Signed during the British Water International Reception, which took place on 24 February in London, the MoA will facilitate the exchange of ideas, innovation, and business opportunities, enable members of each organisation to access new markets and establish connections, and support sustainable water technology advancement globally.

Beverley Ferrera, European representative for The Water Council said, “The Water Council is delighted to formalise this partnership with British Water. Both organisations are deeply committed to providing support, connections, and opportunities for their members. We believe that collaboration across borders drives innovation, fosters commercial growth, and strengthens the global water sector.

“The International Reception is the ideal setting to celebrate this new chapter, and I’m looking forward to working in partnership with British Water to create meaningful opportunities for businesses in UK and US markets over the next three years.”

Both organisations have committed to cross-promote programmes and offer special membership discounts; facilitate business relationships, business-to-business meetings and pilot projects; promote each other as key resources for companies entering US or UK markets; and provide ‘soft landing’ services for British Water members setting up in the Milwaukee region.

Lila Thompson, chief executive of British Water, said, “Both organisations have a shared and strong commitment to continuously improve the level of services and connections for members and British Water is very excited to sign this MoA with The Water Council, an organisation dedicated to solving critical global water challenges by driving freshwater innovation and advancing water stewardship.

“The three-year MoA will significantly benefit both organisations’ members by enhancing business development, expanding international reach, and fostering greater knowledge sharing.”

The keynote speech at the Reception was delivered by Francesca O’Hanlon, senior water manager and leader of the water security strategy for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), who highlighted the importance of implementing good water practices company wide.

O’Hanlon said this was especially important with the impacts of climate change, which are predominantly felt through water, and explained that there were opportunities available to the private sector to partner with non-profit organisations, like the Rivers Trust, to increase water security.

Mark Coates, international forum chair for British Water, who delivered the welcome address said, “The International Reception has become a cornerstone of British Water’s mission to highlight the strength and potential of the UK’s water sector on the global stage and it is great to have so many dedicated and passionate water professionals in one room.”

The International Reception helps grow UK exports, raise the international profile of the UK water industry supplier community, and encourage the sharing of best practice, while providing an opportunity for businesses to gain further visibility as key players in the industry.

Attended by international operators, consultants, contractors, technology suppliers, research institutions, government departments, and funding agencies, the reception was held in collaboration with the World Water Tech Innovation Summit as supporting partner, and RSE as platinum sponsors.

The most recent briefing, AI Explained, on 3 October, explored the emergence and adoption of AI in the water and wastewater industry. The session was designed for those new to AI, companies looking to implement AI, or those hoping to gain greater knowledge about this topic. It explained how companies can take the first steps in understanding their data landscape, how to lead AI implementation within an organisation, and current applications in the water and wastewater industry.

Speakers included Caroline Gregory director of IT, digital and estates at Ofwat, who discussed AI and the open data strategy; Jethro Yates from Thames Water, George Schley from engineering consultancy Jacobs and Tania Flasck, Byron Roelofsz and Aidan Helmbold from ExploreAI, which builds AI-driven software and digital twins for global companies.

Increased investment
“With the growth of big data, cloud computing and other technological advancements, AI has become more accessible than ever. The potential for AI to help drive and support economies is already recognised across government and industry,” said Gregory. “There is a widespread commitment from the government to support and invest in the water sector’s use of AI.”

Ofwat’s £200 million Innovation Fund supports developing and deploying innovative solutions to address the water sector’s challenges. Several AI projects are backed by the Innovation Fund, including Safe Smart Systems (SSS) which is led by Anglian Water in partnership with Jacobs, Skanska, Imperial College, Microsoft, the University of Sheffield, and South West Water, Portsmouth Water and Affinity Water.

Long-term resilience
George Schley spoke in detail about the £7.5 million SSS project, which is developing an AI-powered system to improve the long-term operational resilience of water systems in the face of climate change and rapid population growth. The system will identify, predict, and manage vulnerabilities to reduce leakage, interruptions, and pressure issues across the whole water cycle.

