Institute of Water Magazine Winter edition 2020 by Institute of Water

WINTER 2020 ISSUE208

IN THIS ISSUE CONFERENCE REVIEW SUSTAINABILITY UNDERGROUND ASSETS COLLABORATION

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Welcome to the 2020 Winter Edition of the Institute of Water Magazine. “Every day, talented and audacious people across the globe are creating solutions to make the planet a better place. In the current times, these innovators and their dreams of a sustainable future bring hope and optimism to citizens.” Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth It’s hard to imagine a year when the world’s vulnerabilities have been thrown into sharper relief. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we cannot address the challenges we face siloed and alone. We can only create these solutions together. Water UK’s 2030 Routemap, published on November 12th, is one such exercise in partnership. An extremely ambitious, world first sector wide commitment, it highlights the importance of collaborating as a unanimous voice in the industry. The Routemap outlines a number of interventions for the sector. They include: 1) investing in energy efficiency interventions to reduce electricity interventions from pumping and treatment; 2) increased renewable energy generation; 3) increased exports of renewable electricity to the grid; 4) creation of additional biomethane for use in homes and businesses; 5) purchase of green electricity from wind farms and other renewable schemes. Renewable energy is a clear focus, and rightly so. The largest proportion of the water industry’s carbon footprint is attributed to energy use. The water industry is the 4th most energy-intensive industry in the UK, using approximately 3% of UK generated electricity.

Technology will be a key enabler to the change required to deliver the Routemap. After years of playing catch up, the UK water sector - respected worldwide for its engineering heritage - is emerging as a hothouse of technological innovation. Game-changing applications of large-scale data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics, are combining to reinvent business processes and transform operational and asset performance, resilience and efficiency. 2020 was set to be the year of climate action, culminating in the (now postponed due to Covid) COP26 in Glasgow. But despite the challenges thrown up by the pandemic, dropping the ball on the journey to Net Zero is not an option. And given the daunting water security and resilience challenges facing the planet, caused by population growth, increasing demand, declining resources, pollution and the effects of climate change, nothing short of a revolutionary response will suffice. James Forrest Institute of Water Board Member and Executive Vice President and Head of Energy & Utilities for Capgemini UK

Features

18 Conference Review 24 Sustainability 46 Underground Assets 70 Collaboration

Regulars 4 Members Updates 6 IWA 8 Environment News 9 Environment News 10 CPD 12 Mentoring 13 Young Persons’ Network 14 New Registrants 16 Diversity 99 Area News

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MORE FROM OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF STAFF - MICHELLE HARDIE I think we can safely say that I have joined the Institute at an unusual time and my baptism into the water sector hasn’t been the most straightforward. However, the warmth of our members, committees and the head office team have made it a pleasure. Although I have been unable to meet any of our members or volunteers in person yet, I have been gathering a picture of the work we do and how we may be better able to support our existing members and to grow our membership base. I have been humbled and inspired by the passion and hard work which our area committees of volunteers demonstrate. This reflects the wonderful passion for the water sector and the careers and personal development of all those who work within it that the Institute so admirably represents. Our events programme seems to have adapted magnificently and in the few weeks since I started there has been a fabulous range of online activities,

2020 AGM The 75th AGM was held online on 23rd September with 64 members in attendance. President Sara Venning presented the report of the Board for the year, assisted by Robin Price on Membership and CPD, Sarah Murray on Diversity, Equality & Inclusion, Ian Barker on Environmental Sustainability and Steve Youell on Areas. Financial results exceeded expectations, with a healthy surplus from the Belfast Conference turning a forecast deficit into a surplus. Having agreed last year that subscriptions would increase annually in line with inflation, it was agreed to freeze subscriptions at the current rates for 2021, recognising the difficult economic situation.

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webinars and networking, from CPD training to cocktail making. I particularly enjoyed our recent online annual conference and although disappointed, as everyone was, not to be attending in person I was impressed and inspired by the topics covered and particularly by the international perspectives that some of our speakers were able to bring. I am looking forward over the coming months to building on the work the Institute does in supporting our members and to spreading the word more widely about the many benefits of being a part of our Institute. In line with our business plan I will also be reaffirming and establishing links with other

organisations to help add value to our members, reviewing our website and its functionality and developing greater academic links. If you have any ideas or feedback about your membership, or any comments on the areas I will be looking at then please do get in touch with me. I would love to hear from you. Email michelle@instituteofwater.org.uk Michelle Hardie - Membership Engagement and Development Manager

2021 subscriptions remain as:

There were no changes on office, with all Fellow £134 officers continuing for a further year in Full £118 their respective roles: Associate £103 ■ President, Sara Venning Technician £51 ■ Vice President, Bob Taylor ■ VP Engineering, Jo Parker Student £31 ■ VP Science, Robin Price Retired £46 ■ Chair, Steve Youell ■ Vice Chair, Catherine Fearon Company Affiliates: Small (1-50) £360 We are pleased to welcome three new Medium (51-500) £515 members to our Board of Directors: Large (>500) £824 ■ Liz Barber, CEO Yorkshire Water ■ James Forrest, Executive Vice President Don’t forget our new direct debit and Head of Energy & Utilities for service provider offers a flexible Capgemini UK payment plan for subscriptions (old ■ Ian McAulay, CEO Southern Water mandates, set up on paper, cannot be used). At the same time we were sorry to lose Sign up by logging in to your membership profile at the top of our website – if you have forgotten your username please call us on 0191 422 0088. www.instituteofwater.org.uk

Simon Cyhanko and Douglas Millican from the Board. Simon served as Chair from 2017 to 2019; Douglas as President 2018/2019 and both have made a lasting impact during their time on the Board. Simon and Douglas have been made Fellow Members and we can be assured of their support for years to come.

MEMBERSUPDATE AGM - AWARD WINNERS The Allen Bolton Award was created in memory of one of the founder members of the Institute, Allen Bolton. This award is presented each year by the National Chair to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the Institute of Water and to the professional development of its members. This year’s winner is Jo Parker. Jo has been a member of the Institute of Water for over 30 years, with the majority of this time playing an active part in our success. Currently serving on the Board as Vice President Engineering, Jo was

the first female to be elected as National Chair (1996/97) and the first female President of Eastern Area (2004/05).

The President’s Cup was originally presented to the Area with the highest percentage increase of members but last year it changed to take account of a number of different functions – some less obvious – carried out by our Area Committees. Before announcing the winner, Steve reflected on what our Areas have achieved over the last year, especially given the unprecedented times we currently find ourselves in.

All Area Committees have continued to meet (virtually of course) to ensure we maintain our events programme, seamlessly transitioning from physical events to webinars: since March and up until the AGM we had held 41 webinars, attracting over 3300 attendees. Steve thanked all of our Area Committees for their continued support and dedication over the last year and as we move into 2021, before announcing the 2020 winners of the President’s Cup: South East Area.

FIRST WINNER OF THE NORAH SIMPSON SCHOLARSHIP We are delighted to announce Eleanor Howard – a Student Member - as the first winner of the Norah Simpson Scholarship. labs at Whitlingham in Norwich. Peter’s time at UEA and the opportunity he was given inspired and enabled his career and Peter was keen to give others the same opportunity, particularly those who share his passion for water. Thanks to Peter’s generous donation, UEA and Peter established the Norah Simpson Scholarship, named after Peter’s Grandmother. Norah Simpson was a primary school teacher and guided Peter through much of his early education and this scholarship is in her honour. Eleanor, who holds a BSc in Geography, joins the University of East Anglia (UEA) this autumn on an MSc in Environmental Science. Earlier this year we reported that UEA had worked with former Institute of Water President Peter Simpson, CEO of Anglian Water, to launch a scholarship for those interested in pursuing postgraduate studies related to water. Peter himself received a grant to fund his MSc at UEA and did his thesis in part with Anglian Water, who then employed him in the

Peter said: “It is thanks to a scholarship that I have been able to pursue my passion for water, and I am thrilled that I have been able to give someone else that same opportunity. I am very pleased to welcome Eleanor as the first Norah Simpson Scholar and I wish her all the best with her studies.” Eleanor said: “I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge of the environment and I am particularly interested in how science is applied

at a policy level. I am hoping to carry out my dissertation research abroad, if COVID-19 allows, and the scholarship will really help me make this a reality. As well as the financial support, I hope the scholarship will open up connections and opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I am really honoured to have received the scholarship – I still can’t quite believe I was selected! I would like to say a huge thank you to Peter as this scholarship will undoubtedly make a big difference to my academic life.”

About the Norah Simpson Scholarship The scholarship of £5,000 is awarded annually to enable postgraduate students to study disciplines related to water at the University of East Anglia. Apply now for 2021/22 Email info@instituteofwater.org.uk for an application form

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YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONALS UK CHAPTER RIDING THE TIDE TO GREENER ENERGY AIM: To prove the environmental sustainability of tidal range energy schemes so they can help meet global energy demand

WATER INFORMATICS

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING EPSRC CENTRE FOR DOCTORAL TRAINING

E AT E CR

0D Model Used to design the laboratory tests Scale: X = 1:5000 Y = 1:100

Physical Model Simplified geometry of Tidal Range Schemes built in lab to test different layouts

Numerical Model Data from physical model used to calibrate and validate models in Delft3D

Outcomes Determine best layout for energy production & healthy environment

Acknowledgements: This research is funded as part of the Water Informatics Science and Engineering Centre for Doctoral Training under a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

This year, given the current circumstances, the annual poster competition was a digital event – a first for the UK Chapter of the IWA! We received 18 entries in total via Twitter over the 24 hour period of the competition. The master judging panel (Ben Tam, Lynn Cooper and Marie Whaley) agreed that the standard was once again incredibly high. There were two prizes on offer: Best Poster, where each judge was issued with criteria which they used to score each entry based on content, accessibility and design.

‘Monitoring Infectious Diseases in Near-RealTime for Rapid Outbreak Response’. He will receive the 2020 Water Engineering Award Medal kindly sponsored by the Engineers Trust of the Worshipful Company of Engineers. This year, this will be presented during the WCE Awards Ceremony via Zoom on the 14th October.

Thank you to both the IWA UK committee for supporting the event and to our judges for their time participating in this. Also, thank you to Natalie Lamb and Matthew Whaley for their help co-ordinating this.

Best Interaction, which was judged based on the level of engagement throughout the 24 hour competition period, including a review of the number of likes, shares as well as the quality of questions asked and answered. Many congratulations to our winners, who have now been notified: ‘Best Poster’ was awarded to James Boxall-Clasby (Bath University) with his poster entitled

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‘Best Interaction’ was awarded to Catherine Leech (Cardiff University) who submitted a poster entitled ‘Riding the Tide to Greener Energy’, pictured, and demonstrated an exceptional level of engagement throughout the competition. She will receive a complimentary place at the Institute of Water Annual Conference in 2021.

We will be running the digital poster competition again in 2021 so watch out for further information soon! James Boxall-Clasby, above, monitoring the COVID19 pandemic by looking for coronavirus genes in wastewater

Keep up to date at @iwaukywp

INTERNATIONALWATERASSOCIATION

EXCITING NEWS FOR THE IWA IN THE UK! IWA 2024 World Water Congress comes to Glasgow We are pleased to announce the exciting news that the International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress & Exhibition will be held in Glasgow in 2024. It will bring together the very best thinking and science on both adaptation and mitigation of the climate and environmental emergencies and aims to be a catalyst for collaboration and change. The last few years have witnessed a growing recognition that water is at the heart of achieving a safe, sustainable and resilient future for life on the planet. As one of the world’s largest international membership organisations of water professionals IWA has a critical role to play. The UK is ideally placed to host the 2024 Congress with its focus on driving strong environmental performance and innovation to protect and enhance our environment, promoting the use of nature-based, integrated solutions, and delivered using the power of digital tools. UK Water

Companies are committed to achieving net zero carbon by 2030 and are addressing wide-ranging environmental issues using circular economy thinking and approaches that will leave a net positive gain for the environment for future generations. The Glasgow Congress will build a legacy which centres on a shared common purpose and an action plan to adapt and mitigate against climate change and enhance environmental sustainability for long term water resilience - unlocking the benefits of good health and social and economic value that we have taken for granted and need to reinstate. Ben Tam, Chair of the IWA UK Committee and IWater Board member, said: “In the water sector there are few opportunities as compelling as hosting the IWA Congress. We have had such positive signs of support from across the UK water sector during this bid and are thrilled that the 2024 Congress will be hosted in Glasgow. It will enable us to showcase the best the UK sector

has to offer whilst welcoming the global community to one of the UK’s most famous cities. “We are aiming to create a hub for the exchange of knowledge and best practices and to form long-lasting global connections in the world of water. Our best endeavours will go towards creating a digitally enabled Congress that both attracts delegates to the physical location and, using the available technology, to reach those who would not be able to travel, thereby leaving a lasting legacy and an imprint of the discussions and knowledge exchanged.” The Congress will be based at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) – a modern, compact venue within walking distance of Glasgow City Centre. Glasgow is the gateway to Scotland: it is accessible, affordable and has tremendous destination appeal for all conference delegates. The event will be supported by the Glasgow Convention Bureau, voted Best UK Convention Bureau (M&IT Awards 2020) 14 years running.

Apply today for Professional Registration Professional Registration recognises competence and expertise in a subject area and demonstrates an understanding and knowledge of this expertise. The Institute of Water is licensed to register Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers, Engineering Technicians, Chartered Environmentalists, Registered Environmental Practitioners, Registered Environmental Technicians, Chartered Scientists, Registered Scientists and Registered Science Technicians. For guidance and advice contact Sarah, our Professional Registration Manager, 0191 422 0088 or sarah@instituteofwater.org.uk Please note, you must be a member of the Institute of Water to apply.

“I really enjoy my role in the laboratory and the contributions I make to ensure the provision of a high-quality analytical service to our customers. By achieving the Registered Scientist status, it has encompassed all the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years and identified gaps in my skill set. I would encourage everyone to achieve professional registration as it’s a fantastic way to look back on your experiences and showcase all the skills you have learnt from them.” Christopher Bell, Registered Scientist Technical Specialist; Anglian Water

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ENVIRONMENTNEWS

LEAVING THE EU As we prepare for our departure from the European Union it’s worth reflecting on what it has meant for the UK water sector. Among other things, it has brought us a Directive to deliver international standards for drinking water, Directives to provide statutory protection for the most important sites for nature conservation, and a Directive to require an integrated approach to river basin management and the restoration of aquatic ecosystems. Delivering on these hasn’t been easy, and you’ll be aware that the last – the Water Framework Directive - is proving particularly challenging. But in every case it’s questionable whether we would have done as much if it weren’t for the catalyst of these legal requirements. Those of you with very long memories will know that one of the reasons for the privatisation of water in England and Wales in 1989 was so that the public purse didn’t have to bear the cost of implementing the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. The UWWTD sounds dull, but

it has been responsible for ensuring that wastewater discharges should be treated to a standard that doesn’t damage the environment or human health, and it has driven unprecedented investment by water companies in sewerage networks and sewage treatment. And where the pace or effectiveness of that investment was deficient, the threat of infraction of Member States by the Commission would make governments respond; in the UK this included initiating the Thames Tideway Tunnel to deal with too-frequent sewage discharges to the lower Thames. To replace the scrutiny from Brussels the Government intends to create a new Office for Environmental Protection, which would be able to hold the government to account, and enforce environmental law. At the time of writing there are questions regarding its independence and the size of its teeth, but regardless of its effectiveness as a

watchdog, there are other ways in which the environmental performance of the water industry can be challenged. In recent months there have been concerted public campaigns to demand action on intermittent discharges of untreated sewage from combined sewer overflows and wastewater treatment works, and to reduce the excessive abstraction which is damaging chalk streams. These well-orchestrated and articulate campaigns are influential with decision makers, and since their aim - cleaner and healthier rivers – is integral to the ethos of the water industry, they are something it cannot afford to ignore. Public opinion is an important mechanism for holding companies to account, and since the campaigners are customers their trust in what we do is critical. As the scrutiny of Europe recedes, that of our customers seems set to increase.

A NEW PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION REGISTERED ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONER – IS IT FOR YOU? The Society for the Environment – the body that oversees professional environmental registrations – is about to add a third level of award. The new Registered Environmental Practitioner will sit between the existing Registered Environmental Technician and the Chartered Environmentalist. And the Institute of Water plans to be one of the first organisations to be able to award it! The details of how to apply, and the criteria for registration, are being finalised as I write this, but by the time you read it there will be more

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information available on the IWater and SocEnv websites. So if you’re an existing REnvTech, or someone thinking about pursuing a professional registration but not sure whether you yet have the experience to become CEnv, the new REnvP could be for you. And you could be one of the first people to be recognised for your skills, knowledge and commitment through this new registration. Becoming REnvP

demonstrates that you have been judged by your peers to be working at a professional standard, implementing good environmental practice. It’s an important qualification in its own right, but is also a stepping stone to environmental Chartership as your knowledge and experience increases. Professor Ian Barker Vice President Environment

ENGINEERINGNEWS

ENGINEERING COUNCIL LAUNCHES REVISED DOCUMENTATION After over a year of consultation and work by a number of working groups and panels, the Engineering Council has completed an in depth review of the documentation related to professional registration. Of most interest to the Institute of Water is the revised competences required for professional registration published as the 4th edition of UKSPEC and revised procedures to achieve registration. The revised competencies have not changed the requirements dramatically but have endeavoured to make the 4th edition of UK SPEC easier to follow with a clearer comparison between Engineering Technician, Incorporated Engineer and Chartered Engineer.

The Engineering Council explains in a document summarising the changes that ‘the overall approach in redrafting UK-SPEC was to aim for greater clarity, making the requirements, ie the Standard itself, more obvious, while providing better examples of how applicants might provide evidence of having met the Standard. We also aimed to make the new edition more informative, particularly with respect to assessment, and tried to reduce duplication of information throughout. An emphasis was placed on accessible language, clarity of structure and

ASSESSOR AND PANEL TRAINING Three online training sessions have been held for the Institute’s Engineering Assessors and Panel. The first session was presented by Vice President Engineering Jo Parker who gave details of the updated UK Standards for Professional Competence and Commitment. (UKSPEC) The new document has just been published and Jo outlined the review process and the main changes in the document. The second session was presented by Lynn Cooper and Sarah Dunn and focused on changes in the registration process coming out of the review of the Registration Code of Practice. The feedback from the assessors and panel attending was very positive and

several suggested that a virtual discussion be organised regularly to allow everyone to discuss issues and ideas as well as get to know each other. The Institute will be taking this on board. The final session was a discussion about good practice and pitfalls to avoid. Volunteers for either the engineering panel or assessors are always welcome. Do contact Lynn or Sarah to find out more about these roles.

TOMORROW’S ENGINEERS WEEK Tomorrow’s Engineers week ran from November 2nd to 6th and included a huge amount of social media activity from individual engineers and employers which was aimed at raising the profile of engineering as an exciting and rewarding career. One of the activities, the Big Quiz, an engineering quiz for schoolchildren

with prizes of up to £1000, attracted over 20,000 participants and challenged schoolchildren on their knowledge of engineering and the engineering profession. The Women’s Engineering Society posted photographs of Lottie Dolls joining engineers in their work.

internal consistency with other standards documents. The Institute has set the following timetable to introduce the new competencies for engineers wishing to become registered: 1 Apr Launch of new UKSPEC 30 Jun Closing date for Initial Applications under third edition 1 Dec Deadline for PRIs under third edition (to allow for Panel decision before Christmas)

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERS DEVELOPS PRIORITIES FOR POST COVID RECOVERY The RAE has produced a document laying out what it believes should be the priorities for post Covid recovery. Working together for a net zero carbon economy is the first priority which would be supported by the second point – outcomes-based procurement processes for all public-sector infrastructure and building projects with a focus on low carbon. Diversity and inclusion for jobs and skills to reverse COVID-19 impacts and help build net-zero capacity and strengthen long-term capability should be prioritised and digital transformation is seen as an essential enabler of net zero and resilience. Finally cross-sectoral systems approaches to policymaking that underline the interconnectedness of different policy areas and economic sectors are required.

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A PERSONAL INSIGHT Our winner of 2020’s CPD Award, Rachael Picken, gives a personal insight into how she approaches her development. Plenty of great advice that we can all use to help us refine our own CPD.

Hi everyone, I am Rachael Picken, Investment Appraisal Transformation Manager at Scottish Water. I have been in the water industry and a member of the Institute from 2011 and achieved my Chartered Environmentalist accreditation in late 2015. I am also a member of the Institute of Water Scottish Area Committee and winner of this year’s IoW CPD Award. Here, I have been asked to share how I approach my CPD. Everyone has a unique approach to their Professional Development but for me the following worked really well:

High Level Development Plan context I have been using the online learning tool to record my CPD since it was introducedhowever since achieving my Chartered Environmentalist accreditation at the end of 2015, I evolved the way in which I both consider, and record CPD, to enable further development of both technical and leadership skills and remain confident in my ability as a C.Env. For example my CPD themes over the last four years: Year 1: (April 2016-March 2017) – Developing as a Leader Year 2: (April 2017- March 2018) - Staying current Year 3: (April 2018- March 2019) – Looking to the Future Year 4: (April 2019- March 2020) - Developing a broader industry perspective Within these themes I then outlined the

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C.Env competencies they would support, the skills gap I was looking to fill, and the blend of learning opportunities that were recorded; providing me with a clear structure for reflection at a later point.

Blend of formal and informal training For me this was important to get a balance across my CPD, and as a reflection of two periods of maternity leave in 2017 and 2018/19. During these periods I wanted to demonstrate that I remained up to date with the industry and new developmentsbut the structure of the ‘formal’ CPD (such as training courses) in both of these years was concentrated into shorter blocks, with some focus on ‘informal’ learning- such as Institute of Water magazine, IoW Scotland Committee or promotion of C.Env. Overall, for me with two young children, a blended approach to training works- it was flexible and allowed me to fit much of it in when suited.

Focus on the CPD cycle- and what aspects are important to you Reflecting on the CPD cycle from the IoW online CPD portal, in the last two years the focus of my CPD activities has changed (Figure 1) to demonstrate an increased emphasis placed on reflecting on career direction, identification of skills gaps and identifying activities to meet those needs. Prior to 2017, my focus was fundamentally different, completing a broader range of both technical and leadership learning as

someone relatively new to the industry - and who had changed roles significantly within the industry within a short period of time; from a Management Programme (2011-2014) to a Commercial Project Manager (20142016) to a Regulatory and Strategy Senior Advisor (2016- 2017). This shift in focus was a result of 9 years in the water sector, and achieving Chartership status at the end of 2015, that in terms of CPD I was ‘mid-career’.

