Utility Week

36 | FEBRUARY 2023 | UTILITY WEEK Water Download report Water pollution – why CSOs aren't the only challenge A Utility Week virtual debate gauged the views of water experts in the UK and Europe on the challenges facing the sector when it comes to addressing pollution and achieving environmental objectives. A s public awareness of environmental issues grows, the spotlight is firmly on water quality. Water companies across the UK and Europe are under increas- ing pressure to alleviate their environmental impact and protect vital rivers, streams and watercourses. However, with this increased scrutiny on the water sector and its approach to pollu- tion management, it is crucial that the focus goes beyond the widely discussed issue of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). While there are varied challenges across the continent, there are undoubtedly key lessons to be learnt and best practice to be shared both nationally and internationally. Utility Week, in association with Innovyze, has captured the views of water sector experts from both the UK and Europe on the complex challenges that must be tack- led to address the root causes of pollution. All comments were made during a vir- tual debate, under Chatham House Rules, and follow-up interviews which have been anonymised. The report, titled Water Pollu- tion – Why CSOs aren't the Only Challenge, considers the opportunities for the sector to improve water quality and rebuild public trust, covering three core topics: • People. What role must consumers play in tackling water pollution? How can water companies utilise analytics and predictive insights to support bet- ter engagement with key stakeholders, including the agriculture sector? • Process. What are the fundamental bureaucratic challenges hampering water companies' progress on pollution man- agement? How can better data help to streamline processes and optimise perfor- mance against environmental objectives? • Technology. What are the key chal- lenges across legacy monitoring systems? How is the use of data and the model- ling of water quality evolving, and what are the barriers to the adoption of new technologies? People While the issue of water quality is high on the political and media agenda, water companies are under increased pressure to reduce their environmental impact. How- ever, one pollution control expert said that more focus should be on collective public responsibility, not just water companies. "When people are agitated about the state of our water, I oŽen ask 'what are you doing to make it better?'," they said. "This isn't just the fault of the water com- panies. This is the fault of all of us. We are the people who put the sewage into the sew- ers, we are the people who want to be in the

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