The project is a first step towards autonomous control of water systems in the UK. The system will be able to learn from data and experience to make decisions that optimise the performance of the water system – helping to ensure everyone has access to a safe and reliable water supply, even in the face of challenges such as climate change and population growth.

The UK Government’s commitment to investment in AI for the water sector is a positive development. The AI market for the global water sector is growing rapidly, driven by the need to address the challenges of climate change, population growth, and pollution. According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, the global AI market for the water sector is expected to reach US$2.6 billion by 2027.

Latest technologies, trends, and regulations
British Water’s Explained briefings are a series of paid-for webinars that are open to both members and non-members. They provide in-depth overviews of key topics in the water and wastewater industry. They are designed to help attendees learn about the latest technologies, trends, and regulations, and to make informed decisions about their businesses.

Lila Thompson, British Water’s chief executive said, “The webinars are proving to be one of our most popular offerings. The briefings are excellent value for money and open to anyone interested in learning more about the water and wastewater industry. They are particularly well-suited for water and wastewater professionals, as well as for suppliers and other stakeholders in the industry.”

Topics covered in the Explained webinars include:
• Technology: New and emerging technologies in the water and wastewater industry, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and the internet of things
• Regulation: Changes to government regulations that affect the sector, and how businesses can both comply with them and identify opportunities
• Procurement: A detailed explanation of the procurement process and contracts within the water sector
• UK Water Industry: An overview of the structure of the UK water industry – the key players and how it is regulated.

British Water provides numerous opportunities for water companies and the supply chain to connect, collaborate and access current and trending innovation and information through its UK, Technical and International forums. Membership is open to all companies with an involvement in the water and wastewater industry in its broadest sense.

Key findings from the survey include:

• Last year’s joint lowest performing water company, Southern Water, has risen by one place to 10th, while Northern Ireland Water remains in last place
• The highest scoring company for innovation remains Northumbrian Water
• The most significant drop was Anglian Water, down from 2nd place in 2022 to 8th in 2023
• The most significant rise was Severn Trent Water, which rose from 10th place last year to 5th in 2023

British Water’s annual UK Water Company Performance Survey asks contractors, consultants and suppliers to rate their clients’ performance in 12 areas, including professionalism, contractual approach and communication.

Innovation continues to be the lowest scoring area – at a time when there are widespread calls for water companies to find new ways of working to address key challenges. The average score for innovation was 6.4, although it has risen slightly from last year’s average score of 6.2 out of ten.

Northumbrian Water led the pack with an average innovation score of 7.9, while Northern Ireland Water and South West Water were significantly below the industry average, each scoring 5.4.

“It is vital that cultures that foster a healthy ecosystem in which supply chain companies can operate and innovate effectively are embedded within and across water companies, for the best outcomes for customers and the environment,” said Lila Thompson, chief executive of British Water. “Once these are in place, a thriving sector will follow.”

“We are continuing to see low scores for innovation, procurement, communication and AMP transition, and this is a clear indication that work still needs to be done as we approach the next five-year Asset Management Plan period (AMP8), which starts in 2025,” added Thompson.

The second lowest scoring areas in the survey are working digitally, the ability to implement workforce contingency plans to sustain operations, and the ability of partners and main contractors to follow policy. The Water Industry Forum (WIF), which operates as a neutral and independent forum of British Water, tackles challenges facing the UK water sector through thought leadership and facilitated collaborative working.

WIF is looking at the recommendations raised in British Water’s Supply Chain Task Force on innovation, cyclicality and procurement/T&Cs and will consider the areas highlighted in the most recent survey. Thompson welcomed the development. “WIF is a vital organisation for the water industry,” she said. “It provides a forum for discussion, debate, collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership, which, as the survey results highlight, are critical areas for development across the sector”

British Water’s annual survey was first undertaken in early 2003 in response to companies asking for feedback on how they were viewed by the industry supply chain, and how they were seen to compare with others. The survey seeks views of individuals working in the industry rather than a corporate standpoint. The survey reflects a variety of opinions across the supply chain at every level of business. This range of views provides valuable insights for the industry into how water companies interact with their supply chain, how the supply chain feels about this, and the progress water utilities have made over the years.