Use the guides to help! I found the IoW guides on CPD very usefulspecifically the CPD in mid-career tips . Many of the CPD activities suggested within this are included in my CPD record over the last two years- for example- ‘voluntary roles’- e.g. my role(s) within IoW Scotland and a nonExec Board director, ‘giving something back’ e.g. signing up to the Institute of Water mentoring tool, and ‘widening horizons’e.g. by looking to broaden my network, and taking up an external secondment opportunity with the Customer Forum. I have also taken tips to enhance my CPD from the later-career tips guide - with a particular concentration on ‘Focus on staying current’- ensuring I am staying up to date with changes in the industry. 1 https://www.instituteofwater.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2019/03/CPD-Cycle.pdf 2 https://www.instituteofwater.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2019/04/CPD-Mid-Career-Guide.pdf 3 https://www.instituteofwater.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2019/04/CPD-Later-Career-Guide.pdf

CPD

THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Although CPD is a cycle, you have to start somewhere. The logical place is with some sort of scoping exercise to take stock of where you are currently, where you want to be, and the development actions you might need to take to get there. You need a development plan! A quick search online reveals lots of templates and advice for creating a development plan. Pick an approach that suits you – we’re all different and you’re more likely to stick with it if you have something that you get on with. If you try an approach and it isn’t working for you, feel free to pick a different one! Development done well isn’t a slog! All development plans start with taking stock of where you are currently, in terms of both career (or if you want to, all aspects of your life!) and setting this against where you’d like to be within a certain timescale. You then need to perform a gap analysis, highlighting areas where development is needed in order to meet your aspirations. Don’t get disheartened at this stage – you don’t have to tackle everything immediately; you can prioritise if the list is long. Our CPD Award winner Rachael used this to good effect and didn’t try to deal with everything at once.

A development plan can help you to get started on CPD, and give structure to all your learning activities.

STRENGTHS What skills do I already have that will help me succeed?

WEAKNESSES What skills do I need to acquire / gaps I could fill?

OPPORTUNITIES Is there anything that is likely to assist me achieve my aims?

THREATS What might make it harder for me to achieve my aims?

Some people like to use a “SWOT” approach – identifying Strengths, Weakneses, Opportunities and Threats. This approach can be useful in helping you to clarify your thoughts and draw out the next steps. One template for a SWOT analysis is shown here.

After you have made your development plan, it’s time to set some development goals. These need to be far more specific – particular things that you are going to do in order to meet the development aims that were identified in your development plan.

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MENTORING

MENTORING PERSPECTIVES The Institute of Water’s Mentoring Programme is one of the key offers of our membership and can help participants unlock their potential and support their career goals.

MENTEE: VICTORIA COLLIER

MENTOR: CLAIRE CHAPMAN

I started my mentoring journey with Claire 3 years ago through the IOW portal. I can’t express how beneficial and supportive the mentoring sessions I have had with Claire have been so far. I am at the start of my career in the water industry and having the insight and support from Claire with her wealth of experience and knowledge really has been invaluable to me. I have also found that my mentoring sessions with Claire give me a good goal to work towards every few weeks and makes me challenge myself more, which has significantly supported my development to date in DCWW. The mentoring conversations and catch ups are open and honest and are a great platform to discuss challenges to make them opportunities.

I put my name down as a mentor some years ago, and Victoria got in touch around 3 years ago. I have been mentoring her ever since, and we have a phone conversation around every 6 weeks. I enjoy the fact that she if from a completely different water company (Dwr Cymru / Welsh Water), so we can’t trip over each other’s problems. Plus it’s very interesting to see what she is getting up to.

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

I feel very grateful to have had Claire as my mentor and I would highly recommend the platform to others considering it! I do hope to meet Claire at some point (IOW conference sounds like a great opportunity) so that we can meet face to face!

Scottish Water

I started using the IOW portal to minute our conversations but then moved to logging them on the regular appointment in our calendars, so I can see the history of our discussions very easily. Each conversation is only around 30 minutes, but it gives Tory the chance to stand back and assess what she has done and where she is headed. We have covered topics as varied as Linked In, CVs, personal development, and networking. I have enjoyed seeing her flourish in her various roles, and feel justly proud of her achievements. We haven’t met yet, but hopefully one day at some IOW conference?!

MENTORING THROUGH COVID MENTEE: ROSE SHISLER

MENTOR: LUKE STANBRIDGE

‘I was drawn to the Institute of Water Mentoring platform because I felt I would benefit from a wider water sector perspective. Luke has provided a fantastic “sounding-board” over the years and I have, and continue, to value his unique perspective which I may not have gotten from my own organisation. In order to continue developing professionally, it is critical to seek feedback from someone you trust and this is how Luke has helped me, I know that he will always be honest!

‘If there’s a specific issue where I can help, we have additional chats or messages. Rose has been great through COVID, starting a new job at this time is not going to be ideal, so a bit of additional support can always help and the ability to chat things through with someone independent is always a good thing.

Anglian Water

‘Beginning a mentoring relationship can be challenging, particularly if it is beginning remotely, but I believe mentoring to be hugely benefit when thinking about personal development. For those looking for a mentor, I suggest going in with an idea of what kind of person you want, in my case I was looking for someone outside of my organisation with a commercial background. It can also be helpful to begin with a clear goal or set of goals which your mentor can support.’

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Z-Tech Control Systems

I’ve personally been involved in mentoring from University, where I was part of a national scheme to send ‘us’ into classrooms to help with particular students with ability who needed additional guidance – it’s always been an interesting thing to do and it naturally helps to be interested in people.

YOUNGPERSONSNETWORK

VALUE OF WATER WEBINAR On 30th September 2020, the Northern Ireland YPN hosted its first online event on the theme of the “The Value of Water”, specifically focusing on how Northern Ireland can react to potential future imbalances in supply and demand. The event was supported by our panel of water industry professionals: ■ Emer Murnaghan, Head of Responsible Sustainable Business at GRAHAM Construction; ■ Maynard Cousley, Water Supply Senior Manager at NI Water; ■ Mark Anderson, Senior Process Engineer at Veolia; and ■ Martin Osborne, Technical Director at WSP. We heard about how we often take this precious resource for granted, particularly when little over 30 years ago, even within civilised society, some households in NI were not supplied by mains water. The global pandemic, and the public health message to ‘wash our hands’, has been a stark reminder of how fundamental it is to have safe, clean and readily available water, supporting the challenge of SDG 6: clean water and sanitation for ALL. Access to this fundamental resource should not be an unreasonable request - but we must recognise the fortunate position we are in in the developed world. But do we? Customers expect water to be cheap. This expectation is even more extreme in NI, where water is effectively “free” and always flowing. People here don’t think that it’s important, and they won’t think it until we “run out”. And that time may be sooner than we think. As an industry, we’re acutely aware that a lot of this precious resource is wasted from households. We face significant challenge in addressing this lack of understanding or appreciation. NI Water has reported that running the tap whilst brushing your teeth can waste up to 6 litres of water per minute – I’m sure we all know someone who’s guilty of this?

What does the research say? Martin Osborne presented some of WSP’s 2020 “Value of Water” research

to understand consumer attitudes about water consumption and common issues for UK residents. This was coupled with industry sector insights to explore how values and attitudes towards water might change and motivations for changing water consumption habits. Concern for the environment and plastic use is definitely on the rise –we have champions like Greta Thunberg and Sir David Attenborough to thank for bringing it to the forefront of people’s minds. 33% of those surveyed said they conserve water to do something good for the environment. Interestingly, the desire to conserve water in order to do something good for the environment is most pronounced in Northern Ireland (54%) and Wales (52%). The research also found that UK residents with water meters are more cost-conscious than those who do not have a meter or are unaware of their water use or billing method – something worth thinking about in NI!

Rising to the challenge! We shouldn’t underestimate the scale of the challenge we face in terms of changing mindsets and water consumption habits in NI. Whilst people are happy to pay for expensive TV and wifi contracts, paying for their water is often considered a “step too far”. Many look outside during periods of wet weather and can’t ever imagine a time where we’d run out. But extreme weather events and periods of drought experienced in recent years might start to change that, albeit slowly. Our industry must build momentum for change, using influencers to help get this important message across. We can start by making a water VoW – be that taking a shower instead of a bath, keeping a jug of (delicious) tap water in the fridge or simply turning off the tap. What will you do?

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SCIENCE Carl Martin

Water Regulations Inspector; Anglian Water Registered Science Technician

Christopher Bell

Technical Specialist; Anglian Water Registered Scientist

Ivan Rozmetanyuk

Supply Support Manager; Anglian Water Registered Scientist

Completing my professional registration for RSciTech has allowed me to further my CPD and gain Science knowledge in other areas. This will assist me in my day to day role as a Water Regulations Inspector in relation to any Water Quality Issues that arise. In my own time I am currently undertaking a home study Science course. I would encourage others to become professionally registered and to gain the recognition within their own sector.

I really enjoy my role in the laboratory and the contributions I make to ensure the provision of a high-quality analytical service to our customers. By achieving the Registered Scientist status, it has encompassed all the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years and identified gaps in my skill set. I would encourage everyone to achieve registered as it’s a fantastic way to look back on your experiences and showcase all the skills you have learnt from them.

I have worked in the water industry for 8 years, the last 4 as a Reactive Water Quality Scientist at Severn Trent and then Anglian Water. I began my RSci journey in 2018 but was unable to motivate myself to progress on the application and found any excuse not to put pen to paper. Some IWater members may be in the same situation right now and I’d encourage those to seek some support as I did from my mentor and IWater workshops which spurred me on! The whole application, competency report and professional review were actually a pleasure to complete and provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on achievements and career but to also look ahead. During my RSci submission, I used my CPD and competency report to help me progress into a new role as a Supply Support Manager.

ENGINEERING Wayne Potter

Wastewater Network Modeller, Mott MacDonald Incorporated Engineer

instituteofwater.org.uk

I am delighted to have passed my IEng as this is the goal that I had set myself when I joined the Institute of Water a few years ago. The Institute was fantastic in helping me through the application process and I received great support from my sponsors and colleagues with my report and interview preparation. Writing my experience report allowed me to reflect on my career thus far and highlighted my strengths and weaknesses allowing me to concentrate where additional support or learning was required. The Professional Review was done through a video call and the reviewers made me feel very comfortable. In gaining my IEng I have a renewed confidence and proven to myself and peers that I am capable of this and more and it has already opened up new challenges to progress my career.

NEWREGISTRANTS ENVIRONMENT Rob Andrews

OSM Technician; Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Registered Environmental Technician

Richard Goulding

Process Optimiser; Anglian Water Registered Environmental Technician

Caroline Hook Risk Scientist; Anglian Water Chartered Environmentalist

ADDITIONAL NEW REGISTRANTS

I have worked in different capacities within the water industry, predominantly Dwr Cymru Welsh Water for many years. My passion for the environment being the catalyst, I decided to apply for REnvTech to challenge myself and Continue my Professional Development (CPD). I enjoyed the application process and the opportunity to evaluate my CPD and systematically record my knowledge, experience and skills. I am currently working for Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as an Environment Officer. The registration has consolidated my understanding around the current environmental challenges and given me a pathway to develop my knowledge and skills to hopefully apply to become a Charted Environmentalist (CEnv) in the not too distant future. I would highly recommend the registration.

Applying for REnvTech was a great opportunity to open my mind up to a whole world of other water industry topics which aren’t part of my normal day job. Currently I work as a Site Optimiser at one of Anglian Water’s largest water recycling works at Cottonvalley, I have been here for 16 years. My work means I’m always trying to balance the needs of site compliance, energy reduction, sludge targets and site safety for the benefit of the environment. I’m not sure where I see myself in the future but have always felt I have more to offer. I hope that being a member of IWater will open doors for me to explore, I have pretty much an open-mind.

I have always had a passion for the water environment, which I pursued when undertaking my Marine and Freshwater Biology degree. After graduating I worked in a variety of laboratory, sampling and management roles. For the past 6 years I have worked within the Environmental Quality Directorate at Anglian Water. More recently my role has been placed within Strategy and Regulation. Joining the Institute of Water has given me access to a wealth of information. Membership has helped me build networks with other professionals in the industry, resulting in a broader knowledge across the sector. The resources available provide a variety of topics and insights into the latest developments and those on the horizon. I find the publications informative and they help me to identify areas for my CPD. Gaining registration is a recognition of my experience, qualifications and commitment to personal development in the industry.

SCIENCE

Did you know that until 31 March 2021, the initial registration fees to become a CEnv or REnvTech have essentially halved?

ENVIRONMENT

CEnv initial fee NOW £44.00

Richard Tanner Optimisation and Development Scientist; Anglian Water, Chartered Scientist Joel Condon Optimisation Engineer; Anglian Water Registered Environmental Technician

(reduced from £88.00)

REnvTech initial fee NOW £20.50

(reduced from £41.00)

www.instituteofwater.org.uk/environment-registration

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DIVERSITY

DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) UPDATE Thank you to everyone who completed our DEI survey in October. Gathering data on how diverse we are as an Institute and comparing ourselves to the industry we serve will help us to understand whether our membership offering, including our professional registrations and the events we run, truly serve to support the careers of everyone who works in our industry. This will also help develop our DEI policy and action plan.

A full report on this is due out in January but we wanted to share some of the headline figures with you before then.

560

26% of our membership base

37.5%

6.5%

2.9%

26.1%

of respondents were female compared with 20% of the water industry

of respondents identified themselves as from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background compared to industry average of 4%.*

of respondents were under 24 compared with industry average of 8%

* In our 2015 diversity survey this figure was 4.2%. Water industry data was taken from Energy and Utility Skills Water Industry Demographics. The Institute of Water is committed to a policy of inclusion and equality for all its staff, members and stakeholders. We recognise

instituteofwater.org.uk

members took the survey

of respondents identified themselves as having a disability compared to industry average of 12%

of our volunteers who responded identified themselves as BAME (14.3% of assessors, 7.5% of area committees)

of respondents were over 55 compared with industry average of 15%

the value that a diverse water industry brings to society and we are committed to promoting these benefits. We aim to be representative of the industry we serve and to ensure that there are no barriers to membership. More information can be found on the Institute of Water website or by contacting Sarah Murray our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Champion on sarah.murray@affinitywater.co.uk

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ANNUAL CONFERENCE REVIEW

SECURE OR VULNERABLE? COVID-19 Impacts and Recovery

I was delighted by the participation in the STREAM voting: 102 votes in total and almost half going to Natalia Jawiarczyk for her poster on Managing sewer FOG deposits with the bio-additive products. Thanks to all the researchers who took part and congratulations to Natalia: you can see her poster at the end of the Conference Review.

Lynn Cooper

CEO Institute of Water When I introduced our first ever online Conference I promised another line up of quality speakers, Meet the Leaders in a different format and with a number of new Leaders, participation from our Rising Stars, the opportunity to view, discuss and vote on 11 STREAM posters and the usual opportunities to question the presenters. I underestimated the number of speakers (33 in total) and the range of experiences they shared. As one delegate remarked: “the on-line platform allowed a greater reach beyond the national setting.”

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I never fail to be impressed by the contributions from industry leaders and this year was no exception. Another delegate noted: “the buy-in from such senior leaders in water companies and regulators alike was very impressive.” In her Keynote Address, Angela Smith, former MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Water Group, currently a nonexec director at Portsmouth Water, stated that the water sector is as good as it’s workforce and this message was repeated throughout the two days. The other common theme for me was collaboration: “a crisis brings out a spirit of collaboration”. We asked the delegates what they liked and disliked about the Conference.

They liked: Meet the Leaders – “I think having them in their natural environment made them

very human” Rising Stars Debate – “interesting and thought-provoking” International input – “I really enjoyed hearing from other people / companies from across the world - it was great to get a more global perspective on things” The variety of formats – “the head to head discussion really worked well - in general many of the Q&A’s were my favourite part” The common complaint: “While online was good, it misses some of the main bits that make the Conference great - the conversations and networking which you just can’t do online. Some of my most interesting conversations have been at the bar at 2am.” Just as the format of the Conference was different this year, so too is this review. I invited a range of participants to share their views which I am sure will resonate with all who attended and hopefully give others some idea of what they missed. Thanks to all who made this possible, not least Vice President Bob Taylor, who has it all to do again next summer in Portsmouth: I hope this encourages all readers to join us there.

ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW have stepped up to the plate on that front, as well as in terms of the practical delivery of services, with the DWI’s Marcus Rink highlighting the importance of maintaining customers’ confidence in our water supply and South-East Water’s Lee Dance reflecting on the impact of changing patterns of demand. I was particularly struck by the many shared learnings and the agility with which everyone had adapted working practices.

Peter Simpson

CEO Anglian Water (Day 1 Chair) When I looked at the breadth of experience and geography of the speakers lined up for day one, it was clear we were looking ahead to a fascinating and stimulating afternoon – and so it proved. That said, I’ll confess that, in common with my fellow session chair David Hinton, the challenge of chairing four back-to-back sessions and managing 18 speakers was a little daunting! As it turned out, however, the Zoom gods were kind to us and the afternoon ran remarkably smoothly. Angela Smith got us off to a thoughtprovoking start with a timely reminder of the financial challenges many of our customers are facing and a call to develop early intervention systems to make sure we’re able to offer appropriate support. In our first session we heard how water companies, supply chain and regulators

In our second session, we looked in more depth at the wider impacts on society, with a really interesting discussion about how this seismic moment has highlighted the vital role businesses play in society, and highlighting the importance of both acting with purpose and earning public trust. Even the break proved thought provoking, as we had the opportunity to watch the Institute’s new programme Our Water: Our Future, featuring Institute Vice-President Bob Taylor and our own Rose Shisler, who benefited from the Rising Stars programme in 2019 - well worth a watch if you’ve not already seen it. Our third session brought international perspectives as we heard from Rand Water’s Mogan Padayachee and Acqua Bresciane’s Michela Biasibetti about how they have experienced the pandemic in South Africa and Northern Italy. Despite the vastly differing geographies and timelines of their experience of the pandemic, with northern Italy, of course, being one of the first hotspots and South Africa not experiencing remember him originally asking me to chair one session not five! As the day approached and I reviewed the sessions I was struck by the variety of content and approach ranging from a Rising Stars debate to a head to head questioning format. As a Chair operating remotely in my shed I thought this was going to be an interesting and challenging day and test my Zoom skills to the limit.

Dave Hinton

CEO South East Water (Day 2 Chair) I was honoured to be invited by Bob to Chair day 2 of the Institute of Water Annual Conference although I distinctly

I need not have worried. We were off to a great start and the Oxford style debate hosted by Trevor Bishop and featuring Lewis Orr, Natalie Lamb, Jack Huggins and Anna Figueras Carril was a real success and the passion and commitment

its peak until July, again, I was struck by the parallels between them. Both highlighted valuable lessons learned about rapid digitisation of service and the importance of business continuity planning, especially in terms of maintaining supplies of vital chemicals, while Isle Utilities Ben Tam, who concluded the session, shared insights into some of the technical solutions adopted round the world. Our fourth and final session saw us focus on what we’ve learned from a people and skills perspective. Our speakers highlighted the adjustments needed as private spaces become workplaces and looked ahead to a future where offices become spaces for collaboration rather than day-to-day work. Paralympic athlete Rachel Morris brought a different perspective, highlighting the mental strength needed as a professional athlete when training routines are upended - but also how new ways of working could revolutionise accessibility and bring a whole new flexibility to working life. At the end of the afternoon, as I reflected on what we’d heard and discussed, three things really stood out to me: the resilience and adaptability our industry has shown throughout the crisis, the seismic shift in our ways of working and – importantly – a sense of real optimism for the future, as we take what we’ve learned and use it to create better, more inclusive workplaces, more resilient structures and plans, and an even stronger relationship with our customers.

the participants showed to their cause was infectious. The post session poll also demonstrated the debate had shifted the delegates’ view considerably. This was followed by a fascinating insight into the fight against Covid from an international perspective from Keith Hayward (Co-ordinator COVID-19 Task Force, International Water Association) and Frederic Béen (KWR Water Research Institute, The Netherlands). The next session centred on Green Recovery with a well delivered call to action from the panellists encouraging greater involvement on both environmental policy and affordability.

continued...

instituteofwater.org.uk

I was looking forward to Session 7 as Trevor Bishop and Robin Price had promised a no-slide, self-questioning format (Alas Smith and Jones immediately sprung to mind). Trevor and Robin discussed the regional challenges of water resource planning, demonstrating the common issues and a real desire to share both solutions and resources across the south and east. I wasn’t disappointed: the style was indeed

Alas Smith and Jones and sometimes the content was too. The penultimate session involved seeking the views of our regulators on what they believe their organisations can do to support build back better. The themes centred largely on collaboration, flexibility and communication and the sense was anything is possible and as an industry we should be shifting

the conference as a Delegate, where the online environment made me feel even more confident to act as a persistent questioner. As a Delegate, the three moments that really stuck with me about the Conference were:

Natalie Lamb

Debater and Rising Star As Rising Star of the East 2020 and 2021 I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Institute of Water Annual Conference 2020. This is the first virtual conference I had attended and I was not entirely sure what to expect but over 150 people attended, showing that - despite the new virtual nature of events - there is still a great appetite for events such as these. I had so many opportunities, got to hear from the leaders of my sector and learned an awful lot. The thing I valued most about the Conference was all of the opportunities I was given to take part. I had the chance to participate as a Speaker in my first debate which, although was quite nerve-wracking, was a great way to inspire discussion and a memorable way to kick off day two of the Conference. I was also given the opportunity to act as a Facilitator during the two Meet the Leaders sessions, where I was able to ask the leaders of the water sector, first-hand, my questions about how they got to where they are today. And these roles were of course combined with my attendance at

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Emma Clancy’s (CEO, CCW), warning of the “liquid expectations” of customers. Both during the lockdown endured in 2020 and in the future, customer trust can be broken or, equally, it can increase, for example if they see community involvement by water companies. This view of the pandemic as a potential opportunity for the water industry to show what we can do, rather than seeing it as a risk, really shone through during the Conference. Another moment I really valued was Mel Karam (CEO, Bristol Water), who really stood up for water company employees. He argued that the resilience and successes that occurred in the water sector during this time of challenge did not occur because of assets or regulations, but because of the skills and resilience of the employees. I really liked that people are valued by their employers and both this appreciation of employees, as well as wider cross-sector collaboration, was a running theme throughout the two days. And finally, I think the Conference really highlighted the resilience of water companies. I think this was best summarising in the words of Mike McNicholas (UK Board Director, Atkins) who said that as an industry we are highly prepared for a second wave. When we went into this pandemic, we were prepared for a new ice age. Now we see a second lockdown, not as an ice age but as a cold winter.

towards more nature-based solutions whilst balancing the need to maintain affordability. My stint ended with a rousing presentation of a future vison for the industry from Heidi Mottram (CEO Northumbrian Water), reminding us we have the capability and the passion to take the industry forward into a better greener future.

“I REALLY ENJOYED HEARING FROM OTHER PEOPLE / COMPANIES FROM ACROSS THE WORLD - IT WAS GREAT TO GET A MORE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS”

Overall, it really was a fantastic event. It renewed my confidence about our sector, made me proud of the resilience we have shown and reinforced the great work we do. And on top of that, because of the Rising Stars programme, I was able to make waves (or at least ripples!) with the leaders of the water industry.

