water at Xylem Water Solutions UK, added that the whole water cycle needs considering when thinking about quality – from river catchment to tap, while Stephanie Cawley, head of water treat ment at Severn Trent, explained that clean drinking water is the customer's top priority and that "the small things add up" in driving standards. Here are some of the streams steering the flow of drinking water innovation high lighted at the conference: Evolving regulation and policy landscape Providing some more detail on the regula tory backdrop to PR24, South East Water CEO David Hinton outlined the importance of going beyond statutory obligations and deliv ering greater public value in drinking water. He explained that water companies were well placed to deliver on this front and that an increased focus on water quality chimed with themes and priorities set out by both Ofwat and the Department for Environ ment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – for example, around protecting and enhanc ing the environment, serving and protect ing customers and driving improvements through increased resilience, efficiency and innovation. Discussing what "good" looks like in terms of drinking water quality at PR24, he outlined the need to understand the impor tance of water quality to customers, stake holders and society; ensuring that focus on water quality isn't lost within a broader scope of responsibilities; linking longerterm strategy with environmental and netzero goals; focusing on more naturebased solu tions and moving away from carbonintense processes as well as the role of longterm asset maintenance. However, Yorkshire Water's Dewis added that the Environment Bill being at risk of "stalling" also makes it difficult for the industry to plan, commit or drive as far it would while Marcus Rink, chief inspector at the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI),

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