Water & Wastewater Treatment

Innova on in the water sector: taking our businesses to places they cannot imagine today. We are living in hugely exci ng mes. We are facing the most amazing period ever for the UK water industry in terms of opportuni es and need to innovate, whether down to poli cal, economic or social change. These driving forces, coupled with some brilliant advances in technology, have the poten al to take us to some truly visionary places. Stepping away from the gadgets on our treatment works and networks it is not just about technology, it is about UK water plc. We need innova on around water management and na onal infrastructure, as well as around the business models and frameworks in which we operate. We also need this with agility and pace if we want to keep up with the rate of change in society. Consider mega trends and the resul ng trends of popula on growth, urbanisa on and the ever-increasing and compe ng demands for water (domes c, agricultural and industrial). How can we challenge ourselves to reduce the water footprint of all our decisions and bring to life the concept of natural capital? There is growing impetus behind the need to think innova vely around the town planning, to look at ways to monitor, measure and manage water, waste and energy in a much more joined up fashion. So, not UK water plc but UK plc? That implies more collabora on. We could do worse than to embrace co-crea on, lean start-up principles and more partnering with SMEs to accelerate development to implementa on, at the same me as reskilling our workforce for a more high-tech future. So, it is ours for the taking. In driving more innova ve solu ons, as an industry we may want to reflect on how we can be more crea ve and more open and focus on the "why we can/ should" rather than the reasons "why we can't/shouldn't". Culturally we've come a long way as an industry, and yet we s ll have a way to go on the innova on journey, what an opportunity. How exci ng is that? Bob Stear is speaking about innova on in water on the Water Wholesale Theatre at 11:15 on 23 May. Tony Harrington, director of environment, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water "The water industry has invested billions of pounds over the last few decades on behalf of customers. Working in partnership with the UK's governments, regulators and community groups, we have rivers and streams that are now abundant with life." Michael Roberts, chief execu ve, Water UK "The risks posed by climate change and popula on growth are present and growing, but through demand-side and supply-side measures we can mi gate those risks at modest cost." Alison Fergusson, principal engineer, Ofwat "There's real poten al for markets in sludge ac vity. Between local water companies there could be be er ways of handling sludge across company boundaries. We also think there could also be synergies with the wider waste market." John Reynolds, chief execu ve, Castle Water "The level of change in the water retail market in England will be more revolu onary than an cipated." " Speaker's column: Bob Stear, head of innova on, Severn Trent " 8 | Book your free ckets today www.u lityweeklive.co.uk

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