“INTERESTING AND THOUGHTPROVOKING”

ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW

Carmen Snowdon

Area Forum Rep, Institute of Water South West Area, Head of Commercial Services WRc The Institute of Water Annual Conference has been a real highlight for me over the past few years, and the content of this year’s didn’t disappoint! The quickfire format of speakers kept my interest throughout and there was plenty of time to raise and hear answers to questions from the audience. In terms of highlights, a couple of bits really

stood out for me. Mel Karam, CEO Bristol Water spoke about societal impacts of COVID-19 but what stood out for me was his message for our industry that was focussed on people including employees. “It was the water industry employees, the front line, who delivered and continue to deliver those services at very very difficult times… we owe the success of the water industry during the pandemic to those individuals... Skilled, dedicated, and motivated and they kept us going.” I thought this was a lovely message – and one we ought to find a way to share far and wide, to make sure it reaches those very people that were referred to. Another moment that stuck with me came from the international segment, when Mogan Padayachee, Head of Innovation across Rand Water, shared a view of how COVID-19 has affected their organisation. One of the lessons learnt was described as a shift from “just in time to just in case” which struck me as a very neat way of summing up how the pandemic has forced us to change thinking. Mogan spoke about the supply chain impacts of COVID-19, meaning that you couldn’t leave a chemical delivery, for example, to the last minute

of the speakers, chairs and panellists. I have to say that the feelings of elation at the end of what I think was a hugely successful Conference were at times overtaken by relief that we got through it so well!! And that was down to a genuine team effort from all involved and for that I will always be grateful. Thank you to all and special thanks to our Head Office team, our Rising Stars and our Conference sponsors.

Bob Taylor

Institute of Water Vice President, CEO Portsmouth Water As I reflect on my key take-aways from last month’s Annual Conference, I can’t help but be overtaken by a strong feeling of warmth and gratitude towards those who helped make the event possible in the first place. As host of the Conference, the journey over the last year or so has been interesting to say the least – but what has remained a constant throughout has been the enthusiasm and energy of Institute of Water members and the steadfast support

There were many clear messages: the impact COVID has had on people across the board in so many ways, some obvious, some less so; the role of our industry in maintaining our high quality services throughout and the realisation that water for hand washing and good hygiene cannot be taken for granted in many parts of the world; the fact that for once our industry has been recognised in a positive way for our ‘behind the scenes’ role, in particular those working on the front line; the bigger role that the natural environment has played in people’s lives; the fact that technology has sprung to the fore to fulfil an important need in quick time; and

because a border may have closed. I’ll admit it was with a little trepidation that I signed up and attended this year’s virtual version – the social elements, meeting new people and catching up with old friends is a big part of making the Conference so special, and worthwhile attending - and I’ve yet to find a virtual environment which really allows normal social interactions to occur. Unlike previous years, I didn’t come away from this Conference with lots of new connections, so for me this year it was more about hearing what is happening in the industry, whether or not different stakeholders were aligned in their thinking and getting the really interesting perspectives from the international speakers. Finally, a feeling I did leave the Conference with was a sense of pride in the water industry. It was so clear through all the speakers that the people working in the industry are passionate and committed to their work which is so vital to the health of our society and environments. It has left me fired up to do my little bit for the industry and looking forward all the more to next year’s Conference in Portsmouth.

the importance of trust in empowering people to respond in a flexible way to the pandemic and in the adaptation of our working practices to maintain a ‘business as usual’ service. For me these factors illustrate the passion and commitment shown by almost everyone in our industry and the fact that, when the chips are down, we will always go that extra mile to help our customers, particularly those in difficult situations. COVID – 19 is probably the best example of the pride we all have in the work that we do and we should never forget this. There were some particular messages which resonated for me personally: the fact that working from home is not always seen as a benefit and for some can have the direct opposite impact to what we might expect; the huge opportunity and responsibility we now face as an industry to ‘build back better’; that regional differences in an industry founded on the natural environment do matter; that we need to be more visible to our customers in what we do to keep building that all important trust

continued...

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ANNUALCONFERENCEREVIEW from the floor flowed freely – apologies to those of you whose questions were not answered, in future we will endeavour to pick up on these after the session and circulate responses from the leaders. The one important question we did respond to afterwards (thanks Rachel and Sarah) was centred on the career prospects for people from a BAME background and the apparent limited opportunities in our industry. I think inclusion and equal opportunity are key issues for all of us moving forward and there is much we can do to make our industry attractive and visible to people from all backgrounds irrespective of gender or ethnic background. The Institute of Water has led the way in shining a light on these issues already and we will continue our focus on this.

and confidence; and to build back better in an economic downturn we need much more collaboration but to achieve that will require stronger and more determined leadership – not just from ‘leaders’ but from us all. I was fortunate to chair the two ‘Meet the Leaders’ sessions; I made a conscious effort to include leaders who were new to the industry as well as some more experienced hands. Once again thanks to all of the leaders for taking part and delivering short and punchy responses to the questions; and to Natalie and the Rising Stars who came up with some particularly probing questions! Both sessions were well attended with around 60 people in each; and the questions

THE WINNING STREAM POSTER

Stream

Managing sewer FOG deposits with the bio-additive products.

The Industrial Doctorate Centre for the Water Sector

Jawiarczyk N.1, Bajón Fernández Y.1, 2, Villa R.3, Alibardi L.1, Brewington J2, Jefferson B.1 1. Context:

Effective, targeted strategies for management of fat, oil and grease (FOG) deposits by bio-additives require understanding of the processes involved in FOG formation.

Carbohydrates

Figure 1. Hypothesised FOG deposition mechanisms; saponification, solidification, precipitation and biofilm formation.

3. Results:

2. Methodology:

Pilot:

Compound % (Dry weight)

• Synthetic sewage formula used to create synthetic FOG deposits to investigate various conditions

80% 60% 40%

Pumping station- centre

Pumping station- wall

Sewer network Sewer network 2 1

Grit removal Primary settling tank

Location Lipids (Fatty Acids+Triglicerides) Carbohydrates Fibre

Sludge thickener to holding tankpipe

Saponification is not the reaction in deposit formation

•

Lipids (Triglycerides +FFAs) are the main components found in sewer deposits.

Saponified Fatty Acids Total protein Ash

•

Deposits contain carbohydrates.

Fig3.

Deposit mass/ Added FFA mass

15 10

50 FFA concentration mg/l

Stearic, 5°C Oleic & stearic (50:50, w/w), 5°C Oleic, 20°C

250

Oleic, 5°C Stearic, 20°C Oleic & stearic (50:50, w/w), 20°C

Saponification (despite the general theory) is not the leading reaction of deposit formation. Initial precipitation leading to deposit growth is not affected by the changes in temperature.

Fig4.

% FOG and carbohydrates removed

80 60 40

www.stream-idc.net

Biostimulant

Bioaugmentation

Biostimulant with bioaugmentation

Control

Dry deposit weight (mg)

Fig5.

Carbohydrates

Addition of biostimulant can change bacteria's preferences towards compounds it is degrading (biostimulant vs control).

•

Carbohydrates and FOG are degraded simultaneously.

Figure 6. The effect of bio-addition to oil-rich synthetic wastewater (inhibition) and pre-deposited synthetic FOG (rehabilitation).

Bioadditive added to rehabilitate

25 20 15

•

Targeting treatment on specific compounds; rather than fat, could result in higher FOG deposit removal yields.

•

Responding to the precipitation can inhibit FOG deposit growth, while rehabilitation needs to target key components building the deposit.

10 5 0

Bioadditive added to inhibit 0

4 Control

6 Time (days) Inhibition

8 Rehabilitation

Fig6.

For further information: n.jawiarczyk@cranfield.ac.uk Postal Address: 1Cranfield University, College Road, Bedford MK43 0AL 2Severn Trent, 2 St. Johns Street, Coventry CV1 2LZ 3De Montfort University, Gateway House, Leicester LE1 9BH

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

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•

FOG

• RIG is fed with raw sewage to perform bioadditive trials in real conditions, with benchmark over control line (no possible while working at live sewers).

Figure 5. The effect of various bio-addition strategies on carbohydrates and oil degradation in synthetic sewage. Biostimulant: non microbial addition; Bioaugmentation: foreign highly lipolytic microflora addition.

100

Figure 2. Experimental RIG.

•

Bio-addition trials in synthetic sewage:

Sampling points

content

•

See-through section

high

leading

Figure 4. The effect of temperature and type, and concentration of free fatty acid (FFA) on synthetic sewage FOG deposit formation.

•

20%

Total length of 100 meters.

DOSING LINE

Figure 3. The changes of FOG samples composition through sewer journey.

100%

Experimental RIG- sewer loop- unique facility located at Cranfield University’s National Research Facility for Water and Wastewater Treatment.

CONTROL LINE

4. Conclusions:

Deposition mechanisms:

Laboratory:

was awarded to Natalia Jawiarczyk, Cranfield University/Severn Trent, with her poster: Managing sewer FOG deposits with the bio-additive products

The online format for this year’s Conference made it difficult to socialise and meet old friends in the usual way – but the huge social media coverage, especially on LinkedIn resulted in a number of people I had lost contact with re-establishing contact, something I was not expecting and a very welcome bonus. It was a huge honour and personal pleasure to host this year’s Conference and I am very much looking forward (with refreshed confidence!!) to hosting next year’s Annual Conference in Portsmouth next June. Thank you all once again for making this year’s Conference such a great success. See you next June in Portsmouth, COVID permitting!!

“THE HEAD TO HEAD DISCUSSION REALLY WORKED WELL - IN GENERAL MANY OF THE Q&A’S WERE MY FAVOURITE PART”

Reliability and Efficiency as Standard At Patterson Pump Ireland our patented technology, dedication to engineering and performance efficiency means we help our customers cut costs on energy consumption over the entire

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A RESILIENT BIORESOURCES AND ENERGY STRATEGY TO 2050 Partnership between Jacobs and United Utilities develops a long-term innovative strategy for bioresources and energy services in the North West of England. by Neal Edmondson and Tom Lissett Jacobs / United Utilities

The start of AMP7 saw acceleration in the development of competition across the bioresources market together with changing environmental and economic regulations in the UK. When combined with constrained revenue and ageing assets, the United Utilities Bioresource Services team found itself facing a rapidly shifting and uncertain operating environment. As a result, the company decided to update its PR19 Bioresources and Energy Strategy so it could enhance resilience while continuing to deliver for its customers and shareholders. The updated strategy needed to help United Utilities navigate any regulatory uncertainties and allow a systematic assessment of the market challenges and opportunities over the next 30 years. Working in partnership with Jacobs, the outcome was the co-creation of a ‘no-regrets’ strategy and road map. The project was completed in three phases. The first baselined United Utilities and included individual consultations with over 60 internal stakeholders. The second focussed externally on United Utilities’ operating environment and challenges. Both initial phases were focussed on developing a detailed contextual understanding and utilised Jacobs’ ‘Seven Perspectives’ tool (figure 1). The ability to see from all angles enabled the team to focus on the asset, the business, the people, the external and commercial environment, the operating model and how to deliver and embed all the potential competing needs as part of the programme. The final phase developed, tested, refined and presented the strategy to all stakeholders.

Strategy and operating model The project included the development of an

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adaptive asset strategy for United Utilities but, for this to be effective, it also needed to embed an appropriate operating model designed specifically for the strategy, including shared priorities and goals (figure 2). Jacobs supported key stakeholders and experts within United Utilities to develop both the strategy and operating model; deploying a combined team with deep technical and regulatory knowledge of the bioresources sector together with transformation experts from their Strategic Consulting division. This blended team reinforced collaboration across UU and provided a better overall outcome. A key feature of the project’s partnership approach was iterative testing and refinement – operating in ‘sprints’ with emerging requirements and adaptive approaches as the design incrementally

built. Stakeholder management was essential to ensuring United Utilities colleagues were bought into recommendations and remained supportive of their implementation due to being involved throughout. Tireless collaboration between Jacobs and United Utilities meant that the real needs and requirements of the strategy were understood.

Overcoming Covid-19’s partnership and project challenges As with so many things this year, the project was significantly impacted by Covid-19 restrictions. The original approach centred on a ‘war room’ at United Utilities’ head office in Lingley Mere, with an ‘open door’ policy to facilitate close working and interactive workshops to shape the deliverables. The Covid-19 lockdown hit two months into the programme, putting

FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY an end to face-to-face engagement. The whole project team adapted by moving to remote delivery overnight, using Microsoft Teams and several online facilitation tools as well as redesigning the workshops to fit with the tools available and to ensure an increased focus on well-being, mental health and active participation for stakeholders of all styles and preferences.

Figure 1. Jacobs’ Seven Perspectives tool for contextual understanding

Benefits United Utilities now have: ■ Clear and supported vision, aims and objectives for a resilient Bioresources and Energy service to 2050 ■ An actionable adaptive asset strategy and operating model to manage immediate needs during AMP7 and set the company up for success in subsequent AMPs. See Figure 3. ■ New ideas and a series of adaptive asset pathways to be able to engage confidently with the bioresources market and harness the opportunities it is creating.

Figure 2. The relationship between strategy, operating models and day-to-day activity

The project has also identified downstream opportunities that United Utilities are actively exploring.

Project feedback The project was sponsored by Tom Lissett, Bioresource, Energy & Carbon Services Director at United Utilities. He said getting the most value from its bioresources obviously made sound commercial and environmental sense: “This strategic review challenged our existing business strategy and helped us to navigate through the variety of different risks, issues and opportunities in what is a very dynamic part of the water industry. We now have a clear plan to 2050 and a robust approach to adapt this plan as required, embracing markets opportunities whilst maximising value from our existing assets in the North West and playing our part in our collective drive towards carbon net zero”. Jacobs’ project director, Mark Pye (Strategy and Transformation Practice Lead): “The

Figure 3. Adaptive asset strategy

benefits derived from a blended delivery team of bioresources specialists and strategy experts meant that high-level strategic initiatives could be mapped with detailed technical understanding. This made for an efficient and effective partnership and gave the strategy the

best chance of sustainable success. United Utilities now have a resilient strategy that embraces innovation and market opportunities, and we look forward to seeing its delivery over the coming years”.

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CLIMATE AND NATURE CRISES – IMPACT ON THE WATER SECTOR Institute of Water member Neil Kitching has recently published a book on climate change and nature. Here Neil explains how the climate and nature crises impact on the water industry. The water industry is dependent on fairly predictable rainfall and is therefore inextricably linked with our climate. The sector will have to adapt to a changing climate, but moreover, it needs to act to reduce the climate impacts of its activities. In some ways, it is well placed to do so, with its collection and processing of sewage which contains embedded ‘energy’ and because some players own or influence large areas of land. UK Water has agreed a 2030 net zero target with all the water utilities in England and Wales. This target covers their operational emissions, comprising primarily of electricity, gas, fleet transport and process emissions. In terms of difficulty to tackle, electricity is easiest, followed by fleet, gas then process emissions. These include methane and nitrous oxide emitted from the ‘natural’ biological processes that take place at wastewater treatment sites. It is difficult even to measure these emissions, let alone tackle them, so this is one area where further research and trials are required. Meanwhile, Scottish Water has set itself a net zero 2040 target, but interestingly this target includes the emissions from its capital construction programme – buying raw materials, making concrete, construction plant and equipment and associated supply chains. In this way the whole supply chain is affected by this target – and Scottish Water is the largest buyer of construction services in Scotland. Setting ‘net’ zero targets means that the water sector does not think it can eliminate all emissions. Instead, it aims to reduce emissions as far as possible through energy and water efficiency and the use of renewable energy, then offset, or balance, what remains. This could include the export of renewable energy, plant new areas of forestry or protect and restore peatland on some of the catchment areas that they own. Healthy peatlands are good for wildlife, they absorb lots of water thereby

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reducing flooding and sediment in rivers, and the peat grows over time capturing and retaining carbon dioxide in the process. Further innovation and investment is vital to reduce the carbon emissions of water utilities. This can include innovative sewage treatment, perhaps further mimicking nature, for example, Welsh Water is considering using black soldier flies to digest sewage. Another good example of innovation is Scottish Water’s capture of waste heat from sewage pipelines in Stirling. The relatively warm water is boosted by a heat pump then fed through a district heating network to heat a school, sports stadium, ice rink and offices. Water is the primary medium through which humans and wildlife will feel the effects of climate change. Warmer temperatures increase evaporation, and this can result in more intense rainfall and flooding. Conversely, climate change will shift climatic zones bringing drought to areas not previously adapted to these conditions whilst also further drying out the soil in areas that already experience drought. This, of course, also leads to a greater risk of devastating fires. Water in the form of ice, or lack of it, affects the temperature and is the key determinant of global sea level. Snow and ice are white, reflect the sun’s rays back to space and help to keep the planet cooler. As the Arctic ice melts it is replaced by the darker ocean which absorbs yet more heat. These feedback affects are what makes tackling climate change so urgent. The vast

Greenland ice sheet is melting, sea level is rising, and scientists predict that this process is unstoppable. We will need to adapt to higher sea-levels. A minor issue maybe but think of the impact on sewer outflows from coastal cities. So, water companies across the UK will need to adapt to a changing climate. Rising sea-level, more intense rainfall, more frequent droughts and consequential decrease in the quality of water intake. Some of this adaptation could be expensive. Then there is the increasing spread of invasive aquatic and land based species. These can have health risks (giant hogweed), reduce biodiversity (Himalayan balsam) and/ or impose direct costs on water companies (quagga mussels). What they have in common is that they can spread rapidly when introduced to areas with no natural predators. The only cost effective response is to identify new invasive species early and tackle them before they spread out of control. Finally, it is a good idea to educate customers to value water and to educate your staff. Yorkshire Water’s carbon literacy course for its employees is good practice. Education should cover the impacts of climate change, how to be resource efficient and reduce emissions and the importance of a healthy biodiversity. Carbon Choices is available as a paperback on Amazon and e-book on Kindle. One third of all profits will be donated to rewilding projects. Further information can be found at

www.carbonchoices.uk

SUSTAINABLY POWERING THE FUTURE OF WATER Britain is striving towards a greener future. But how can the water industry transition to zero carbon in an easy and affordable way? Fleetsolve’s liquid bio-fuel CHP energy solutions offer carbon-neutral energy at scale. The transition to zero-carbon is now more affordable and financially viable for water companies than ever before. Our “utilities style” commercial approach allows you to pay on a pence-per kilowatt (megawatt) basis, without the need for upfront capital expenditure. Fleetsolve has almost 20 years’ experience of implementing successful carbon reduction projects for public bodies and large private sector businesses alike. We provide operational resilience at scale, whilst hitting key carbon zero targets, all within an attractive financial framework.

Visit fleetsolve.com to find out more.

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ADLER AND ALLAN

IMPLICATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT BILL ON THE WATER INDUSTRY After the pandemic forced a seven-month pause in debate, the Environment Bill has returned to Parliament, precipitating the most far-reaching changes to environmental governance in more than 30 years. The landmark legislation delivers on the UK’s post-Brexit green growth strategy, supporting the Government’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and introducing legally binding nature, water, air, and waste targets from 2022. Within the water industry, new policies are expected to champion wholesale infrastructure upgrades – such as bund and drainage installation and enhanced maintenance across estates – to prevent pollution incidents and achieve environmental compliance. But with the Asset Management Plan (AMP) 7 driving increased spend, water companies could be treading a tense tightrope between asset improvement and environmental performance. Adler and Allan’s Hugo Jenkins, Head of Water and Ecology, and Matthew Humphreys, National Account Manager, discuss how a proactive approach to risk and remediation can ease the balance of breaking-point budgets and the provisions of the Bill.

A Bill to bring about change Expected to become law in late 2021, the Environment Bill will establish a domestic framework to protect and restore the UK’s natural resources. It will also create a new, independent green watchdog – the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) – to advise on and enforce environmental law, report on performance against targets, and offer the strategic oversight and accountability currently provided by the EU. The Bill will enshrine in law policies and plans that drive measurable progress across air and water quality, biodiversity, resource efficiency, and waste management. While specific water sector targets are still to be confirmed, Defra’s Water Factsheet calls for cross-industry collaboration, transparent regulation of water companies, and more resilient water and wastewater services.

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A costly Catch-22 Without doubt, the Bill’s aspirations of positive action are noble – and necessary to preserve the environment for future generations. But water companies will need support to implement an industry sea change that is challenging to budget for. Faced with an ageing infrastructure and unprecedented network demand, the sector is already straining under the pressures of service improvement and a save-at-all-costs commercial climate. Meeting the directives of the Bill, while still delivering for customers and shareholders, will require a fundamental shift in the industry’s approach to environmental risk. Fortunately, many providers have already aligned with specialist consultants to respond to leakages, sewer flooding, and ecological emergencies. Avoiding fines, downtime, and reputational damage under the Bill’s stringent targets, however, will necessitate a more proactive plan of action – and a process of tactical prioritisation.

under new laws. It’s natural to assume the sector’s oldest facilities will top the OEP’s target list, but an experienced specialist will highlight less obvious considerations – such as threats to protected aquifers, SSSIs or drinking water sources – that could single out more serious risk points in a company’s portfolio. A trusted partner will then design and implement a cost-conscious mitigation plan that reduces exposure under new legislation and puts providers on the path to full environmental compliance.

Countdown to compliance Organisations who act now to intelligently improve assets could avoid almost certain sanctions when the Bill comes into force later next year. Working with an expert ensures a systematic approach to spend and risk reduction, and that specialist support services are instantly available when needed.

Specialist support for risk review and mitigation

The key lesson for the water industry? Don’t waste time. With a system of Significant Improvement Tests set to track achievements against short- and long-term objectives, the grace period to curb environmental threats is critically short.

The first step is an onsite, estate-wide audit by an environmental consultant to assess baseline risk and identify assets that pose the most immediate environmental dangers – and the highest probability of penalties

Pinpoint your most pressing risks, action a practical mitigation programme, and begin now to build compliance under the Environment Bill’s bold and purposeful plans.

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MARCHBANK PILOT PLANT

Figure 1: Pilot Plant, view from inside

An existing water treatment works (WTW) in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland required upgrading in order for it to meet future raw water challenges and expected growth in demand. by Vasiliki Papapanagiotou Scottish Water

An assessment of process options by Scottish Water identified that there were potential benefits in the use of a novel coagulated ceramic membrane filtration process for this application. In order to confirm the viability of the membrane technology, pilot testing of the process on the same raw water source was required. Pilot testing of the coagulated ceramic membrane technology commenced in September 2019, using raw water abstracted from the Megget aqueduct. Evidence from the pilot scale trials was used to confirm the selection of this

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process technology and to inform the basis of design for the new WTW using this technology. The design needs formed the basis for a programme of pilot plant trials aimed at delivering a list of overall and specific project objectives. Effective management and collaboration between all stakeholders from within and outwith Scottish Water was essential to ensure the pilot trials were successfully completed by March 2020. The design and planning for the pilot plant trials were undertaken by Scottish Water’s Research and Innovation and Strategic Planning teams supported by process engineers from one of Scottish Water’s framework technical consultants.

