Water & Wastewater Treatment

U lity Week Live Water Wholesale Theatre The opening of the business water retail market to compe on on 1 April 2017 is the biggest change, and the biggest challenge, to the sector since priva sa on in 1989. The issue has dominated the agenda. Now the market has opened, but its level of success remains to be seen. Much of the focus has been on the retailers. But now some of the a en on has turned to whether the wholesalers are prepared for the monumental change market opening is likely to bring to their part of the business. In January, Business Stream chief execu ve Johanna Dow ques oned whether wholesalers really know what is coming. In Water Wholesale Theatre at U lity Week Live, just under two months on from the opening of the market, delegates and speakers will gather to discuss what retailers expect of wholesalers, and whether these expecta ons are being met. A session on day two (24 May) will look at how retailers and wholesalers are planning on working together to overcome the challenges and explore the opportuni es in the open market, with the goal of benefi ng customers. Retail is not the only market which will be subject to compe on. Ofwat has predicted the market for bio-resources (or sludge) is up to 10 per cent of the value chain of a water and wastewater company. The regulator's chair Jonson Cox says this element of the value chain is be er thought of as an energy business, rather than as a disposal problem. In a separate session, speakers will discuss the opportuni es for water companies and the wider waste-to-energy market from the opening of the bio-resources market. In a similar vein, on day one, Anglian Water head of innova on Steve Kaye, Ostara managing director, Europe Andrea Gysin, Cardiff University's Francis Wedin and Imperial College London's Geoff Fowler will look at the circular economy and resource recovery. This will include the changing percep on of wastewater which is now considered a valuable resource, rather than just something which must be disposed of. Ofwat has said it expects "enhanced" quality business plans from all water firms in the next price control (PR19) and will be "less forgiving" of poor submissions. Water UK chief execu ve Michael Roberts will be joined by Ofwat senior director John Russell, South West Water director Mark Worsfold, Future Water Associa on's Paul Horton and Consumer Council for Water's Tony Smith to talk about the challenges facing companies as they move into the planning phase. The U lity Week Live Water Wholesale Theatre will be the place to be to keep abreast of these water industry developments and more. Editor's column: Lois Vallely, news editor, Water.Retail In association with: 6 | Book your free ckets today www.u lityweeklive.co.uk

• Cover