Water & Wastewater Treatment

Hot Topics A panel discussion in the U lity Week Live Water Wholesale Theatre on 23 May will look at the poten al for demand-side energy management. Speakers will discuss the challenges, constraints, and opportuni es presented by renewable technologies and low-carbon approaches. Water industry opera ons are intensive, and require large amounts of energy for pumping, water treatment and waste management. Many water firms have decided to increase renewable energy genera on to offset the impacts of increased energy prices, and to use their resources (for example, sludge) as efficiently as possible. Other contribu ons include hydro, solar and wind. The sector is making a substan al contribu on to the government requirement of 15 per cent renewable energy by 2020. An example of an innova ve approach to energy- use-reduc on is a partnership between United U li es, Sainsbury's and Aggregate Industries, formed last year. The ini a ve – The Living Grid – was started to relieve pressure on the na onal grid by demand response. The idea was to create 200MW of flexible power across the UK by 2020, using smart technology powered by founding tech partner Open Energi. Mee ng to discuss the op misa on of energy will be Thames Water's Nick Mills, Brunel University's Iona Pisica, MWH's Steve Palmer, and Open Energi's Steven Clarke. The UK water industry faces many challenges posed by uneven popula on growth and water scarcity, climate change, an aging asset-base and rising customer expecta ons. A session in the U lity Week Live Water Wholesale Theatre on 24 May will explore these challenges, and the ways in which they can be overcome. The sector has achieved much over the past 25 years through sustained investment. According to Water UK, our beaches and rivers are cleaner, and our drinking water quality is among the best in the world. On top of this, leakage has been reduced by a third, customer service has improved, and increased efficiency has kept average bills at li le more than £1 per day. However, looking forward to the next 25 years the water sector faces many new challenges, which will require significant further investment, collabora on across the sector, and con nued evolu on of the regulatory framework. This will ensure the water sector con nues to deliver the outcomes customers and society want, efficiently and effec vely. Speakers mee ng to discuss this topic will be Wessex Water director David Elliot, United U li es director Jo Harrison, WRc head of water and environment Karen Light, Welsh Water director Tony Harrington and Ofwat director Trevor Bishop. Op mising energy in the water industry A sustainable water industry for the future Book your free ckets today www.u lityweeklive.co.uk | 7

• Cover