Various teams coordinated by Scottish Water’s project delivery team (Managed Delivery) worked together to establish the pilot plant on site and prepare it for operation during the spring and summer of 2019. The pilot plant was set up within the premises of an existing water treatment works that provided direct access to the Megget raw water source as well as power, security, and wastewater handling facilities. The coagulated ceramic membrane technology supplier provided the pilot plant technology, membrane components, training, commissioning and technical support throughout the trials. One of Scottish Water’s project delivery partners provided the site management role and delivered and

FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY installed the pilot plant equipment whilst also providing maintenance and technical support throughout the trials. Scottish Water’s Operations staff cooperated in the identification of a suitable location for the pilot plant within the WTW site that would enable the pilot plant to be operated safely without significant impact on day to day operation of the main WTW. The pilot plant project team developed a sampling programme that was agreed with Scottish Water Scientific Services who advised on results and completed the analysis. The pilot plant process consisted of raw water pumping and screening and then a novel coagulation/flocculation stage followed by ceramic membrane filtration; filtrate and process wastes were disposed to the main WTW waste water systems. Raw water, coagulated water, filtrate and wastewater were regularly sampled for both on-site and Scottish Water laboratory analysis. Cooperation between the pilot plant operators, project manager and external suppliers ensured the resources necessary to maintain continuous pilot plant operation were maintained, this included staffing, chemicals, analytical reagents and other consumables. The pilot plant trials were aimed at optimising the coagulation and flocculation conditions as well as the membrane operation and cleaning. Each pilot plant trial was run for at least a week; this allowed the pilot plant to stabilise at the new test conditions and provide sufficient data for analysis and interpretation. The results from the pilot plant were compared to the results from the conventional dissolved air flotation and rapid gravity filtration process used to treat the same raw water source on the host water treatment works site. The pilot plant testing programme commenced in the first week of October. Two operators attended the pilot plant daily on a five day per week basis with the pilot plant left operating un-supervised over weekends. The original programme of work defined the testing regime required and the pilot plant project team reviewed the results from these tests on a fortnightly basis. The fast turnaround of results from the range of laboratories in Scottish Water’s Scientific Services allowed parameters to be adjusted to reflect changes in water quality or temperature,

Figure 2: Pilot Plant containers and access paths

Figure 3: Pilot Plant Premises (Left to right: Office, Pilot Plant, Raw Water inlet and strainer and chemical storage containers).

to extend or add investigations where these where necessary. Effective communication throughout the project was essential in order to meet the required objectives. A weekly meeting took place between the pilot plant project team throughout the project; this allowed the progress to completion of the programme of work to be tracked and supported by contributions from all team members. It enabled the project to meet the required objectives through discussions of performance and effective troubleshooting of any specific issues that developed. A weekly report produced by the pilot plant operators and project manager was shared with all stakeholders to ensure consistent communication was maintained throughout. The pilot plant effectively operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the trial period. Operational issues were overcome as soon as possible through operator intervention with the help from the delivery vehicle when required. An example of these

instances were unplanned power cuts, loss of chemical dosing or mechanical failures such as air locked pumps or blocked raw water strainers. The key outcomes from the pilot plant confirmed that the coagulated membrane process delivered excellent organics removal and provided an extremely effective barrier to particulate contaminants, as demonstrated by at least a 5-log reduction in total cell counts across the membranes. The trials determined the hydraulic operating conditions for the membrane process as well as the flocculation time required in the cold weather. The Covid-19 pandemic brought the pilot plant operations to a permanent halt in March 2020. However, the collaborative delivery and operation of the pilot plant for the 6-months up to this time meant that the project objectives were met and the evidence collected was used to support the detailed design of the new water treatment works.

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LIQUID BIOFUEL CHP’S - AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO DELIVER ON OUR ZERO-CARBON COMMITMENT

Switching to onsite liquid biofuel renewable energy generation can help water companies make huge strides towards the 2030 zero-carbon commitment.

by Graham Powell

Water Utility Business Development Manager, Fleetsolve The Covid 19 pandemic has put more pressure on the water utility sector to deliver on targets with less resources. We have seen

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staff going above and beyond their regular duties to continue to keep water supply and environmental protection at the forefront of what they do, always placing customers at the top of the priority chain.

should be different. Imminent financial support from Government with green investment funding for emerging renewable technologies, will hopefully see the tide starting to turn.

This is all against a backdrop of the global climate crisis.

Liquid Biofuel offers carbon-neutral energy at scale

Being in lockdown and allowing nature to take a break, we’ve seen the reality of human-caused global warming. It’s now more important than ever to look for ways to reduce the carbon emissions problem so that future generations will not inherit a disaster.

We are at a pivotal point when it comes to shaping our future. On a personal note, I am committed to making sure the industry fully embraces innovation in tackling environmental impact and believe that one of the ways we can make huge strides is by switching to liquid biofuel CHP energy.

Creating that positive change is firmly within our hands thanks to our 2030 zero-carbon commitment. Although 2020 has not been the year of transformation we hoped it might be, 2021

After almost 27 happy years at Anglian Water, I left in March and joined Fleetsolve, the UK’s earliest pioneers in renewable bioenergy and carbon reduction. Over the last 20 years, Fleetsolve has applied their award-winning, biofuel combined heat and

FEATURE: ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY power (CHP) expertise to help organisations transform their energy footprint in practical and affordable ways.

Bio-generation unit at the GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham

They have helped many well-known brands to deliver on their sustainability commitments. Their bio-fuel CHP’s enabled Tesco to exceed their 2019/20 targets for both carbon reduction and renewable energy. Why shouldn’t the same happen within the water industry? Those businesses benefit from carbonzero energy coupled with the operational resilience of having on-site, behind the meter, combined heat and power. Biofuel CHP generators have proven to be the right choice for large energy users across multiple key industry sectors – the water utility sector should be no different. As an industry we need to deliver transformational change and Fleetsolve are uniquely placed to help water utility businesses deliver this at scale. In fact, with the rising cost of electricity and the drive to reduce our carbon footprint, an energy intensive organisation within the water industry can utilise this Ofgem accredited and REGO certified technology for carbon offset alongside or as an alternative to pre-existing biogas fuelled CHP engines. In addition, liquid biofueled power generation can be used as a zero-carbon primary source of site power, increasing operational resilience, enabling both the grid and existing power generation sources to be utilised as dual layer standby supplies. When I was first introduced to Fleetsolve, I immediately saw the potential for the water industry to benefit from its liquid biofuel CHP units. They use a blend of UK sourced end of waste liquids to match engine outputs and emission requirements meeting the renewable criteria for Ofgem and BREEAM second generation biofuel providing a carbon neutral power solution with no plant-based materials. “If you have to grow it, we don’t use it!” Their collaborative approach with the London School of Economics (LSE) was awarded ‘BREEAM Outstanding’ for what is a truly world class sustainable facility. Highlighted for particular note was the major effort made for the extensive heat recovery, the integration of a biofuel CHP and use of second-generation biofuel. I ask again,

“why shouldn’t the same be happening within the water industry?”

Challenges facing the utilities sector The route to zero-carbon delivers significant challenges for the water industry, including how the industry is funded against the ever increasing ethical, environmental and business aspirations and demands put before it. The water industry has a strong record of, and is a leading voice in the drive to carbon neutrality and makes good use of best available technology including solar Photovoltaics, wind turbines, biogas CHP from sewage sludges and an increasing focus on gas to grid. The challenge for the industry is “what is the next logical step”? The use of liquid bio-fuelled combined heat and power generation not only provides accredited carbon offset, but further demonstrates the use of best available technology. This delivers the significant benefit of improved operational resilience and a significantly reduced demand for and reliance upon high carbon fossil fuels. The dilemma is how to achieve this in an affordable manner especially if it’s not included in the AMP7 business plan and final determination?

Commercial Model Makes Liquid Biofuel CHP an Affordable Option How can water companies transition to zero-carbon in an easy and affordable way?

expensive, but this has become an outdated view. With the significant financial backing of the global renewable energy giant SIMEC, Fleetsolve has the commercial ability to offer bio-fuelled CHP engines through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) removing the burden of any up-front capital costs. This pivoting of the commercial model from CAPEX to OPEX is of significant financial advantage to the industry. A “utilities style” approach provides an ability to pay on a pence per kilowatt (megawatt) basis and combined with approaching 20 years’ experience of implementing successful carbon reduction projects, will reassure the industry that the proposition is not only commercially attractive, but also provides operational resilience whilst hitting the key carbon zero targets.

Final thoughts Although liquid biofuel CHP’s are not a “silver bullet” in the war on carbon emissions, reducing our impact on the environment and positively affecting climate change is fundamental to the water industry. It is written into governmental legislation that by 2050, the UK will be carbon net zero across all sectors. I am confident the water industry will continue to be an important leader in achieving these targets. For more information please contact: Graham Powell grahampowell@fleetsolve.com or visit www.fleetsolve.com

It was commonly held that adopting such renewable energy technology was

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Z-TECH

INSTRUMENTATION & DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Digital Twins, Edge Computing, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are a range of buzz words that are loosely being brought together under the concept of Digital Transformation at the current time.

by Oliver Grievson

Water Industry Technical Lead at Z-Tech Control Systems

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It’s easy to get caught up in the concept and think that this is the next biggest thing to revolutionise the way the industry works. The truth is it could if applied correctly. You can mistake the fact that it came from the SWAN Forum Layers diagram that was first rough to the industry’s attention in 2009. The SWAN Layers brought the concept to the mainstream industry layering analytics on top of visualisation and both of those concepts on top of communications which is fed by instrumentation. In fact this concept was largely based upon both the Purdue Model and the OSI model. In reality, Digital Transformation is about using data and turning it into

information and insight for the water operating companies to make informed decisions at a multitude of differing levels: from operational staff on the front line being given information to make first-time fixes to giving operational control centres situational awareness or enabling design engineers by giving them the right information to optimise designs. What the whole concept relies upon is data and ensuring that all of the data that is being used is correct… never before within the water industry has the phrase “garbage in garbage out” been more important. Of course, the data largely relies on the instrumentation in the field being correct.

FEATURE: ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY Unfortunately, data quality is a real issue within the water industry and is the main reason why a Digital Transformation project will fail. There have been numerous innovations lost to the water industry due to poor data quality.

Instrumentation life cycle In order to address the data quality challenge that the industry faces the concept of the instrumentation life cycle (figure 1) has been developed. The instrumentation life cycle looks at an instrument and ask questions about an instrument and its use. The first stage in the life cycle is to ask “why install an instrument?” it identifies the instrument’s purpose whether it be for regulatory purposes, control purposes or a whole plethora of reasons. It is important to identify why an instrument needs to be installed and if the why can’t be answered, simply don’t install it. The second stage is to look at what needs to be monitored, where its going to monitor and what is needed, this is the instrument specification. The third stage is the instrument installation and it is important that the instrument is installed correctly and that the data is correct by ensuring the installation is sensitive to both the operation, the maintenance and the eventual replacement of the instrument. Stage 4 is all about the operation and maintenance of an instrument cycling with the verification, maintenance, and repair of any instrumentation system. Stage 5, the last stage, is all about when an instrument has failed. This stage is about reviewing & replacing an instrument system by questioning what value the data has brought. If the answer is nothing, and it is not required for regulatory purposes then this is the stage where an instrument system can be decommissioned from the system and the measurement point withdrawn. This is important as if the data is not used then the instrumentation is not valued. If the system is not valued, then there is no point in maintaining it. This is actually destructive as wrong data can lead to false assumptions. This enables an operational company to focus their efforts on instrumentation systems that provide value to the business by ensuring that only

the instrumentation that is necessary is installed and maintained increasing the efficiency of operation. Often it is assumed that the Digital Transformation of the Water Industry will increase the amount of instrumentation. This is not necessarily true as it might actually decrease the amount used by focussing on what instruments are actually needed and can provide value. This is essential to address (a) Data Richness, Information Poverty and (b) the effective use of instrumentation.

The effective use of instrumentation It is only through the value of data that the industry will use instrumentation to its full effectiveness by utilising the tenants of Digital Transformation. There are barriers to this approach with data quality being one of the largest as it sets in an ever-decreasing circle of a lack of trust in instrumentation leading to a lack of maintenance which cause even poorer data quality. Although this is the largest barrier there also barriers in the form of overcomplexity which cause instrumentation blindness (quite literally not knowing what instrumentation is measuring what) or

even fear that Digital Transformation will lead to efficiencies that will affect the number of staff (a common phenomenon in the United States of America). However, when instrumentation is done correctly enabling the digital transformation there are a number of case studies which can enabled utilities to make significant savings. One of the most well know in the industry is the utility for Lisbon where non-revenue water was reduced from 23.5% to 7.8% in an eight year period from 2005-2013 and despite more recent problems with trunk mains has settled at approximately 10-11% ever since. The key in this case was using data to find out where the problems are and making repairs on the mains based upon the data. This is one of many cases where Digital Transformation has already helped the Water Industry and it all starts with good quality data from well installed and well maintained instrumentation.

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RELEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING WATER IN AN ERA OF CLIMATE EMERGENCY by Lydia Makin

Policy and Project Manager at Waterwise Those of us in the water sector are well aware of the effort it takes to treat and transport water to our customers. For us, saving water is common sense. But in an era of climate emergency using water wisely could be a lot more important than we thought. It could provide a crucial pathway to a lower carbon future. In their 2019 work for Water UK, Artesia calculated that for an average household (where each person uses 138 litres of water a day, just under the UK average) their total carbon emission due to water use is around 2.64 kg CO2 equivalent a day. This works out as 1 tonne of CO2 a year1, more than

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at a flight from London to New York2. On this basis, even a very modest 5-6% reduction in water use could deliver around 50 kg CO2 saving per household per year, or a saving of 1.4 mega tonnes of CO2 if all 27.8 million households in the UK did the same3. If we could go even further and reduce our water use by 15% it would deliver a greater reduction in annual carbon emissions than the whole water sector currently emits through its own operations each year. So, saving water saves carbon, potentially a lot of carbon. It would be nice to imagine a future where our energy supply is decarbonised, the UK is powered totally by renewables and therefore our water doesn’t have carbon embedded in its production. But until that time, water efficiency needs to be explicitly considered

and included as a tool in any strategic plan for getting to net zero carbon emissions (as it has been in Water UK’s 2030 Net Zero Roadmap4). Carbon is just one of the links between water efficiency and sustainability. River levels, chalk streams, biodiversity, population growth and changing weather patterns all point to why saving water matters more now than ever. These are some of the topics we unpick in our training courses, before looking at solutions, innovations and best practice in the industry. 1 https://www.water.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ Water-UK-Research-on-reducing-water-use.pdf 2 https://co2.myclimate.org/en/portfolios?calculation_ id=3720492 3 https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/ familiesandhouseholdsintheuk2019 4 https://www.water.org.uk/routemap2030/wp-content/ uploads/2020/11/Water-UK-Net-Zero-2030-RoutemapSummary-1.pdf

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Green engineering: working with the environment to build a better future The climate emergency requires immediate action from the water industry and Stonbury is proud to be able to offer green engineering solutions that will create a more resilient future for people and the environment.

Evolving Industry Standards - The water industry is set to be impacted significantly by climate change and the resulting changes to legislation, but also plays a pivotal role in the solution; in taking action not only to reduce carbon contribution but also to help ameliorate the effects of more frequent occurrences of extreme weather. In addition to the ambitious carbon pledge, Ofwat has demanded that the water industry considers the environment within their development programmes. Under the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) and Water Framework Directive (WFD) companies are obliged to deliver improvements to rivers and catchments in terms of resilience, water quality and biodiversity. In the future, engineers will be expected to assess the viability of their intended projects using the Carbon Reduction Curve. Stonbury is already proudly championing methods that satisfy the desire to ‘build less’; with asset

As the water industry evolves to meet its 2030 Net Zero

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that are both environmentally friendly and cost effective.

and offering solutions that replace traditional concrete,

Stonbury is pleased to share expert knowledge and

chemical and energy intensive systems with greener,

experience in greener alternatives for water engineering,

softer methods that improve the natural environment and

from design through to construction.

sequester carbon over time.

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Sustainable Building - Green engineering

In addition, Stonbury provides expertise in constructed

integrates short and long-term environmental

wetlands as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective

wellbeing with water management and encompasses

alternative to typical wastewater treatments. Having

a range of processes from simple vegetation planting

constructed and maintained reed beds for Wessex Water,

to more complex works such as river bend restoration

Stonbury has found that artificial wetlands not only

and the creation of artificial wetland features

deliver the required effluent quality (particularly reduced

including ephemeral ponds, swales and reed beds;

phosphates) but also to provide habitat for wildlife and

providing an array of functions from natural drought

flood resilience in some instances, acting as long-term

and flood protection through to full-scale water

climate mediators; sequestering carbon and contributing to

treatment processes.

industry net zero carbon ambitions.

‘Green’ does not equal ‘less’, and green engineering can

Stonbury’s green strategy aims to reduce environmental

be a highly effective alternative to traditional techniques

impact at all stages of a build, starting with bio-friendly

in suitable locations. Natural Flood Management (NFM)

materials, locally won aggregates and the reuse of suitable

modelling within an Environment Agency study area in

in-situ materials where possible in order to reduce carbon

Suffolk has shown that installing a range of NFM features

output. The company is also excited to be assisting the

along the river Deben could provide more than 30,000m3

Environment Agency with managing plastics in construction,

of storm water storage – reducing annual average

aiming to reduce the potential environmental damage

damages to properties and farmland by almost a third.

caused by micro plastics from material degradation.

Stonbury has been involved in the managed retreat of

A Better Future - Stonbury is eager to help turn the tide on

flood defences which allows salt marsh to establish

traditional carbon intensive building and implement projects

in place of expensive reconstruction of unsustainable

which focus on sustainable outcomes that enhance the

inundation barriers, and has also delivered numerous river

environment. The company is taking steps to reduce carbon

bank repair and improvement projects including scour

emissions throughout the entire business, but understand

protection, bank reinforcement and habitat creation. Soft

that reducing emissions within traditional processes is not

engineering schemes like these offer clients sustainable

enough – to properly fulfil the industry’s moral obligations

and often cheaper solutions, provide wide-reaching

and ambitions, Stonbury is proud to promote green

ecological benefits, and challenge the paradox that

engineering for long lasting water management alternatives

greenhouse gases created during construction eventually

that protect people and the environment in the face of a

increase the level of flooding.

changing climate. instituteofwater.org.uk

COULD COVID-19 PUT THE LID ON BOTTLED WATER? The modern bottled water industry can trace its roots back to some really smart marketing at exactly the right point in time. in Cornwall in 1988), toxic chemical releases into the River Severn and the incidence of Cryptosporidium (a parasite that causes sickness and diarrhoea) drinking water contamination in London in 1997. A 1993 Department of the Environment survey found that 38 per cent of adults in England and Wales were “very worried” about drinking water quality (Markwick & Gardiner, 1998).

by Natalie Lamb

Anglian Water Researcher, Rising Star 2020 Bottled Water: A History The modern bottled water industry can trace its roots back to some really smart marketing at exactly the right point in time. In 1972 Perrier was launched as the first brand of bottled water in the UK. The advertising campaign used imagery synonymous with exciting liquors, reinforced with descriptors of a drink that is pure, as well as using an “eau” theme showing the product was imported, foreign and exotic (Markwick & Gardiner, 1998). This inspired advertising resulted in the growth in the imported market from 5 million litres in 1974 to 100 million litres in the later 1980s, paving the way for other imported bottled water brands such as Spa, Evian, Badoit, Vichy and San Pellegrino (Glancey, 1994). At the time of the product launch, the perception of tap water was severely declining. The movement of water and wastewater services in England and Wales from the state to the private sector in 1989 initially made people feel less secure about their tap water. This was fuelled further by a number of negative headline news stories about public water supplies, including “The Camelford Disaster” (the accidental contamination of drinking water

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The combination of increasing concern about tap water with the advertisement of a product that could overcome these potential problems made it a massive hit. This momentum has carried bottled drinking water through to today. Around 14% of people prefer to drink bottled water, rather than their tap water, when at home (Consumer Council for Water, 2015). In 2018 this equated to nearly three billion litres of bottled water being consumed in the UK, with an average per capita consumption of ~44.9 litres per person (Statista, 2020).

Why do people drink bottled water today? Today, the motivations for drinking bottled water over tap water are similar to those in the past. Tabloid stories are still able to reduce the confidence of consumers in their tap water, particularly in the geographical area that any water problems occurred (Water Research Commission, 2012). One such example is after incidences of Cryptosporidium and Giardia were found in tap water in Sydney in 1998, a 40% increase in the sales of bottled water in the year following the contamination and remained high five years later (Lonnon, 2004). However, accidents also happen in bottled water. One example is that in 1990 USA supplies of Perrier were found to contain benzene, a carcinogen, resulting in a worldwide withdrawal of >160 million bottles of water (White, 2009). Within 18 months, its market share had declined from 49% to <30% in the UK but in the USA was where the real drop occurred, with a market share decline to 9%, and around a 5 year

delay the public began to trust the brand again. In recent times, social media and the quick availability of knowledge is allowing the public to be more wary of what they are being told by the media, so traditional adverts do not have the same impact as they used to. Nevertheless, the impact of the news and the requirements for all industries- both public water and bottled water- to be transparent with that news continues to have a large impact on public perception (Newman, 2015). One reason why people opt for the bottle over the tap is due to taste. The aesthetic qualities, the taste and the odour of the drinking water, are highly important because that is the predominant way in which consumers determine whether water is safe to drink. A 1995 Consumers’ Association report in Which? found that of particular concern for the public is the taste of tap water not being as nice as bottled water, which was due to the presence of chlorine in tap water (Markwick & Gardiner, 1998). This same concern, the presence of chlorinous tastes and odours, is also a dominant demotivator for drinking tap water in more recent times (Consumer Council for Water, 2015). Despite these taste preferences, studies have shown that the majority of people cannot identify a difference in taste between the two, especially if both have been in the fridge, which is a way to reduce chlorinous tastes. One example is a blind taste test of 99 participants (60.6% were primarily tap water consumers and 39.4% primarily bottled water consumers) found that neither consumer group was able to distinguish tap from bottled water samples (Debbeler, et al., 2018). Further, bottled water companies have continued to advertise their products as groundwater in source and contain a high mineral content, alluding to consumers that it makes a healthier drink. In actuality, all potable water available in Britain is highly

FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY regulated and of a good quality today. But tap water and bottled water have different regulations, with tap water requiring daily checks, both at the site where water is treated and at the customer tap. In comparison, bottled water regulations require only monthly testing at source and no further testing after the water is bottled, which could be months before it is purchased and consumed. So, tap water has more frequent testing and could be regarded as more reliable in its quality than bottled water. Not only is tap water more frequently regulated than bottled water, but there are also emerging concerns regarding plastic use. Highlighted by the release of Blue Planet 2, public awareness of plastic and the damage it has on the environment has dramatically increased. It is estimated the total weight of plastic in our oceans will exceed that of fish by 2050 (The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016). In the UK, 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day; only half of these are recycled, while more than 16 million are put into landfill (where a 1l bottle can take over 450 years to biodegrade), burnt or leaked into the environment each day (Laville & Taylor, 2017) (Keep Britain Tidy and BRITA, 2017). Just to produce one 1l plastic bottle requires 162g of oil and seven litres of water (Keep Britain Tidy and BRITA, 2017). This is compounded with concerns regarding the presence of microplastics, a topic which is currently understudied and poorly understood, especially the consequences of microplastic ingestion over the course of a lifetime, because it has only recently gained acknowledgement and traction. Overall, it appears that many industries are shifting away from the convenience of plastic wrapping, supported by the general public. Thus, people in the past opted for bottled water because of the concern of poor quality tap water and due to prominent advertising. Now, it is known that water quality in the UK is very good and it could even be argued that tap water is better regulated than bottled and advertisements are likely to not be having as much of an impact as in the past. The argument of taste preference is also under dispute. Some people today prefer to drink bottled water, despite new concerns regarding plastic use. Currently the UK is in a situation of lockdown, to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Could the current state of emergency be changing peoples’ usage of bottled water?

