Water & Wastewater Treatment

www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | november 2014 | 7 Comment I t's rare that developments in the water industry ignite sufficient passion for thousands of people to take to the streets, but that is exactly what is happening in the Republic of Ireland at the moment. Over 50,000 people – some estimates claim 100,000 – turned out in Dublin on October 11 in a demonstration organised by the Right2Water campaign, an alliance of unions, political groups and members of the public. The campaigners are rail- ing against reforms which mean they will be charged for their water for the first time, rather than it being funded through general taxation. The march was far from a one-off event: it was merely the biggest expres- sion so far of a general discontent on the water charging issue which has The illusion of free water also seen Irish Water workers being forcibly prevented from installing water meters, and the threat of organised civil disobedience in the form of non-pay- ment of water bills. A popular refrain chanted by the protestors during the campaign has been 'From the river to the sea, Irish water will be free.' Free water is, of course, an illu- sion – and a dangerous one at that. While the wet climate in Ireland might give the impression of an abundant resource, somebody must pay for the massive infrastructure involved in mod- ern water and wastewater treatment, and pay the highly skilled workforce required to maintain it. Whether it is through taxation or through individual bills, the public will pay for what they receive in the end. The fact that so much of Ireland's water infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade – with al- most half of the country's treated water lost to leaks in the network – could be viewed as evidence enough that the funding model was due for a rethink. Meanwhile, without a price of any kind being put on the resource, it's impos- sible to even start to address wasteful consumer behaviour. Structural reform to Ireland's James brockett eDItor Jamesbrockett@fav-house.com water industry was always going to be controversial: it's unwelcome to receive a bill for anything that has previously been given to you for free, especially in a country where people have had to bear the brunt of austerity measures of all kinds. But one aspect of the debate that probably hasn't been given enough airtime is the effect on water industry employees. It's a short step from being seen as the supplier of a free service, to being taken for granted; and negative sentiment in the Emerald Isle has now progressed significantly further than that, to the point where water industry employees in Ireland must now feel that they are public enemy number one. The industry faces a perennial challenge in attracting more skilled young people to work in water, when they could o'en earn greater financial rewards elsewhere. Whatever the politi- cal rights and wrongs of the changes that are taking place in Ireland, we can only hope that the debate and the spotlight on the issue encourages more people to place a higher value on their water, and the hardworking people who deliver it to their taps. Follow us on twitter @wwtmag Industry view sponsored by keith Hayward, National sales and marketing manager Hydro International's european Wastewater Division The skills shortage is a persistent problem facing construction and engineering workforces not only in the UK, but in many of the world's leading economies. A lack of new recruits is combining with an ageing workforce to widen the gap. The UK's Energy & Efficiency Industry Partnership estimates that 50% of current utility sector employees are set to leave by 2023 with some 200,000 new recruits needed to replace them. So, it's encouraging to see our leading engineering bodies campaign- ing for more apprenticeships and On-site skills: closing the gap university courses, as well as for more women engineers. one area where the water industry is likely to need more skills is in on- site operation and maintenance. As utilities adopt total expenditure (totex) models, additional resources will be required to successfully maintain and extend the life of equipment. more planned and pro-active maintenance can deliver measurable savings to the whole-life cost of equipment and significantly reduce the risk of downtime or consent breaches. The value that engineering and maintenance skills contribute to water company Key Performance Indicators like energy saving, environmental compliance and customer service also has to be fully acknowledged not only by head-office personnel but by the on-site staff themselves. Site and maintenance personnel will need to deliver more preventative maintenance strategies successfully in future and this is likely to involve new ways of working for some teams. A comprehensive programme of regular training is therefore essential. ensuring a transfer of knowledge between long- serving team members and newer staff will also be critical. Contractors can o en be the best placed to offer staff training on process-critical plant, especially where they have specialist working knowledge of the equipment concerned. by outsourcing training, utilities can keep up to date with the latest technology and techniques. Hydro is anticipating a growing demand for site services. As a manufacturer and oem supplier we are able to supplement the skills of on-site maintenance staff, or work as part of the team. on- and off-site training forms an important component of this service. For more information from Hydro International's UK Wastewater Division please call 01353 645700, email enquiries@hydro-int.com or visit www.hydro-int.com.

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