The impact of COVID-19 on bottled water One possible outcome of the virus is the increase in bottle water sales and the stockpiling of bottled water. A reason why people may stockpile bottled water at home is in case of the risk of tap water being cut off. It could be argued that there has been an increase in household consumption since lockdown began, likely due to, as Thames Water (Thames Water, 2020) said “hand-washing, cleaning, using the toilet at home instead of work or school and having more time for longer showers”. Despite this, an increase in interruptions to supply has not been seen during lockdown, which, on average is 13 minutes of loss of water supply per property per year (Discover Water, 2019). It could even be said that the reliability and resilience of the water industry has been proven during this time of crisis. Even if the supply of tap water did experience difficulties, regulations ensure that water companies have to provide at least 10 litres of water per person per day to affected consumers within the first 24 hours, through the use of bottled water or water tankers attached to properties, and maintain this until the piped supply is restored. Bottled water may also be purchased and stockpiled during lockdown because of a concern that tap water could contain the virus when bottled water may not. The World Health Organization (2020) described that there has been no evidence to suggest the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through contaminated drinking water. They went on to detail that enveloped viruses, such as COVID-19 are more susceptible to oxidants such as chlorine. Since the 20th century chlorine has been the most widely used disinfectant for drinking water treatment in the UK and a disinfectant is required to achieve microbiological compliance with tap water regulations (DWI, 2010). Bottled water labelled as natural mineral water, however, must receive no treatment, including that of chlorine. Despite this, the World Health Organization (2020) has additionally said there has been no evidence to suggest the COVID-19 virus is present in surface or groundwater sources. Further, it could be argued that bottled water is more likely to have been in contact with more people, such as those stacking shelves in supermarkets, compared to water entering the household from a tap. Although, bottled water may be a good way to ensure individual household members can have their water from different sources if certain

individuals are particularly vulnerable or are infected. Conversely, people who usually buy bottled water may be unable to continue to do so during lockdown. If people are stockpiling bottled water, that space in supermarket deliveries is being taken up by it. This is of concern particularly for home deliveries of shopping for those most vulnerable, unable to go in person to the supermarket, because when a delivery van reaches its legal weight limit, no more can be put in it. Online supermarket Ocado recently banned sales of bottled water to help free up more space for home deliveries during the coronavirus crisis and doing so has helped them to deliver to 6,000 extra homes a week (Morely, 2020). If other supermarkets came to the same conclusion, people who drink bottled water may have to change their habits. People may also change their bottled water purchasing habits due to having less available income currently. Thames Water (2020) estimates that 2 litres of tap water costs 0.2p and on average 2L of branded bottled water costs around 84p, meaning that bottled water costs 420 times more than tap water. Meanwhile, water utilities are taking measures to ensure it is affordable for everyone, for instance, by supplying discounted tariffs, a short payment break or an alternative payment plan. This may result in the changing of opinions about whether bottled water is an essential or non-essential item. Consequently, during the situation of lockdown, tap water has been shown to be resilient and reliable, with no evidence to suggest the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through drinking water, it has very strict and regular regulations, is cheaper than bottled water (which is especially important at this time of lower incomes) and does not have the same plastic-related environmental impact as bottled water (councils are currently overstretched but bottled water results in more waste and recycling). If people opt to not purchase bottled water, it could help others get the food they need at this time. For this or the other reasons discussed, the lockdown situation may encourage or require people to change their buying habits regarding water and, potentially motivated by the plastic movement, stick to this change in future. Could COVID-19 put the lid on bottled water?

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SYSMEX

QUANTIFY BACTERIA IN MINUTES INSTEAD OF DAYS The quantification of the bacterial amount is important to control the microbial ecology in different water samples. Sysmex Partec instruments use an improved and standardized method to determine bacterial counts in water, insuring early preventative action can be taken.

Figure 1: Typical workflow using the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m Flow Cytometer

The old standard: Heterotrophic plate count Robert Koch founded traditional drinking water quality control in 1883 and since then, the bacteria count has served as a measure for assessing the efficacy of drinking water purification. The heterotrophic plate count (HPC) is still utilised similar to the established standard, however there are known limitations: 1. Not all microbes present in water sample grow and form colonies on solid cultivation media 2. The data obtained from colony counting for result interpretation is weak as it represents down to less than 0.1% of bacteria present in a water sample 3. Plate counting requires considerable resources and a delay to results due to the cultivation period required, which poses a potential risk to the consumer

State-of-the-art: Flow Cytometry Increasingly, scientific publications recommend bacterial cell counting in drinking and industrial water by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry provides a reliable indication of water quality compared to traditional techniques because typically up to 10,000 times more bacteria can be identified. The Sysmex Partec solution uses an improved and standardised bacterial cell count in water samples using the accurate and convenient CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m Flow Cytometer together with the CyStain™ BacCount reagent system. Together they are used to discriminate between live and dead bacteria, which is important in monitoring successful inactivation of harmful bacteria. The solution will also discriminate between bacterial populations

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with high content nucleic acid (HNA bacteria) and low content nucleic acid (LNA bacteria) allowing a “fingerprint” to be identified. The procedure is simple, reliable and fast, as shown in Figure 1. In contrast to traditional HPC, this method detects not only those bacteria growing on agar plates but the entire population of bacteria, regardless of their potential to grow in an artificial or natural environment. This explains why HPC results and the total bacterial cell count determined by flow cytometry can differ by a factor of 100 to 10,000. Flow Cytometry, a technique previously used in medical applications, is now a widely accepted method to determine drinking water quality. The technique involves labelling individual bacteria cells with a fluorescent marker and using fluorescence detection to count and characterise populations using a laser beam. Flow Cytometry has the ability to count high numbers of bacteria within a few seconds, negating the need for timeconsuming cultivation on agar plates.

Introducing automation Sysmex Partec have also developed technological adaption for the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m Flow Cytometer, to meet the requirements of high sample throughput. The addition of the CyFlow™ Robby V2m Autoloading Station, as shown in Figure 2, enables an automated workflow by directly attaching to the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m Flow Cytometer, to pipette and homogenise samples contained within a 96-well plate. The addition of the CyFlow™

Robby Autoloading Station provides a full solution for semi-automated enumeration of bacteria for water quality assessment, allowing standardisation to be introduced into the workflow.

Figure 2: CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m flow cytometer directly connected to the CyFlow™ Robby Autoloading Station and CyStain™ BacCount Reagents

Worldwide presence With over 50 years’ experience and a global presence in more than 190 countries, Sysmex provides high-quality products, services, and support to healthcare professionals in the field of in vitro diagnostics around the world. In addition to our experience in healthcare, Sysmex Partec Flow Cytometry offers a wide range of ultra-compact desktop flow cytometry analysers, specially tailored to scientific and industrial applications, characterised by high levels of precision and cost-effectiveness.

https://uk.sysmex-flowcytometry.com LinkedIn: sysmex-uk-flow-cytometry Contact: flowcytometry@sysmex.co.uk

Quantify bacteria in minutes instead of days The CyStain™ BacCount reagents, used on the CyFlow™ Cube 6 V2m analyser, provide an easyto-use and cost-effective test system to enumerate bacteria in many types of water-based samples. ✔ Much faster than any bacterial cultivation method ✔ Counts all bacterial cells, including viable but non culturable cells (VBNC) ✔ Discriminates between dead / living bacteria ✔ Discriminates between HNA (high nucleic acid) and LNA (low nucleic acid) bacteria ✔ Pre-loaded analysis templates to simplify and standardise interpretation ✔ Rapid and clear-cut decisions ✔ Automated reporting as soon as the results are available ✔ Perfect for routine analysis For further information, please email flowcytometry@sysmex.co.uk

Sysmex UK Flow Cytometry

uk.sysmex-flowcytometry.com instituteofwater.org.uk

BUSINESS MATTERS: USING DATA INSIGHT TO UNLOCK GREEN VALUE FROM THE WATER RETAIL MARKET CEO forum geospacial analysis

1 CMOS

Range of Coordinate Notations

England and Wales Boundary Polygon

134

Water Resource Zones

18 WASC or

342

English Local Authority Districts 22 Unitary Authorities in Wales

WOC Water Company Statutory Boundary Areas

6 Water Resource

Postal Zones

124 Areas 2,987 Districts 11,192 Sectors

36% total NHH meter points located in WRZs with high zone deficits

Management Plan Regions

4,436 Environment Agency Water Bodies

Around 1,000 trade effluent customers located in areas of outstanding natural beauty 42% high consuming meter points located in EA water bodies with low resource availability In March 2019 60% of NHH water consumption was in regions reporting operational cost of treating 1 megalitre of water between 110-220 KgCO2e and 36% in regions reporting cost over 220 KgCO2e

As an industry we are facing global challenges including the threat of climate change, an increasing population and economic uncertainty which has accelerated under COVID-19. We urgently need to develop long-term solutions to these challenges and build resilience in the water industry to meet the increasing demands on our water supply. Until recently the regulator and industry have primarily focused their water-saving campaigns on domestic customers and largely overlooked business customers, who collectively consume almost one third of water in England and Wales. In March, however, Ofwat and the Environment Agency published an open letter, requesting greater water efficiency uptake in the water retail market and for wholesalers and retailers to play their part in meeting national needs for delivering water on a long term, sustainable basis.

by Liz D’Arcy

Portfolio Manager, MOSL

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MOSL’s role The unique characteristics of non-

household (NNH) customers who collectively consume 30% of water supplied can make a significant contribution to meeting ambitious targets around drought resilience, environmental stewardship and decarbonisation. MOSL, as market operator, has a unique perspective at the centre of the NHH customer and a role to play in unlocking value for customers, the environment and the industry as a whole. Our aim is to use the collective expertise of the industry and our independent insight to reduce market frictions, encourage innovation, make it easier to do business in the market and ultimately

FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY deliver the best outcomes for customers and the environment. Through our data insight, we know that business customers are a highly diverse group with different consumption rates, usage patterns, business behaviours and environmental and corporate social responsibility drivers. These unique characteristics present distinct opportunities and challenges in driving environmental outcomes and in understanding what motivates customers to change their behaviour and water usage. In recent months, MOSL has been undertaking work to better understand the NHH customer base by segmenting customers by consumption, industry type and location.

Key observations Through this work we have identified that 20 per cent of customers use over 90 per cent of recorded water usage in the NHH market, and just one per cent of customers use 43 per cent of water. Certain customer segments, therefore, have a disproportionate impact on water efficiency and supply demand. Equally, certain customer segments have the ability to flex water usage at certain times of day or year. Leveraging this insight and targeting those customer segments that are most able to reduce absolute or peak demand could support supply demand challenges and minimise the need for asset reinforcement. Similarly, as the market operates nationally, consideration needs to be given to geography which is diverse in terms of environmental challenges at a regional level. For some, the challenge is water scarcity while for others it is flooding. Understanding where NHH customers are located and the geographical context in which they operate enables the market to prioritise and tailor initiatives and messaging around water usage. MOSL’s central geographic analysis has linked NHH meter locations to other

spatially referenced data available from across the water industry and other sectors and has shown that 36% of NHH customers are located in water resource zones categorised as having high water deficit and 42% are in Environment Agency water bodies with less than 50% water resource availability. Linking this insight to customer type and presenting insight at the relevant geographic scale i.e. at catchment level to support local collaboration or at regional scale to drive Per Capita Consumption (PCC) targets, can enable the market to effectively target relevant messaging on water efficiency to individual customer segments.

Achieving net zero Water efficiency is just one area, however, where this type of data insight can be invaluable. The industry, as a whole, needs to promote water efficiency to ensure resilience, but also to support the demand-led pathway to net zero (as outlined in Water UK’s recently published Net Zero Routemap). Currently water companies will be driving towards this ambitious industry goal from different starting points and at different rates. We need to reliably measure the rate of progress across the industry in a consistent way. The NHH market has demonstrated how diverse data can be brought together into a consistent data model and the central market settlement engine (CMOS) already has the ability to measure NHH customer charges and consumption across the national market, accommodating the different regional wholesaler tariffs. This capability can be extended to calculate carbon cost by NHH customer and wholesaler-retailer pairing. Initial analysis indicates that NHH carbon emissions from water supply alone totaled 221 kilotons of CO2 in 2017 and 228 kilotons in 2018, contributing 10% of total operational emissions from the industry and in March 2019 we can see that 60% of NHH water consumption was in regions reporting operational cost of treating 1 megalitre of water between 110-220 KgCO2e and 36% was in regions reporting cost over 220 KgCO2e.

A transparent and consistent national view that links regional cost of carbon to the consumption data we have in CMOS would enable customers to factor in carbon costs and support informed decision making around water and carbon reduction investment and site location. Retailers could also target offset schemes to reflect the gaps and develop innovative customer offerings to improve choice, value and service.

Next steps MOSL has recently started creating APIs to to surface and enable easier access to market data. We have also been working with the wider industry as part of the Open October project on how we can share data with other sectors. Electricity and gas retail markets demonstrate increasingly that customers are looking for environmental and green benefits and that if genuine environmental offerings are provided by suppliers, they will be taken up. Certain NHH water customers are currently at the frontline of this and it’s crucial that the NHH market starts to deliver on its commitments to realise benefits in the environmental agenda and creates these offerings for business customers – starting by making sure we have quality data in the market. While the environmental challenges are much bigger than just the NHH market, the experience and insight we have gained over the past year (and in light of COVID-19) can go a long way in supporting the wider industry tackle these urgent environmental challenges. As a key priority in our three-year strategy, we are looking forward to sharing more data insight and identifying opportunities to share this insight across the sector to unlock value for both customers and the environment.

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LONG COVID: ASSESSING THE VIRUS’ IMPLICATIONS FOR NETWORK MANAGEMENT From June 2020, people were using an average of 20 per cent more water

Starting to grapple with some of the most stringent leakage targets ever, a 16 percent reduction by 2025, meant 2020 was never going to be an easy year; and then came COVID-19. by Stuart White

Leakage Services Manager, Black & Veatch Europe Almost overnight, when the first lockdown was announced, usage patterns across water networks began to change significantly. Patterns of usage typical for decades – reflecting a 9-to-5 working week during which most workers commuted from home to workplace - became atypical. People began using water at different times and in different locations. Previously predictable patterns of industrial and commercial use tailed off, domestic consumption increased significantly. According to Water UK data from June 2020, people were using an average of 20 per cent more water, with some areas seeing up to a 40 per cent increase. The extended spell of good weather was also a factor. In a further illustration of how unparalleled this period was for utility managers, the power sector - at the same time - was

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dealing with the opposite challenge. Great Britain set new records for low electricity demand during the late May bank holiday weekend. This was even after the National Grid Electricity System Operator implemented ‘footroom’ financial instruments to raise demand levels and take excess capacity off the grid. During the summer there was a move away from typical transient patterns of water network activity. With little overseas travel people visited Britain’s beaches and beauty spots in record numbers. In late June the volume of visitors led Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council to declare a major incident. As we move into autumn and winter, water companies will need to understand the impact upon network operation, and leakage management programmes, of local lockdowns and tiered restrictions.

Historic data challenge This sudden and dramatic shift in water network activity is unlikely to be followed by a return to something more typical.

New patterns of working and living – and thus network activity – look likely A report from Cardiff and Southampton universities, published in late August 2020, found that almost 90 percent of workers who worked from home during lockdown wanted to continue working from home in some capacity; with almost half wanting to work at home often or all of the time. Many employers are considering more remote working options, driven in part by the strong incentive of reduced lease and property management costs. This has significant immediate and long-term implications for water network operators, and meeting Ofwat’s leakage targets. The challenge is to understand how day-to-day and strategic operational planning needs to respond to the changes. It means that using historic network activity data to understand what is happening across the network, and predict what will happened in the future, is becoming increasingly problematic.

FEATURE: UNDERGROUND ASSETS Companies with lower levels of monitoring are likely to face bigger challenges because, especially with regard to leakage, without the ability to gain detailed data on new patterns of consumption, it is difficult to measure the volume of unaccountedfor-water entering the network. Even for companies with greater monitoring capabilities the changes wrought by the pandemic will add to the already considerable challenge of identifying leaks and taking effective measures to reduce losses. Managing the new normal, and new leakage targets, requires fuller, more accurate and current data than is commonplace currently.

The data to build back better

Managing the new normal, and new leakage targets, requires fuller, more accurate and current data

Although water companies recognised network data’s central role in meeting new service and leakage targets before COVID-19, investments in the necessary equipment and tools were in many cases work-in-progress. Thus the pandemic will probably act as a catalyst for digitally enabled strategic network management, rather than a driver in its own right. The virus will hasten a journey already commenced and, as digitally enabled strategic network management comes to the fore, water companies will genuinely be building back better. Digital transformation provides the data necessary to develop a clear understanding of the network’s constituent parts, how they perform individually, and how they interact collectively. Digital transformation also helps turn the data into meaningful information that can shape preventative maintenance asset management planning. The most effective digital transition is founded not just on digital tools and data, but on the institutional knowledge of people who understand the network. Plug-and-play software systems generate data; but expertise from a cross-section of water engineering disciplines is necessary to interpret the data patterns and recognise what failure and optimum performance look like. Digital solutions are incomplete unless embedded directly into the engineering solution. Central to strategic network management is knowing assets’ history, location and condition. A significant amount of clean contemporary data is required to determine optimum performance, and before anomalies can be detected with sufficient confidence. Because there is

Digital transformation turns data into meaningful information that can shape network management

a cost to capturing, storing and accessing each item of data, it is vital to define the data that best supports strategic network management – and ensuring that this data is of sufficient quality.

Understand network health Creating a live central database – by combining digitisation of asset records with near-time reporting from sensors and remote surveys – is vital. Generating greater insight into how assets are operated and performing enables assessment of network health, which can inform the implementation of proactive interventions while expediting the location and resolution of leaks. Black & Veatch offers such an approach, where a District Metered Area (DMA) Health Index provides water companies with the foundation for a data and insight driven strategy to understand how and where to intervene proactively to reduce leakage most effectively.

As we go into winter COVID’s impact on network activity shows no sign of abating. England is facing a second lockdown, for a minimum of four weeks; while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have in place measures to stop the spread of the virus which will continue to result in atypical patterns of water use. And all of this during the season in which freeze-and-thaw temperature fluctuations typically give rise to the highest levels of leakage. Even when the post-COVID era finally dawns, it seems very likely that the new patterns of working adopted during the pandemic will remain; which will have a long-term impact on the operation and management of water networks. Fast-track adoption of digitally enabled strategic network management will help manage these changes, deliver leakage targets, and create a more resilient network - better able to cope with foreseen and unforeseen challenges.

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R2M

TAKE A LOOK INSIDE OUR PIPES

R2M Water Kit 1 showing a valve in a semi closed position in a water main

R2M’s latest collaboration brings camera systems to a new level. In recent months and years, R2M’s innovations have helped solve a number of our industry’s challenges particularly in the field of live repair and keeping the water on. The company’s fieldbased team often attends live repairs to gather feedback and a theme had started to appear. ‘leaks can be very difficult to pinpoint at times’, was one common phrase, ‘we spend £1’000s on excavations to just find the problem’ was another. The team shared the feedback between themselves and began to look for solutions to this. Within a few days, an introduction took place to a company with exactly this solution, who were looking for a collaboration to take it to a wider audience. SPS Ltd (Specialist Pipeline Services Ltd) were that company and Owner Director Paul Quantrill instantly recognised the value of a partnership ‘after much success in the gas industry, we were keen to help the water industry in the same way’ says Paul. ‘Our systems had already helped

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100s of our gas clients find obstructions, leaks, areas of poor pipe condition etc by launching our cameras into the main under live conditions’. ‘We found our specialist hydrophone technology after research into some kit marine biologists were using and we reduced it in size dramatically, small enough even to launch through a concentric type domestic water meter box to check a service pipe’. ‘When we combine that with our battery power and high portability, we have a really ergonomic package that can be transported in a normal car, and operated by a water company or contractor’s own people’. Like all of R2M’s new innovations and new products, launching it into the market is being approached in a highly ‘hands-on’ way. A demonstration vehicle is available that can easily be set up in water company’s car park or yard and give a live demonstration on a simulated pipe (at pressure). The R2M & SPS collaboration also brings a rapid response van into the offering, to assist on site with repairs and

R2M gas Kit 1 showing an obstruction in a Gas main

service work. R2M’s position in the water market is ideal to bring the package to the water industry and having been part of the Hawle Austria Group for almost a year has only strengthened their resources and skillset giving the partnership huge ability. For more information on R2M’s Camera Systems contact 01282 778030.

Leak, Camera, Action!

The R2M water and gas portable pipe camera packages will enable you to detect small leaks that do not show above ground effectively and efﬁciently. Launched live via hydrants, ﬂanges, top tees, or hot tap to limit excavation required.

Portable and easily transportable in a normal car. No specialist contractors required. No interrruption to customer supplies. No depressurisation. 100% Self-contained. 10 Hours battery service.

www.r2mltd.co.uk

01282 778 030

info@r2mltd.co.uk instituteofwater.org.uk

INTELLIGENT UNIDIRECTIONAL FLUSHING TO DELIVER A WORLD CLASS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Under Pressure Valve Installed On 150mm Watermain

by Conor McAlister Capita Real Estate and Infrastructure

With a continual emphasis on maximising value of investment and the delivery of world-class customer experience, Capita working in collaboration with Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) undertook a pilot project to use intelligent unidirectional flushing as an alternative to traditional watermains rehabilitation pipe replacement. The core objective of this pilot was to devise a strategy that would positively impact the network, improve overall service to the customer whilst minimising capital expenditure. NI Water is committed to an extensive water main rehabilitation programme of works with the overriding objective of improving quality, reliability and flexibility of the water supply to its customers. Through the use of water zonal studies, NI Water have been able to target key water mains requiring upgrade. These water zonal studies allow for indepth analysis of the existing network and its overall condition and operational performance.

Project Identification Capita initiated the use of unidirectional flushing as a pilot within NI Water’s current watermains rehabilitation delivery program as it posed an effective and

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efficient way to positively impact on the network, in particular the water quality and reducing hard engineering capital replacement works. Through the use of data analytic algorithms and GIS, the team were able to identify areas of customer water quality risk. This analysis of the retrieved data, allowed Northern Ireland’s water zones and district metered areas to be ranked on the following criteria: ■ water quality; ■ age of asset;

■ ■ ■

material; historical sampling results and; customer contacts.

Strategy Uni-directional flushing is a hydraulic cleaning method which involves directing high-pressure, high-velocity water flow in a single direction through a pipeline. This induces sufficient velocity to shearoff biofilms and other unwanted debris from pipe mains, bringing the impacted water along with it. The key differentiator between conventional flushing and

FEATURE: UNDERGROUND ASSETS intelligent unidirectional flushing is that unidirectional flushing guarantees that hydraulically modelled flow velocities and minimum flushing durations are specified, to achieve biofilm shearing and removal. Importantly, the hydraulic modelling outputs were influential in the development of the flushing strategy to ensure unidirectional flushing was achieved whilst maintaining customer supply and water pressure throughout the network for the duration of the works.

Field Works Following the modelled outcomes, each district metered area was reviewed by the project team through the use of field studies and pre-existing GIS information. To carryout out efficient and effective flushing operations, it was important to ascertain the functionality of fittings (hydrants and valves) within each area. This proved beneficial in validating the hydraulic models and highlighting any variances in the records from that actually found on the ground, allowing for remedial works to rectify any discrepancies. With the provision of world class customer experience driving decision making within NI Water, it was a target requirement that implement practises would not interfere with the customer supply for the works duration. Utilising under-pressure or ‘live’ construction methods it allowed for the installation of new and replacement fittings and maintained that target of zero lost minutes of supply per property. This installation method did have a higher associated cost per fitting however, with the core driver of minimal impact on the network and minimised chances of interruption to customer supply it was considered value for money and proved highly effective in practice.

Intelligent Unidirectional Flushing Works To provide greater accuracy during the pilot scheme, NI Water invested in intelligent standpipes. These come with a range of sensors and an LCD display that enables the operator to control the unidirectional flow rates and ensure that the hydraulic modelling design was adhered too. In addition to displaying the flushing flow rates and flush durations, the volume of water used and the GPS coordinates for each flushing event were recorded. The study concluded that there

Smart flushing standpipe & display units was up to 65% reduction in the volume of water used compared to conventional flushing. The intelligent standpipe was fitted with a turbidity sensor, which provided operators live turbidity readings during flushing.

Progress & Results Prior to any flushing being carried out, each districted metered area in the pilot scheme had a background water sample recorded. This provided a baseline water quality for comparative purposes. The pilot scheme showed a positive impact on water quality as a consequence of unidirectional flushing, with findings showing an 85% reduction in iron, 48% reduction in manganese, 34% reduction in aluminium and 89% reduction in turbidity.

Benefits For the district metered areas within in the pilot scheme the intelligent unidirectional flushing provided the following advantages: ■ Reduced risk to underground assets through the use of controlled flow rates and water pressure verification; ■ Significant improvement to water quality; ■ Lower carbon footprint when compared with traditional rehabilitation works as it minimises intrusive construction works, thus reducing labour and plant requirements; ■ Reduction in water use during flushing activities;

Installation of underpressure fittings ■

■

Minimal interruption to customer supply throughout entire works, and; Prolongation of existing assets usable life;

On review of the pilot scheme, it was calculated to be approximately 95% cheaper than traditional rehabilitation and watermain replacement techniques. Uni-directional flushing has proven to have huge potential as an effective tool in network maintenance, complimenting traditional watermain rehabilitation techniques, which will still act as a solution for structural or hydraulic restrictions within the network.

Summary The pilot project has proved to be a success and has highlighted the intrinsic value of intelligent, smart network management going into the future. By utilising modern technologies and collecting/analysing real-time data has given the ability to better understand these networks and their overall condition and performance. This allows for more effective long-term network management and better decision making in capital investment. Ultimately, implementing such strategies and technologies strengthen NI Water’s core philosophy of providing a world class customer experience whilst maximising investment expectations from stakeholders.

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OVARRO

REMOTE LEAK DETECTION LEADS SMART WATER REVOLUTION A 2019 United Nations report into water security highlights smart water management as key to addressing global resource challenges. Ovarro’s Leakage Product Line Manager, Chris Moore, shares insights into how remote leak detection technology is helping companies around the world achieve leakage goals.

Leak detection is a key focus for Ovarro. What are the main drivers for water companies to improve performance? Ovarro’s mission is to advance productivity, safety and performance, enabling our clients to work more effectively. The preservation of water has to be key – according to the World Health Organisation, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. It is not just a case of water not reaching the end user - leaks are expensive. They force utilities to fill the gaps in supply by drawing on freshwater supplies, thereby reducing efficiency in water networks and allowing contaminants to enter the water supply. In England and Wales, around 21% of water put into the public supply is lost and industry regulator Ofwat expects urgent action. This is reflected in its targets, which challenge water companies to reduce leakage by 16% before 2025.

How has leak monitoring technology advanced over the past decade? Having the ability to gather leakage data remotely, through fixed network systems, has been the biggest development. We can now gain data from virtually any location and doing so has become cheaper, while equipment has become more efficient and less power intensive. Acoustic loggers such as Ovarro’s Enigma3hyQ, that can pinpoint leaks remotely by measuring the sound generated by water escaping the network, are front-of-field in the digital revolution.

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In England and Wales, around 21% of water put into the public supply is lost Having sensors distributed throughout the network makes it possible to measure the time taken for noise to reach different loggers, meaning greater accuracy in pinpointing leaks. Rather than sending teams into district metered areas (DMAs), companies can direct crews to more precise locations. This saves time and money and speeds up the repairs, reducing water loss. Our R&D team works closely with utilities to develop technologies that directly meet industry requirements. Our next generation product is likely to be smart phone based, enabling all functions to be carried out on a phone or tablet, which will bring further savings as fewer laptops will be required by field-based teams.

What steps are still required to enable smart technologies to have the optimum impact on water resources globally? The tools are available to significantly reduce water loss and technology is only going to get better. More streamlined adoption would accelerate tangible benefits in consumption, energy reduction and cost efficiency. If fully embraced, the technology can play a key role in the creation of smart water networks, helping companies become more proactive in their operations.

Globally, which regions are making the biggest strides in leak reduction? Exciting developments have been happening in Malaysia, where water companies are really embracing new technology. In 2018, we undertook a three-month trial that saw 295 of our Enigma3m loggers installed in a distribution network in the State of Johor. The project successfully cut net night flow by a third. A total of 115 leaks were found and repaired and small leaks at hydrant valves and communication pipes were also located, with a total cost saving of approximately £3,050 (US$4,000) per month.

Can leak detection technology benefit other sectors? The usability of today’s leak detection technology and the ability to access data via the cloud, means it does not need to be exclusive to the water industry. End-users with large sites, infrastructure and machinery that use large volumes of water, would historically call a private contractor if they suspected they had a leak on their system. Now businesses are starting to approach us about fitting permanent monitoring onto their networks. We are excited about the opportunities that may arise from cross-sector interest in our technology.

WE CONNECT BIG DATA TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Water authorities across the globe rely on our datadriven solutions to advance productivity, safety and security. Contact Ovarro or one of our partners and discover how we can make a big difference to your business. www.ovarro.com instituteofwater.org.uk

PR19 AND THE NEED TO REDUCE ASSET STRIKES

Ofwat’s PR19 has undoubtedly put the water sector under pressure to change, especially when it comes to asset resilience. Figure 1: Increase of people using LSBUD over recent years.

by Richard Broome LSBUD MD

PR19 is underpinned by a range of performance commitments which include leakage levels, supply interruptions, and unplanned outages. Ofwat now treats asset failures in the same way whether they are caused as a result of something the asset owner has or hasn’t done, or if an unconnected contractor or a member of the public is responsible. Either way, the negative financial effect remains the same – and it will be considerable.

The Need to Collaborate

Here, Richard Broome, Managing Director at LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging search resource, explains how water companies can respond to this pressure and ensure that their assets are better protected from the threat of third-party damage.

Better protection can only be achieved through collaboration. If all water companies were to join a central system that provides the location of the UK’s underground infrastructure – including gas pipes, broadband cables, and oil and chemical pipelines – then a search for

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It’s crucial that water companies work to better protect their assets so that they can meet their regulatory targets, improve the resilience of their network and customer service, whilst avoiding expensive penalties and reputational damage. One of the key regulatory targets relates to leakage, with Ofwat demanding that leakage in the industry falls by 17 percent between 2020 and 2025.

assets prior to any excavation work taking place would greatly minimise the risk of damage occurring. This quick process would better protect our underground networks and keep safe construction workers, contractors, and members of the public. By joining a central system, asset owners would benefit from the ‘safety of the herd’ effect. In essence, the greater the number of asset owners sharing their information, the greater the number of enquiries every utility company receives. Indeed, utility providers using the LSBUD portal typically see more than a 10-fold increase in the number of searches for their assets.

In Practice Before Portsmouth Water joined LSBUD, it was receiving an average of 2,500 third

FEATURE: UNDERGROUND ASSETS party mapping requests per year. In 2020, between early April and the middle of June, it responded to over 4,500 requests, coming in from a range of sources, including fellow utility companies, developers, and local authorities. This means that even during the first national COVID-19 lockdown, the company received nearly double its yearly search enquiries in just 10 weeks, ensuring its assets were better protected from thirdparty damage than ever before. By working together, water companies can keep their assets safer, reduce costs through minimising the need for repairs, deliver greater efficiencies, and improve regulatory performance. Plus, with less damage incurred, fewer outages and interruptions will occur, so customer service will improve. Taking a collaborative approach makes good business sense. Despite all this, the UK’s water companies lag behind other utilities when it comes to registering assets on a central portal. 70 percent of the UK’s electricity networks, and 80 percent of gas networks are registered with our portal, while just 10 percent of the UK’s water infrastructure is available.

Planning for the Future On top of simply showing excavation workers the location of underground assets, the masses of data generated by search enquiries can also be used for resilience planning. Asset owners can futureproof their networks against third party damage by seeing who is planning to work in the vicinity of their network, the type of work they are doing, and when they are doing it. This allows trends to be realised, providing opportunities for companies to put measures in place to safeguard their networks even more. The more search data you have to work with, the better. To put this point into context, consider that search locations can be checked against high-risk assets before any work is undertaken. Projects operating in areas that are perceived as high-risk can be anticipated ahead of time and stopped, giving asset owners time to provide suitable supervision or advice. This ‘data revolution’ allows the profiling of workers and work types, with companies able to look at a firm’s safety records. This allows them to better control and manage

works close to their assets, and continually improve their own understanding of potential risks in the future. This makes sure that their teams focus on the works most likely to affect their networks. By having a clearer picture of the past and the present, the future can be better managed, ensuring greater resilience. Gone is the outdated view that the plan request process is something that only helps the person doing the works - the reality is that it is a data exchange that both parties can benefit from.

A Chance for Change We urge water companies to treat Ofwat’s focus on asset resilience as a positive catalyst for change. By adopting a collaborative mindset through sharing the location of underground water pipes, the industry will make great strides to achieve and outperform the performance commitments that have been set in PR19, keeping assets safe, and improving resilience. To find out more about LSBUD, visit www.linesearchbeforeudig.co.uk

Institute of Water Magazine Featuring in our Magazine is a great way to showcase your work, share your learning and reach a unique and professionally diverse audience. The Institute of Water Magazine is mailed directly to over 2,500 Institute of Water Members and subscribers. Recipients include senior figures and decision makers at leading Water Utility organisations and their suppliers, contractors and regulators. It is also distributed by email to all members and promoted heavily by a structured digital campaign via the Institute of Water’s social media networks (circa 16,000 linkedin network and over 7,500 twitter followers) with a quickly growing digital readership of over 16,000 per quarterly edition.

Features List 2021 SPRING 2021 – Distribution Early March 2021 • Engineering Projects • C-MEX/ODI’s • Leakage Investigation Techniques • Water Quality SUMMER 2021 – Distribution Early June 2021 • Digital Transformation • Environmental Management • Groundwater • Wastewater Treatment Solutions AUTUMN 2021 – Distribution Early September 2021 • Innovation • Social Purpose • Flood Risk Management • Instrumentation + Process Control WINTER 2021 – Distribution Early December 2021 • Asset Management • Water Resources/Biodiversity • Carbon Zero Solutions • Risk - Lessons from COVID19

To contribute an article or to advertise contact martin@jimjammedia.com or call 07342 850 289

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ABB

RELIEVING PRESSURE WITH DIGITALIZATION

Data collected and sent to the cloud can then be analysed by water-utility operators to plan out maintenance actions in a cost-effective manner

The rapid development of real-time sensing and monitoring technologies for improving early leakage and water quality anomaly detection are an effective way to address these challenges as ABB’s Clayton Mead describes. There is increasing pressure on water utilities to lower their total cost of ownership and high leakage rates. By combining smart monitoring technology with variable speed drives (VSDs) and motors, water utilities can anticipate pump system maintenance needs, thereby moving from reactive to real-time monitoring.

Condition-based monitoring boost remote location insights In water and wastewater applications, VSDs are deployed for process control such as maintaining constant water pressure (thus avoiding leakage caused by high pressure), avoiding water hammer, or optimised water extraction. VSDs can perform pump cleaning and can control several pumps

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in a cascade system to optimize pump operations and save energy.

optimised maintenance and reduced spare parts stock.

Condition-based monitoring services can work with remotely located pump systems to provide real-time data via the cloud. At the heart of this approach is a new generation of wireless smart sensors – a low-cost, easy-to-install digital solution.

Furthermore, experts can analyse data collected from the smart sensors and turn it into corrective and confident actions to extend equipment lifetime. It’s possible to analyse and decipher the best solution for improving the operation of water and wastewater assets, from a single pump station to an entire water or wastewater treatment facility.

Smart sensors have revolutionised the maintenance logistics of motors by enabling operators to use remote monitoring for early detection of pending problems. Now, maintenance actions can be cost-effectively planned before failure occurs. The result is reduced downtime, eliminating unexpected production stops,

From pumps to motors to VSDs Smart sensors also turn traditional pumps into smart, wirelessly connected devices. This approach measures vibration and temperature from the surface of the

FEATURE: UNDERGROUND ASSETS pump and uses it to provide insight into the pump’s condition and performance, including pump speed, vibrations, misalignment, bearing condition and imbalance. In addition, smart sensors attached to the motors connected to the pumps can detect a drop in water flow based on the output power of the motor. Digitalisation also extends to VSDs, from where data can be uploaded to the cloud via a remote monitoring solution. Data from the VSD, motor and pump can be analysed together, providing insights on the health and performance of the complete powertrain. While utilities are always monitoring their networks for changes in pipe pressures and flow of water that can indicate problems such as blockages and leakages, sometimes the first warning they receive is when a customer notifies them of a burst water pipe. Digitalisation can trigger the earliest possible warning. The earlier or quicker utilities can prevent treated water being wasted, the higher the savings, not to mention the boost in customer confidence. Non-treated water, also known as wastewater, is a real problem if it leaks into the environment. Utilities can be fined, not to mention the safety hazards for people, property and image of a water utility.

How hard is digitalisation to implement? While utilities have made great strides in the uptake of digital technology, there is still plenty of scope for improvement. As the technology evolves and smart sensor prices decrease, the opportunities for utilities to gain even greater insights into their networks has sky rocketed. Ripping out all the existing hardware is probably not the best approach. Utilities need to start with a clear strategic plan to create an all-encompassing digital ecosystem. This can start by dividing the water network into discrete zones and identifying what is needed to address the specific challenges in each. Effectively, it is best to start small by adding to existing technology. In this way, smart sensors are the perfect starting point as they can be placed on a motor, pump, bearings or gearing. They are easy to connect and use, without having to invest in new, expensive systems.

Successful application in Singapore In the bustling city-state of Singapore, its water utility focuses on one main goal:

Remote monitoring solutions allow data from drives, motors and pumps to be uploaded to the cloud – providing vital information on the health and performance of the powertrain.

to make sure that the rapidly growing metropolis – with few natural water sources and limited landmass – has a steady supply of clean water. To add to the challenge, water demand is set to double in the next four decades over its current consumption of over 400 million gallons a day. High operational costs, rising energy usage, and a national workforce shortage compelled Singapore to think beyond convention.

Drives provide a variety of benefits to water utilities, including reduced energy use, process control and pump cleaning.

ABB and the Public Utilities Board (PUB), the water utility, conducted a successful pilot, which involved installing smart sensors on the PUB’s motors and pumps. The real-time data obtained via the sensors allowed the utility to reduce troubleshooting time, as well as resources and paperwork. ABB then installed an integrated solution with 22 smart sensors, remote condition monitoring, and augmented reality glasses (Microsoft HoloLens) to assist with maintenance and training. It also installed six digital powertrains, which integrate sensor and VSD data with cloud-based analytics along the entire chain of plant equipment – from VSDs and motors to pumps and bearings. The condition monitoring portal allows the PUB to configure the powertrains easily and monitor critical health and operating parameters via a single portal. The digital powertrains, in turn, alert the utility to warning signs of failure, which helps reduce maintenance costs.

Looking ahead A smart city is often described as a ‘system of systems,’ where the Internet of Things (IoT) and analytics converge with traditional infrastructure. These cities use

IoT and analytics capabilities to reach operational efficiency and improve service levels, sustainability, and economic vitality. Previously siloed sectors such as power, transport, disaster management and water all work in synchronicity. Many cities around the world have made great strides in digitizing several areas of infrastructure, such as energy and transport. Still, most have yet to connect their water supplies to their smart city strategies and systems. However, the threat of growing scarcity may push more cities toward smart water management systems.

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STANTEC

ADOPTING SMART WATER NETWORKS AND DRIVING SMART CITY SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE UK WATER INDUSTRY An ageing water infrastructure and the associated repair and replacement costs that go with that are top of the agenda for water utilities. Specifically, as water mains and pipes become more susceptible to the wear and tear over time, increasingly this is where we suffer our greatest loss…water. Fig.1 Smart networks allowing multiple sensor types to be correlated and visualised on one cloud-based platform.

by Damian Crawford

Head of Smart Networks and Leakage at Stantec Through applying digital technology and expertise we can create smart water network solutions that improve the efficiency, longevity, and reliability of the underlying physical water network by better measuring, collecting, analysing, and acting upon a wide range of network events. This can take shape in different phases of the utility process, such as real-time monitoring and automation, operational readiness, or network planning. The availability of cheap, easy-to-use data technologies, as well as external pressures on the water industry, means that water networks will see much greater sensor and controller density, and inevitably a more central role for all the data systems built on top of them as part of holistic system thinking. Smart water networks can prevent the significant (20% on average) network

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pressurisation and chemical costs lost due to leakage. Smart water networks can also reduce the cost of field operations and maintenance, leakage detection, quality monitoring and repair. This year Yorkshire Water and Stantec embarked on the largest and most extensive smart water network pilot in the UK - the Hadfield Smart Network. With seventeen companies in the digital water space, a collaboration was formed which included Stantec, BT, Xylem, Itron, ATi, Inflowmatix, HWM, Gutermann, Technolog, Servelec/ Primayer, Connexin, Arqiva/Sensus, Invenio, MUS and Syrinix to further improve the essential water supply service provided to Sheffield. The scope of the ambitious industry-wide collaboration is to test the latest cuttingedge digital water meters, sensors, advanced analytics and telecommunications channels.

The smart water network pilot integrates the data from multiple new and existing sources, including acoustic, flow, pressure and water quality monitors, and presents it in a single visualisation platform. This will provide a virtual model of the physical assets across the network referred to as a digital twin. The smart network will use data received at near real time from across its network and through the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence, clustering data sets and removing false positives, it will revolutionise the way Yorkshire Water manages leaks and interruptions to supply in the future and therefore reduce the amount of water taken from the environment. Sheffield was chosen as a location for the four-year innovation pilot for geographical reasons. The hills in the city will test the capability of the wireless solutions for transferring flow data. Also, its elevation

FEATURE: UNDERGROUND ASSETS Fig.2 Five layers of smart architecture

and closeness to the Peak District means the area faces harsh winters and the associated challenges with leakage during freeze-thaw events. The pilot area covers 23 network zones to the west of Sheffield, called DMAs (District Metered Areas), which monitor water flow into and out of areas of the network. Approximately 2,200 smart advanced metering infrastructure customer meters are being fitted in this area and will remotely send 15-minute water flow information back to Yorkshire Water Services up to every 4 hours.

area as part of this initiative for the first time. BT’s NB-IoT solution has the potential to deliver significant improvements in data quality and battery life, enabling Yorkshire Water to identify and prevent leaks and network incidents more accurately than ever before.

Using this data Yorkshire Water Services can identify when increases in demand are due to leakage and respond quickly as well as advising customers on water conservation measures. In addition, over 1,300 acoustic, pressure and water quality monitors have been deployed to provide a full picture of what is happening across the network.

In this pilot, network asset health utilising hydraulic modelling is being analysed, along with field-collected pressure transient and water quality data and non-evasive pipe condition analysis. This analysis is being carried out to understand the health of the network and also whether there is an underlying reason causing bursts, pressure irregularities or water quality incidents.

The digital twin will ultimately have live hydraulic modelling capability, integrated to sensor data in the field which will be used in real-time to assess the impact of an incident or network anomaly and to provide an informed operational decision support tool for situational awareness. As a result, analysts in Yorkshire Water will be able to prioritise repairs instantly, enabling leaks to be repaired quicker and reducing water lost. The project has utilised state-of-the-art technologies including BT’s NB-IoT network, which is being used commercially in the

The smart water networks analytics system being used in the pilot is cloud based and will support delivery of Yorkshire Water targets for reduction in leakage, bursts, and supply interruptions.

This information is being used to inform an intervention strategy to optimise and calm the network. The focus is on removing harmful pressure transients caused by pumping, pressure reducing or sustaining valves, network restrictions or large users. Ultimately it will be used to introduce advanced pressure management and network reconfiguration to improve reticulation or targeted mains replacement. Yorkshire Water’s innovation programme manager, Sam Bright, said: “Technology has

progressed so much over the past few years that we are now able to really start to push the boundaries of what is possible, using artificial intelligence, to make our networks smarter than ever before. Bringing in the expertise of Stantec and the supply chain has helped us to accelerate this process and quickly translate these developments into real value for our customers.” The Hadfield Smart Network Pilot is the first step to becoming data-rich and knowledgesmart and will be pivotal in achieving outcome delivery incentives for AMP7 and beyond. The water industry needs to system-think differently; to think smarter with the early focus being on network asset health, customer side leakage management and smart water networks. Eventually the goal is a holistic end to end integrated infra and non-infra view of the network and how the asset base connects together to drive automation and better customer outcomes. Stantec is supporting Yorkshire Water’s ambition to deliver more than just the deployment of ICT solutions and collecting and analysing data to improve decisionmaking. For the Hadfield Smart Network, the core enabler of the strategy is an innovation ecosystem. The aim is to create a city with a thriving innovation ecosystem and to promote and drive the adoption of smart city solutions across the UK water industry. The smart city concept, in this context, is a signal of the aspiration to leap to the cutting edge of modernity.

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CAMPAIGN TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON NETWORK SAFETY

AVK has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the vital importance of network safety. and avoid the cost of compromise. To help water engineers, protect their system, AVK will be delivering a series of educational webinars on network safety, the first of which, will take place on the 26th November at 10am sign up here www.avkuk.co.uk/en-gb/solutionsand-information/network-safety. The webinars will be supported by the release of a Network Safety Solutions brochure and safety technical papers.

Choosing the right valve is critical

by Graham Charnley

Network Safety Specialist, AVK UK AVK’s campaign focusses on both the physical safety of water company personnel and the protection of vital infrastructure such as pipelines, pumping stations and treatment works. It addresses three of the principal causes of network failure: water hammer, air entrainment and negative pressure. Water and wastewater networks are expensive to build and challenging to maintain and repair. AVK’s campaign seeks to provide additional support for water engineers, specifiers and procurement teams to design, specify and procure the correct products to ensure network safety

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The key to avoiding system failure and maintaining a safe network is choosing the right valve. This may sound trite, but it is not as straightforward as it sounds. Each of the key valve groups involved with network safety – air valves, control valves, check valves – have multiple variants. Criteria influencing specification include pipe diameter, material, flow rate, head, pressure wave velocity, valve spacing, valve material…to name just a few!

Maximising efficiency. Minimising costs. Protecting your system. Valves in network safety applications are integral to continuity of supply as well as safety. Replacement in this context is costly, time consuming and impacts heavily on customer service.

Engineers specifying the correct AVK valve will minimise maintenance interventions and protect their network. The design of AVK valves operating in network safety scenarios focuses on automatic and trouble-free operation combined with ease of installation and maintenance. These design criteria are underpinned by AVK’s longstanding commitment to, and investment in, product approvals and quality systems accreditations. The goal of these approvals and accreditations, supported by AVK’s experienced service and technical team, web platform and onsite engineering support, is to provide the reassurance water engineers are looking for to validate their decision to specify AVK valves. Potential network failure is the cost of compromise. Why take the risk?

Download the new AVK network safety brochure You can download AVK’s network safety brochure at https://www.avkuk.co.uk/ en-gb/solutions-and-information/networksafety where you will also find a wealth of other technical and commercial resources. If you need clarification on any aspect of valve, hydrant or fittings specification then simply contact our Network Safety Specialist Graham Charnley on 07778 536288 or email him at grch@avkuk.co.uk.

FEATURE: COLLABORATION

VACUUM

WATER HAMMER

AIR ENTRAINMENT

Avoid system failure, choose the right valve!

NETWORK SAFETY SOLUTIONS The key to avoiding system failure and maintaining a safe network is choosing the right valve. Air Valve

AVK offer a full range of air valves, control valves and check valves. Our Network Safety product specialists are available to advise on the correct valve for your project specifications.

Control Valve Check Valve

#AVKNETWORKSAFETY For more information contact: Graham Charnley Senior Business Development Manager Mobile: +44 (0) 7778 536288 Email: grch@avkuk.co.uk

@AVK UK Ltd

@avk_uk

customerservice@avkuk.co.uk

WIMES Compliant REG 31

+44 (0) 1604 601188 www.avkuk.co.uk

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HWM GLOBAL

FLOOD PREVENTION THROUGH WASTE WATER NETWORK MONITORING

This year in the UK, November 9th-15th was the Environment Agency’s annual Flood Action Week. According to the Environment Agency, in England alone, over 5 million homes are at risk of flooding and the average cost of flooding to a single home is over £30,000. This is a significant problem, which is why the UK government recently announced a £5.2bn investment to strengthen flood defences in vulnerable areas. While this record investment is welcomed, and will help greatly to protect against the more predictable types of flooding, specifically tidal and fluvial (river), the more unpredictable flooding, usually caused by rainfall, such as pluvial (surface water) and flash flooding still poses significant risk. This risk is enhanced as the climate warms up, because in simple terms, a warmer climate holds more moisture. In fact, for each degree of warming, the air’s capacity for water vapour goes up by about 7% according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. And the world is getting warmer. According to a report in 2018 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities are estimated to have caused approximately 1oC of global warming above pre-industrial levels. The report also claims that global warming is likely to reach 1.5oC between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate. In the UK, increased rainfall is already apparent. The 2018 UK State of the

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Climate report, completed by the Royal Meteorological Society, evidenced that the UK’s climate is becoming wetter. According to the report, the most recent decade (2009-2018) has been on average 1% wetter than 1981-2010 and 5% wetter than 1691-1990 for the UK overall. Furthermore, the amount of rain from extremely wet days has increased by 17% when comparing the same time period. The dangers of extremely wet days were laid bare in February 2020, in the form of both Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis. Storm Ciara hit large parts of the UK in early February, bringing consistent high winds and heavy rain, with over 250 separate flood warning generated as a result. Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and other areas experienced severe flooding, with experts at PwC estimating insurance claims costing over £200m as a result. Less than a week later, Storm Dennis hit. The UK was already saturated following Storm Ciara and, as such, the rainfall Dennis delivered brought more flooding and misery. Both the Rivers Wye and Severn reached their highest ever recorded levels and flooding saw major incidents declared in South Wales, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. Fixing the damage caused by Storm Dennis is estimated to cost £225m, bringing the bill for both Storms Ciara and Dennis to well over £400m.

The demands on the UK’s existing waste water networks are already great. Population growth is rapidly forcing the expansion of urban areas, impacting the quantity of water entering sewer networks and reducing the capacity of a sewer to cope with flood events. Water companies also face various problems associated with pipe blockages, which have the potential to cause untreated sewage to back up and potentially flood drains and streets. Blockages can be expensive and time-consuming to remove and can lead to financial penalties from regulators. When pairing together the challenges of maintaining a Victorian-era sewer network with climate change and urbanisation, UK water companies are finding themselves under increasing pressure to find smart, cost-effective solutions. Waste water network monitoring is an excellent way of ensuring the efficient performance of a sewer system. Level sensors and flow monitors can act as an early warning indicator for problems such as blockages and flooding, providing the accurate data used to identify issues before they escalate. With climate change significantly altering weather systems, waste water networks will be expected to cope with greater intensities of rainfall more frequently. While Flood Action Week is encouraging the public to take precautions, behind the scenes, water companies continue to invest heavily to do the same.

SpillSens ATEX-Certified Digital Float Sensor

Using digital positioning technology, SpillSens monitors rising levels in waste water networks, acting as an early warning system for blockages and sewer overflows. www.hwmglobal.com instituteofwater.org.uk

VEGA

IMPROVING CONTROL AND YIELD IN GRAVITY THICKENERS Gravity thickener machines are widely installed and used in waste water treatment plants, water treatment plants as well as in a wide range of industries with waste or solids separation requirements like; food and dairy, pulp and paper, abattoirs and special aggregates industries, for example. A typical gravity belt thickener out feed, shows level controls over the outfeed hopper that regulate the pump speed/operation and the feed into the gravity belt thickener behind

by Matthew Westgate

Business Development Manager – Water Gravity belt thickeners are primarily used for water-volume reduction prior to digestion, further dewatering/drying, transportation for incineration or disposal. They are continuously operating machines which thicken sludge by gravity using a revolving porous filter belt or conveyor. They generally produce a still pumpable, but much thickened sludge.

Gravity Thickeners They employ the natural tendency of higher-density solids to settle out of liquid to concentrate them, combined with mechanical assistance to augment the process. Think of the example in a kitchen of passing a stock through a sieve, using a spoon to stir and agitate the process to encourage more liquid to pass over a wider area/cleaner parts of the sieve. The technique is used in the same way in both industrial and municipal settings. A gravity belt thickener employs ‘gravity drainage’, i.e. dilute sludge (typically 0.5% to 1.0%), which is introduced at the feed-end of a horizontal filter belt. As the

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slurry makes its way down the moving belt, any free water drains through the porous belt. The solids are continuously turned, encouraging the drainage of more water through a filter belt to thicken. A drum thickener works on a similar principle of conveying treated sludge (a.k.a. flocculated sludge) through a slowly rotating drum filter. The sludge remains in the drum, while the water phase passes out through the filter.

Some ‘dynamic’ systems also employ a partial vacuum or pressure to assist with the filtering to accelerate or optimise the process. There are also presses and centrifuges which also carry out similar tasks, all with similar process challenges and varying control techniques. In most cases, the final sludge is discharged into an outlet hopper as a pumpable thickened sludge.

FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY The sludge to be thickened may be polymer-conditioned prior to digestion, being prepared for a further process of mechanical dewatering in a press or centrifuge, or water-reduced before transporting for land application or sludge disposal site.

Controlling the thickening process Control of these mechanised processes is key to producing a consistent throughput and output. Too fast and the filter systems can be overwhelmed, too little wastes energy, capacity and can have a detrimental effect on the quality of the final sludge. To do this, among other devices, the machines employ a variety of level and pressure sensors for control and feedback of how the process is running. That can be pressure in lines and pumps, differential pressure on filters or across pumps, level in feed and receiving hoppers and even on the belts themselves, as well as density of incoming and outgoing media. All of these measurements help the machine manufacturers, and in turn the plant operators, optimise performance, control and energy inputs. Really good automated control equals less power consumption, and a better quality output - every gram of water extracted means less energy in transport, further processing or drying. When that gets scaled up to a large waste water network, or large scale industrial process in food, paper, steel or aggregates, these grams of water can quickly turn into significant amounts of savings across a fleet of machines and sites. The issues of getting reliable control are many-fold. If we look at the instrumentation that provides the data - accurate measurements are once again amplified through the cost and processing chain of this continuous, automated process.

Challenges of pressure control One critical area are the pressure sensors used to monitor performance in delivery systems, pumps, recirculation or outfeed circuits. The big issue is pressure monitoring sensors are required to be sensitive in design to make the measurement, (and kept away from direct contact with the arduous process conditions) yet ideally they need to be

flush mounted in pipe lines and vessels (in direct contact) to avoid blockages from the sludge they are monitoring. Both of these situations can cause errors: Recessed protected sensors become prone to blockages or air pockets – it can be worked around with air or water flushing, but this just adds cost and complexity and maybe unwanted water into the process. However, by flush mounting them, it exposes the sensitive thin metal pressure diaphragms which can be prone to abrasion damage from particles in sludge. The result of this? Drift in the accuracy of readings, which, when trying to extract every gram of water or solids, can negate all that optimising work.

measurement, they offer very hard wearing diaphragms to avoid blockages and provide accurate pressure monitoring.

So care in their mounting and positioning needs to be taken, air pockets and blockages in small recesses can play havoc with readings, and in turn; extra servicing, recalibration and repairs, which can introduce costly downtime and interruptions. Unfortunately, the outcome can be overflowing or overrunning machines, often reported as a big problem due to lack of accurate, proper control, so machines are often switched to “run in manual”, to counter this. However there is a solution for these pressure measurements.

Some ‘dynamic’ thickener systems, using pressure or vacuum, also require a differential pressure measurement across the filters or pumping systems to detect any drop in performance. This information is invaluable, as again it can directly control speeds of filter mesh or flow rate, to avoid overflows and flooding. This can also be best achieved in the same way, by using two ceramic-faced sensors, in a remote electronic differential pressure configuration, which again provides a direct flush-mounted measurement.

Flush with solutions

Density monitoring

Using something as simple as ceramic pressure sensors that can be fully flush mounted, (with a fully concealed elastomer O-ring to reduce exposure to wear) means the problems of blocking, flushing, cleaning, wear and damage can thus be avoided. This ceramic diaphragm technology is already proven in slurry pipes in the mining and recycled paper industries with their respective bombardments of sand/grit or ‘paperclips’, both of which are fatal to metal diaphragm devices. “Flush mounting without fear” using ceramic pressure transmitters also means no mis-reads from blockages or air pockets due to syphon/vacuum effects from flows across recessed pipes/fittings. Another benefit of ceramic cells is they also have much better resistance to pressure shock overload and ‘water hammer’, once again providing better long term accuracy and stability. Above right: Ceramic flush pressure sensors: as individual transmitters or twin systems for density or differential pressure

Density measurement is another parameter monitored during processing, this is normally done using sophisticated and sensitive in-line density sensors, but again, they are vulnerable to build up and wear. Instead, or as a back-up, there is an option for a flush mounted or top mounted ceramic-cell differential pressure system (or level/volume versus hydrostatic head) that can be used for a continuous density measurement in vessels at certain process points. These simple innovative pressure solutions can be employed to ensure the correct feed rates and quality of output are being maintained, to help maintain reliability and automation of the processes.

Keeping level control Finally, but just as importantly, we come to level controls in the sludge handling and feed. Conductivity based point level switches and ultrasonic level sensors are the incumbent technologies - particularly in the water industry - most often used in these processes. The big issue for the sensors is the nature of the process and

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VEGA often confined operational space with a close proximity to splashing, sticky sludge. This causes issues for ultrasonic sensors with echo loss or ‘blocking distances or dead zones’ in the near-range, similarly on conductivity point level switch probes causing locked-up switch signals.

Radar level sensors, low-cost, affordable and extremely tolerant of the sort of build-up levels on the sensor face that would compromise other technologies.

These situations often result in machine reliability issues, nearly always caused by build-up and sensor fouling, consequently these operational problems end up with automated processes malfunctioning. When blocked by build-up, conductivity probes will often remain in a switched state until someone is called out to site and the probes are cleaned. Maintenance call outs for such an avoidable ‘nuisance false high level’ are costly and provide additional strain on maintenance teams. The machines can often over flow or flood, with loss of production, timeconsuming, unpleasant clean ups and even damage to equipment. This is because the sensors are working on the limits of capability, there are often unsuccessful attempted ‘work-arounds’ and the upshot is a loss of confidence in automated control systems by operators. The thickeners are run in manual or semi-manual mode, and what should be virtually continuous and automated, becomes a batch-operation and personnel are losing time constantly supervising the thickeners, where they could be spending it elsewhere on plant. It has been shown by using radar-based sensors in these applications, these issues in level monitoring and control can be overcome. They can work in more confined spaces, they have no ‘dead zone’ or ‘blocking distance’, and operate comfortably with build-up and water deposits on the sensor face to still maintain accurate readings and control. In conjunction with a controller they can also be used as ‘non-contact point level control’, to replace probes. Until now, they were perceived as expensive, but new compact 80 GHz devices are both highly affordable and competitive with ultrasonic and even the point level switches. Extra benefits like Bluetooth for remote adjustment and operational information, means they can be monitored real-time, from a safe position, to ensure they are delivering the performance needed.

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Left: Admittance based probes for an ultimate high level, resistant design and self-adjusting for ignoring build up.

If a separate, discrete back-up point level device is needed, another alternative is an admittance-based level probe solution, perhaps a little more money than an ‘inexpensive’ conductivity switch, but could deliver much better reliability with its self-adjusting technology to negate build up.

This article covers gravity thickener machines and processes in general and each application will differ in one way or another. That said, whatever your role, as machine or system supplier, or end user with existing equipment, the challenges in these applications are the same. However, consult with a good level and pressure supplier, be prepared to collaborate and innovate with them, even do some trials and tests at problem sites, you could be surprised at the cost effective improvements to yield, quality and efficiency. info.uk@vega.com

www.vega.com/uk

RADAR IS THE BETTER

ULTRASONIC 80 GHz level sensor with fixed cable connection (IP68)

£405 VEGAPULS C 11

All advantages of the radar technology:

www.vega.com/vegapuls instituteofwater.org.uk

CO-CREATION, COLLABORATION, INNOVATION

Here we are – first 6 months of the new AMP cycle done, amidst a global pandemic resulting in huge loss of life and significant professional and personal change for everyone working in our sector. by Simon Ayley

Director of Water & Environment, WRc Ltd It’s been a real test of our process, network and business resilience, and I find it incredibly uplifting to see how well the sector is coping. With a positive outlook I see a sector that is not just surviving, but actually thriving as it prepares to launch innovative solutions that will deliver tangible benefits for consumers with a focus on our journey to Net Zero, amongst others. In September the UK 2050 Water Innovation Strategy was published and many of you, like me, will undoubtedly have found time between relentless ‘zoom’ and ‘teams’ meetings to read, re-read and digest the contents. If you are really are

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keen or wish to keep kids entertained during another online meeting, count up the number of times the word “innovation” is mentioned. I got to 436 mentions across the 57 pages (yes, I did cheat!). Not surprising considering the aim of the strategy. Another word really stood out – “collaboration” - and this is where I think the real challenge for our sector lies. Can we innovate? “Of course!” I hear you shout – “we’ve been innovating for decades!”. But can we collaborate? Do we collaborate? And importantly in a world of metrics and KPIs - how do we measure collaboration? (who doesn’t love a good metric or KPI to aim for?!) The relative levels of business and project delivery relationships can be articulated in many ways, and the definitions I find useful

to explore are shown in the relationships triangle [Figure 1]. Much can be delivered by good coordination – we do this across our businesses and sector every single day in both project delivery and operational environments. That’s how we work together to deliver services to consumers. Coordination involves dialogue, interaction, sharing information and data, formal contractual relationships, and typically the use of performance indicators and benchmarks. Now take it up a level. As you might expect, co-operation is a bit harder to achieve, encompassing everything we do in co-ordination, but adding additional factors such as two-way sharing of opinions, knowledge and advice. Some of the large consultancy and construction delivery

FEATURE: COLLABORATION frameworks used by the water industry are great examples of co-operation, with shared goals, shared incentivisation mechanisms, and perhaps sometimes the ability to flex resource allocation between client and contractor. Right at the top of the triangle is where the real difference can be made – and what our Sector Innovation Strategy and all the many people and businesses who developed it are calling for: ‘Collaboration’. Ofwat are expecting to see “collaboration” according to their recent publications on transformational innovation and the innovation competition, and the word features a whopping 110 times in the 2050 Water Innovation Strategy! But be warned – True and effective collaboration is very hard to achieve. Collaboration is really about co-creation, shared risk, and compromise. Everyone in it together. And that means everyone, not just SME’s, manufacturers, academia and WASC’s, but also consumers, and economic and environmental regulators. We know we can co-create. The sector has co-created the 2050 Water Innovation Strategy. Within WRc we have a track record of co-creation through “WRc Portfolio” projects where an idea that stems from one client’s need is fully shaped into a collaborative research project by a team of people from different water companies, academia, supply chain and regulatory bodies. One great example of this comes from WRc’s work on flow measurement.

The Environment Agency require discharges from, for example, wastewater treatment works to the environment to be measured and reported to a known uncertainty under its MCERTS scheme for the SelfMonitoring of Flow. Hence, in WRc’s recent CP577 collaborative research project to develop verification strategies and uncertainty budgets for large meters, the regulator joined the project steering group. This meant that the Environment Agency could provide input on their needs for the data and help ensure that the methodologies being developed fitted in with thosee needs and, ultimately, would be acceptable when regulatory compliance was being assessed.

Fig 1: Moving to collaboration means deeper trust, shared risk and willingness to compromise

Collaboration

Sharing of opinions, knowledge, long-term frameworks.

Co-creation, compromise, shared risk.

Co-operation

Co-ordination

Examples of co-creation alongside innovation have also been seen within the gas sector, stimulated by the Ofgem Network Innovation Competition, to develop, secure funding via the competition, then deliver transformative, world-first innovation. My experiences in this sector have taught me that co-creation requires compromise from multiple stakeholders throughout the project – and above all the team having a real sense of “we’re in this together”. When it comes to Contracts, IP and regulation, the willingness of stakeholders to compromise normally decreases at a rapid pace – only with a well-established co-created team can these barriers be overcome. Everyone will feel some pain, but the team, and the resultant project outcomes, will have a much greater chance of success. The scary bit for many stakeholders can be that collaboration in a world of truly transformative innovation will also require us to accept failure. Failure along the journey, with project activities not delivering desired outcomes, through to complete failure of the whole journey. Ouch! There goes your annual bonus! The big question that is then left for the sector to decide is are we ready for this? Are we able to co-create, collaborate, and accept that we might fail? Its possible that a stepping stone on the way to genuine collaboration will see a definition of innovation more like “smarter

Dialogue, interaction, sharing of data, formal contracts.

and wider application of commercially available products / solutions”. In this case, product development risk (i.e. following the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process) is significantly reduced, along with project timescales and associated investment. The overriding risk then becomes associated with the implementation and roll-out of the solution across the whole business, and potentially the whole sector. At WRc we give equal focus to both TRL and BRL (Business Readiness Level). More often than not, the technical or process solution is well understood and proven – the greater challenge sits with how to deliver the solution in both a live operational environment, and within the constraints of a mature, highly regulated sector. Not easy, but a co-created understanding of both TRL and BRL can provide a good foundation. Co-creation of ideas and submissions to the Ofwat Innovation Fund will happen. Those that are truly collaborative, sharing risks, rewards, success and failure, have the potential to transform the sector, deliver Net Zero, and maintain the quality of service that consumers across the United Kingdom enjoy. I am always happy to share knowledge gained from successful innovation project delivery – please don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s co-create, collaborate and innovate!

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MACKENZIE CONSTRUCTION

DIGITALISING THE WATER INDUSTRY WITH INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS With the water industry striving to digitise its operations across the board, leading Civil Engineering firm and framework suppliers, Mackenzie Construction, approached Scottish Water with a new and exciting innovation; a geomembrane leak detection system to improve and support smooth management and monitoring of their clean water tanks in West Dunbartonshire. Working with its subcontractors, the team developed a strategy and sought out the most appropriate technology, installing the protective membrane to a Scottish Water clean water tank as part of an ongoing structural repairs project. To enable this, the deck drain (a geocomposite drainage sheet with HDPE cuspated core and non-woven polypropylene geotextile) was installed on top of the intelligent system and covered with 20/40mm washed rounded drainage stone overburden. The first of its kind on Scottish Water tanks, the intelligent membrane is positioned over the tank to protect the treated water inside. Made up of layers of metallic fleece and impervious, plasticised PVC and encompassing a network of sensors wired to an automated fault-finding system, the membrane’s monitoring system is programmed to send an email alert as soon as any damage is detected, as well as sounding an audible buzzer at the control panel on-site. The technology is based on general similarities between water flow and the flow of an electric current. Water flow enables electrical signal to follow it through damage in a waterproofing system. Special DDS sensors installed with the membrane are capable of measuring this signal when connected to Mackenzie Construction’s devices, allowing the team to detect and subsequently locate damage. The system comprises two layers of Reg 31 approved membrane, encompassing TILE sensors arranged in zones. Each layer of membrane installed was MIT tested, in order to verify that the integrity of the membrane was 100% intact, before covering with the subsequent layer. With the type of longstanding, reinforced

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concrete tanks operating at this location, often damage can occur as a result of weather, corrosion, age or trespassing, and any ingress within the tank risks contaminants entering clean, treated water. Tank integrity is most often validated using flood testing; where a controlled amount of water is temporarily retained over a surface to determine the effectiveness of the waterproofing system. This is feasible when tanks are offline and empty, however, waiting for downtime to inspect tanks for damage can greatly increase risk to the asset and the network as a whole. One instance of damage was located during the commissioning process, where a hole of approximately 5mm was found. The damage was logged, then repaired and retested. Aside from pinhole repairs identified and repaired during initial MIT testing, following the placement of the overburden, it was then possible to commence the commissioning of the system and its final testing. Future repairs will be identified by the systems leak detection system. This allows the membrane to be repaired as defects happen, without the costly removal and replacement of overburden which also poses significant risk of further damage to the membrane. If failures in water quality arise at the asset, fault finding is much easier as only access hatches are not covered by the roof membrane. Therefore, if ingress occurs and the leak detection system cannot locate the leak, then it is likely that the route of ingress, is through upstand interface or cover. Flood testing is also no longer required on the membrane, as electronic flood testing can be carried out instead, minimising risk of ingress caused by the contractor. In most cases, defects in the membrane are easily sealed with extruded

butyl rubber or patches, with the expected service life within a 30-year warranty for buried materials. With the solution provided by Mackenzie Construction and its subcontractors, the intelligent membrane provides constant feedback on the membrane’s integrity, even when tanks are live, to create a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to asset integrity. This type of reactive monitoring allows for localised repairs to be carried out rather than far more significant scopes of works which often involve the large-scale removal of overburden to identify and repair the issues. With a drive on reducing our carbon footprint and helping our clients achieve their net zero targets, the vast reduction in size and scope of repair works has significant advantages. Mark Brown, Contracts Manager at Mackenzie Construction said of the project, “At Mackenzie Construction, we are committed to continuous improvement, both as a business and in the service which we offer to our clients. Our number one priority is to manage and maintain the quality of water being held within the structure. This treated water is supplied into homes, hospitals and businesses, so having this system in place gives the client confidence that there is no immediate risk to the asset and the water contained within. They are immediately made aware of any integrity issues before it becomes a problem, and this allows de-risking of their vital assets. In a perfect world, every tank would have this kind of innovation to support tank monitoring and we’re delighted to be part of this step forward in the management of clean water assets for our clients.”

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• 40 YE N IO

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• 40 YE N IO

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• 40 YE N IO

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RAPID – WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP WATER FLOWING

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) was set up in 2019. Its creation is innovative in its nature - a team made up of people from the three water regulators in England: Ofwat, Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) - the sponsor regulators. Each of the sponsor regulators has their own focus and statutory responsibilities and these remain unchanged, but they share the overarching priority of helping the sector respond to the long-term water resources challenges while delivering for water users, society and the environment. It is vital that RAPID listens to the different perspectives offered by each regulator to gain a shared understanding of issues - collaboration is key to making this work. Through diversity of thought RAPID can improve regulation, remove barriers; and help the sector deliver a programme which benefits water customers, the environment and society as a whole. RAPID is engaging with Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales to ensure that the programme also delivers for Wales as these objectives are relevant in both England and Wales.

Caroline Knight (DWI), Polly Chancellor (EA) and Simon Harrow (Ofwat) share their thoughts on how collaboration between the sponsor regulators is working within RAPID.

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Caroline: “Working within RAPID has been very useful in sharing understanding across the whole range of different issues that each individual Regulator manages. Whilst it is important that strategic resource is developed in a way that is affordable and satisfies environmental concerns, it is vital that the final product is a plentiful and wholesome supply of drinking water to consumers. Collaboration early in the project development process within RAPID will streamline the development of the optimum strategic resource development across the country.”

Polly: “I joined RAPID from the Environment Agency right in the middle of lock-down. I’ve spent a lot of virtual time with the team since and it’s been an eye-opener, learning about the work of the other regulators, their individual responsibilities and visions. Being in the same team definitely helps me to understand the issues we must overcome to get the best-value, multisector regional plans that we need and the challenges of delivering them; including building the kind of strategic infrastructure we need in the not too distant future.”

FEATURE: COLLABORATION It is only fair that regulators are focusing on collaboration at a time when we’re asking the same of the sector. The sponsor regulators are asking the sector to shift towards a holistic multi-sector, multicompany, multiple outcomes based approach to water resource planning. This of course involves a departure from an established method, so the delivery of such an ambitious plan will require strong leadership and a focus on collaboration from the water management community.

Simon: “Through close collaboration between the regulators we are aiming to drive the regional groups and water companies to deliver more for customers and the environment through the efficient delivery of multi-company and regionally scaled solutions. The regulatory partnership offers lots of opportunities to build on the successful working arrangements for the 2019 water resources management plans and Ofwat’s most recent price review (PR19), but also presents the challenges of ensuring statutory responsibilities are maintained and the need to deliver more than we would have done individually.”

To assist the sector in achieving this, RAPID will help co-ordinate the work of the five regional water resources groups and support the independent chair of the National Framework Senior Steering Group. This will ensure the regional groups are proposing programmes of work that can inform water resources management plans (WRMPs) and business plans to meet the needs set out in the National Framework for Water Resources and deliver for customers, society and the environment. RAPID will also work with Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales to make sure that any proposed water resources schemes which involve Welsh water companies, or which source water from Wales, align with Welsh legislation

and policies so that RAPID can achieve common goals in a way that works for Wales. RAPID is looking to build on the already strong links with the technical teams working on regional plans and the strategic schemes by engaging at a senior level at key points over the coming months and years. This is to pick up and address issues early and make sure regulators and industry are providing joined up leadership across organisations. Because of the combined expertise from the three water regulators, RAPID is in a unique position to understand and solve complex issues that may emerge. RAPID will use these emerging issues as indicators of the gaps and issues associated with relevant regulatory frameworks and its work will target improving those frameworks. As water resources come under increasing pressure from population growth, economic development, climate change and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency to act now has never been more present. It is vital that the water sector receives strong support from regulators but that it continues to lead these ambitious plans and most of all – remains focussed on collaboration.

LOCKEN SOLUTION AND ISEO KEY SECURE VEOLIA FACILITIES A leader in clean water storage and distribution solutions, Veolia invests in the next-generation of contactless electronic keys, a component of the LOCKEN access control solution. Working in partnership with Locken, which has been part of the ISEO group since 2016 and earlier this year announced it had been subsumed by the leading European manufacturers of electronic and digital solutions for access control and security, Veolia demonstrates its confidence in Locken, opting for the most technologically advanced ISEO key. The new keys represent a major technological evolution: they communicate with the lock through magnetic induction technology, which avoids any electrical contact between the key and the cylinder, and gives

the solution exceptional reliability. The transmission of information is carried out without electrical contact and is therefore not at risk from moisture or dust that could accumulate in the cylinder. This is essential in isolated outdoor environments exposed to climatic hazards. These next-generation keys allow for instant opening of doors, gates or hatches, which saves significant time during maintenance checks. Veolia has chosen cylinders and padlocks that meet the highest safety requirements: EN 16864 grades 4 and 5 for padlocks, EN 15684 for cylinders, an ideal range for a sector classified among activities of vital importance The transmission of real-time access rights, through the Bluetooth key module and the MyLocken App, contributes greatly to the enhancement

of security and the management of multifunctional sites, often shared with telephone or energy operators. These advantages are confirmed by Vincent Govelet, at Veolia, who told us: “The maintenance teams have already experienced the significant advantages of this solution, and are keen to see the added benefits of the second-generation key, which is easy to use and even more reliable.” Finally, the mechanical component of the keys offers additional flexibility of use: allowing the use of simple mechanical cylinders, on a site secured by an electronic key. Find out more and watch Locken’s new film about the benefits of the ISEO induction key at www.locken.eu

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EGREMONT

SAFER DURING A CRISIS? THE SURPRISING CONSEQUENCE OF A CRAZY YEAR

An interesting statistic caught my eye this week. In this year’s Tour De France there were more finishers (83%) than the 20-year average (81%). So, despite all the disruption caused by Covid-19 during the 2020 season, you were less likely to be injured or get sick this year than in previous years. This is a trend that has been replicated in the water industry, three major water companies we have worked with during this time have had the lowest lost time injury (LTI) rates since comparable records began. NB: An LTI is an injury sustained by an employee that leads to loss of productive work in the form of absenteeism or delays. Why?

by Alex Graham Egremont Group

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Now, more than ever, the global pandemic has bought health and safety to the forefront of our minds. Walking on site you will notice the difference in treatment facilities and pumping stations up and down the country. Every single person on site is

primed to think ‘healthy and safety first’ from hand washing to challenging whether the maintenance being performed is truly essential. This behavioural change has had a huge positive consequence across the industry. Health and safety incidents are down across the board, as a workforce we are working smarter and safer than ever before. Far from being the spanner in the works or the blockage to the smooth running process, health and safety protocols and procedures have taken on even greater significance and allow us all to do our job secure in the knowledge that the risks have been assessed and mitigated as much as possible. At a time where there is so much

FEATURE: COLLABORATION uncertainty in the working environment, this reliance on health and safety and the resulting benefits of an incident free workplace have led utility managers to focus on exactly what is driving the change and striving to capture and replicate these working practices for the long term. So let’s take a look at the factors that are driving these positive changes.

People First The way we work has changed beyond measure in the last six months. For water companies, this has meant a return to a core workforce with less reliance on contractors. Restrictions on the number of people on site at any one time results in experienced engineers and those familiar with a particular site making up the largest proportion of the workforce. Everyone knows exactly what their role is and why they are there.

Advance Planning Maintenance is now challenged and shifted from reactive to planned wherever possible, another consequence of a reduced workforce is that not every task can be carried out all the time. Engineers have had to assess what needs doing and when. This means that there is less work carried out reactively and the workforce are not deployed outside of core hours, for example, into potentially hazardous situations on such a regular basis. This results less tasks being carried out by a tired and overstretched team and has the overall effect of bringing down health and safety incidents over time.

Maintaining Good Practice It has become apparent that a return to ‘normal’ will be a long time in the future, if at all. Perhaps by the time we get back to normal we will have forgotten what normal looks like. If we are to maintain this drop in health and safety incidents it will be important not to rush back into old habits. Increased hand washing and the mental check we have all become used to when entering new environments is a useful first step. Just as we stop to put on our masks and sanitise our hands, so we need to include this extra step into our every day site protocols. Many sites have a standard reverse parking procedure in their site car parks, that way vehicles are quicker to

move off site in an emergency. How many procedures like this are taken for granted and should be highlighted as good practice? Take time to understand the symbolic acts, routines and H&S priming acts that are helpful and build them into everyday habits.

Challenger Thinking Think about the number of people working on site at any one time. Do you know who they are and exactly why they are there? If you think about everyone on site as a health and safety risk you will be more likely to maintain an accurate site register and limit the number of people with access to a particular site. Challenge assumptions about the schedule for regular maintenance tasks. Does nonemergency maintenance need to be carried out during the night? Would it be safer, and potentially quicker, to wait for daylight hours to complete a task. Could delaying a task mean it is completed in a shorter time?

Look at how work has been planned over the pandemic period and work out how much future work can be planned in the same way to manage risk.

A Hard Habit to Break We are constantly being told that it is in all our interests not to overwhelm the NHS. By positioning the health care provision in our country as a valuable, but finite resource, we have all become more aware of our collective responsibility to behave sensibly in our every day lives. This shift in behaviour is filtering through into our working practices and it is up to all of us to make sure we don’t slip back into bad habits. The global crisis we are in has snapped us out of unsafe routines, let’s examine the changes that have been made and make sure they become our new habits.

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ATI UK

SAFEGUARDING WATER QUALITY WITH WRAS APPROVED TECHNOLOGY Drinking water quality is of key importance to public health and the provision of safe drinking water has been recognised as one of the greatest technological and public health advances of the last century. Due to the strict standards set by the DWI, the quality of the UK’s drinking water is now among the best in the world. The current system of delivering safe water to consumers in the UK is based upon significant investment in infrastructure and performs at an excellent standard at a very low cost. However, the challenge of taking water quality monitoring into the digital transformation of smart water has created new barriers for the UK water industry, which need to be overcome. Creating smaller smart sensors and flow cells, whilst maintaining high standards and reliability, is a prerequisite to meet the needs and demands of water utilities. Historically, the industry has relied on compliance to the DWI regulations due to fast flowing samples, cool temperatures and small area contact. Monitoring water in distribution networks often means that water is being monitored in applications of lower flow, prolonged residence times and higher water temperatures. Compounding this, water in networks is very valuable to any water company, therefore allowing samples to simply run to waste is not the favoured option.

Water Quality Compliance Regulation standards for potable water necessitates that sensors and flow cells meet a gold-standard of material compliance to ensure the materials used in the sensors do not contaminate the water. WRAS approval is the European hallmark of material quality required by the water sector to ensure this compliance. All potable water sensors need an audit trail to demonstrate that the materials used do not jeopardise water quality by polluting it with the residue left behind. Unlike WRAS approved analytical sensor technology, lower-cost sensors will plasticise the water, leaking chemicals into the source, which inevitably breaches standards by contaminating the water. This means that all water samples taken from the bypass to be tested are put to waste due to

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contamination from the sensor. However, with WRAS approved, smart technology, like ATi’s MetriNet, the sample can be immediately returned back to the network, resulting in zero wastage, on average saving approximately 288 litres per day per system, which is 102,528 litres per year. There is no cumulative leakage as the sampled water re-joins mains flow, meaning WRAS compliant technology is a reliable and environmentally sustainable method for gathering data, capturing events and understanding why they occurred.

Setting Standards The fast emergence of smart water raises major challenges for both water companies and supply chain alike. How can we drive the cost of vital sensors down, making it commercially viable to deploy sufficient numbers to gain the levels of data necessary to deliver the granularity of insight required for gains to be made? If not checked, this traditional procurement paradigm could lead to poor material standards, as manufacturers are forced to turn to lower cost-based manufacturing, with minimal material standards. ATi UK’s Executive Director, Garry Tabor, believes that as the industry drives the future of smart water forward, we all have a responsibility to ensure that water quality

standards are maintained. “As the global leaders in water quality sensors for smart water and pioneers of innovative solutions, ATi UK is committed to upholding and delivering the highest standards for our customers. All of ATi’s water quality sensors and flow cells meet WRAS’s required high standards, enabling them to be deployed for use as monitors within the water treatment process, right though-out the distribution journey, source to tap. ATi does not compromise on the standard of materials, instead we innovate through research and partnership with our customers to develop better technology at lower cost, enabling us to meet the high standards that WRAS sets. “Whether our customers are using our water treatment works-based Q Series range or network deployed MetriNets, we provide continued confidence that our engineered solutions deliver the most advanced water quality technology available, manufactured to the best working practice and made with fully compliant, sustainable materials. “By pioneering the development and deployment of innovative, industry-leading, customer focused solutions, we strive to set the standards of the water we drink and the air we breathe, allowing our customers to ensure a safe, efficient and healthy environment, whilst delivering first-class customer support.”

Zero water wastage in distribution networks with MetriNet. Intelligent water quality solutions for smarter water networks. MetriNet is a pioneering breakthrough in water quality monitoring. Its smart sensor technology offers a sustainable solution with zero water wastage, helping utilities meet environmental targets, drive down complaints, increase C-Mex scores and result in pro-active network management to safeguard water quality. Often water samples taken from the bypass to be tested are put to waste due to contamination from the sensor. However, with WRAS approved, smart technology from ATi’s MetriNet, the sample can be immediately returned back to the network, resulting in zero wastage. There is no cumulative leakage as the sampled water re-joins the mains flow. MetriNet will predict events, loss of disinfection, taste, odour, discoloration, bursts or leaks, providing a network that measures, thinks, predicts and takes actions. Timely warnings and analysis of network anomalies then allows operational staff to react before visible and costly failures develop. The low-power sensors can be installed anywhere in a network and working alongside acoustic and transient systems, our monitors are also a vital tool in helping detect and prioritise leaks in a distribution network, enabling flexible, pro-active and strategic network management.

sales@atiuk.com / +44 (0) 1457 873 318 / atiuk.com ATi UK is a leading provider and innovator of engineered, analytical sensor monitoring solutions for water and gas applications. We also deliver accurate water quality data insights to support evidence based investment in networks. Our pioneering and industry leading range of smart network monitors, water quality monitors and gas detectors are trusted to deliver outstanding results and provide strategic solutions for the most demanding of applications.

Solutions for a Smarter Future instituteofwater.org.uk

COLLABORATION IS KING

Pressing, challenging and ambitious AMP7 targets against a backdrop of global uncertainty means that finding new ways to collaborate between all sectors and industries has never been more pertinent. Eager to capitalise on the value collaboration presents, the summer of 2020 saw Anglian Water, SES Water and Welsh Water united to host the first collaborative water industry hackathon to understand how data could hold the key to deeper understanding of consumer consumption. Over a period of two weeks during the summer, 20 teams from a number of organisations used data from the three companies to answer four challenge statements focused on water consumption. Driven by a need to understand how to effectively support customers through challenging Covid times, and underpinned by a duty to ensure there is enough water for seasonal peaks and troughs, the three companies used their differences to join forces and gain insight that would allow

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significant value to be gained quickly. Four ‘virtual tents’ were created, each focusing on a key challenge: Tent 1: Improving how we calculate water balance Tent 2: Predicting water consumption hotspots Tent 3: Helping customers save water and money Tent 4: Identifying customer-side leakage “One of the most beneficial things about working with SES and Welsh was the differences in our companies, assets and customers. This diversity allowed us to approach the hack with different sets of data which could lead to an application suitable for the sector and to tackle a challenge through one piece of work rather than

several.” said Shaunna Berendsen, Head of Innovation Engagement at Anglian Water. Yorkshire Water also took part as participants and were crowned the winners of their tent, showing true collaboration within the sector. The teams were given two weeks to come to their conclusions with consultancy RPS crowned the overall winners. Their proposal tackled the water balance challenge statement and used a property nightline calculation to provide a more accurate reading. Through harnessing weather data, the team was able to provide a better estimate of the water use at unmeasured properties. As a result, water companies can have increased confidence that a rise in night-time flow is caused by a leak and can therefore respond more efficiently.

FEATURE: COLLABORATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL The three companies wanted to support those on furlough and those looking for work experience opportunities. A LinkedIn badge was created and distributed to all who took part to provide credible evidence of their skills and participation.

The event marked the first time three water companies have hosted a collaborative hackathon. A staggering 400 million lines of anonymised smart meter data were made available to work with, and a series of notable speakers presented over the course of the event, including Judith Batchelar, Director of Brand at Sainsbury’s, who spoke on the benefits of collaboration and effectively harnessing data. “It made total sense to join together for this event,” said Laura Eadkins, Scrum Master at Welsh Water. “The engagement we received was phenomenal. The commitment demonstrated by our participants was exemplary and the progress we made by sharing perspectives and understanding that diversity of thought is critical to success was remarkable.” Over 100 people from across the globe signed up to the hack as teams from big global corporates such as Atkins, Capgemini, 1Spatial and RPS as well as individuals who joined preformed teams. “Hosting this as a virtual event under Covid restrictions actually enhanced the diversity of the event as it was open to anyone and everyone and wasn’t restricted by location. We were able to attract the very best data scientists and problem solvers whose invaluable input meant that the event could deliver the very best insights,” said Jeremy Heath, Innovation Manager at SES Water.

Other winners included: 1Spatial, who leveraged their expertise in geospatial analysis to accurately predict which properties would see an increased demand profile in the summer months. The Royal Flush, a team of individuals who formed a group, used Acorn and smart meter data to better understand usage

and link it to activities and behaviours. Further analysis by applying machine learning would allow for analysis at an individual level for all households, which would allow for more personalised tips to reduce wastage. Yorkshire Water created a novel dashboard “Leakage Hunter” showcasing customer-side leakage. They used Shiny,  an R package that can build interactive web apps. Water utilities would be able to categorise, filter and drill down to understand the details of each suspected leak. Water companies are under more pressure than ever to deliver and demonstrate value for customers and the environment. With this obligation weighing heavy, collaboration is business as usual for most now. “Innovating and collaborating is an obligation and something that has long been part of the fabric at Anglian. Covid-19 has slowed down parts of everyone’s world, but we’ve been collectively able to use the opportunity to ensure events like this not only still happen, but increase the amount of fresh thinking we’re able to access,” Shauna continued. Being able to bring different views, experiences and perspectives together is vital to enable new thinking and approaches in order to meet AMP7 challenges.” So what’s next now the hack is over and the results are in? “We’re all sharing the findings with our internal stakeholders to understand where we can effectively deploy these solutions,” said Jeremy. With the recently launched UK Water Innovation Strategy enabling an even deeper level of collaboration between water and waste water companies, it is expected that we’ll see more and more partnerships like this over the next five years.

THE FUTURE OF WATER BALANCE CALCULATION An innovative approach that has the potential to change the way leakage is calculated in the future. Water balance calculation is a complex issue - consumer behaviour means that consumption can vary significantly on a daily basis, particularly in response to weather but also other random events. As a result, there has never been a particularly accurate way to calculate it – until now. The water consumption hack saw an RPS team of 8 industry experts and analysts combining property, district metering, and customer smart meter data with daily weather data to address the challenge statement. Looking at new and innovative ways to use bespoke RPS Waternet® software, they were able to import this data and quickly review the technologies and data available, including localised smart metered data to determine daily consumption across all smart metered properties. The team developed methodologies to extrapolate daily consumption for unmetered properties based on property classifications and weather, and to predict future consumption and leakage profiles accounting for changes in weather. In the future, this new method of calculation using Waternet® has the potential to change the way leakage is calculated forever – benefitting both the environment and water company purses.

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IDEXX

NEW EUROPEAN REGULATION ON WATER REUSE ALLOWS COLILERT®-18 AS ELIGIBLE METHOD In June 2020, the European Union published Regulation 2020/741 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the minimum requirements for water reuse. The Regulation states that Escherichia coli levels should be monitored, and “Methods of analysis for monitoring shall be validated and documented in accordance with EN ISO/IEC-17025 or other national or international standards that ensure an equivalent quality.” The new law defines minimum requirements at European level for the first time for reclaimed water, such as urban wastewater, that has been treated in a reclamation plant, to be used for agricultural purposes in a safe way, protecting people and the environment. The new rules aim to ensure that treated wastewater is more broadly reused in order to limit use from water bodies and groundwater. The fall in groundwater levels - due to agricultural irrigation, industrial use, urban development and climate change - is one of the main threats to the EU water environment. The IDEXX Colilert-18 method has been trusted by water utilities worldwide for more than 20 years for the rapid and accurate detection of coliforms and Escherichia coli in drinking water, sewage, raw water and bio solids. It is the worldwide ISO standard 9308-2:2012, and is specified as a reference method in the European Drinking Water Directive 2015/1787. In addition to the IDEXX Water QC laboratory being ISO 17025 accredited, the QC certificate for Colilert-18 is also ISO 11133 compliant, meaning the method is eligible to be used as a test for water

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reuse according to the new EU Regulation. This means that laboratories using the Colilert-18 method will be compliant with the requirements of ISO 17025 accreditation specified in the Water ReUse Regulation and will also be compliant with the coming EU Drinking Water Directive, which includes ISO 9308-2 as one of a limited number of specified methods (annexe III part A). The Colilert-18 test provides quantified results in as little as 18 hours with no further confirmation of results required. Colilert-18 is U.S. EPA-approved, included in ‘Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater’ and in the UK’s Microbiology of Drinking Water ‘Blue Book’. With its high sensitivity, specificity and rapid results, giving accurate and fast indications of any potential faecal

contamination, Colilert-18 is simple to use and requires only minimal amounts of training and equipment to allow operatives to set up and interpret the results in just 18 hours. The product consists of a reagent powder, which is added to a standard 100ml water sample and then incubated for 18 hours in the case of presence/ absence determination. This step takes less than one minute of hands-on time. The presence of Escherichia coli and total coliforms is subsequently determined following incubation, with coliforms indicated by the sample turning yellow, and fluorescence indicating the presence of Escherichia coli. Where quantification of a sample is required, IDEXX has developed a simple device known as a QuantiTray®, which consists of 51 individually

FEATURE: COLLABORATION sealable cells. The Quanti-Tray can also be incubated for 18 hours, after which the fluorescent cells can be counted and quantified. IDEXX Water UK, Units 1B and 1C, Newmarket Business Park, Studlands Park Avenue, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7ER T: 01638 676800 E: wateruk@idexx.com W: www.idexx.co.uk/water

COLILERT-18: CONFIDENCE, QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY IN WATER TESTING Colilert-18 has been trusted by water utilities worldwide for more than 20 years for the detection of coliforms and E.coli in drinking water, sewage, raw water and bio solids. Its speed to confirmed results as well as its other advantages over traditional membrane filtration methods, have seen it achieve global regulatory acceptance in over 40 countries, and become the new ISO standard 9308-2:2012. Using Colilert-18 on a long term basis delivers precise results rapidly and confidence in results for water network operators. Detecting coliforms quickly and accurately reduces the prospect of sporadic contamination events caused by the spread of biofilm through water networks. Subsequent remedial activities can be significant, especially if actions such as hyper-chlorination of distribution systems, cleaning up biofilm and even replacing pipes are forced upon network operators. So removing uncertainty and doubt from test results ensures the ongoing maintenance of the network, regulatory compliance and the safety of the consumer.

Speed and Efficiency Tests come pre-weighed and pre-packed and there are no media preparation steps, reducing the actual hands-on time to prepare a sample to just one minute. Conclusive and confirmed results are available in 18 hours, allowing

any necessary remedial action to be implemented immediately.

Accuracy and Confidence Colilert-18 tests significantly reduce both false positive and false negative results and provide operators with results that are accurate, non-subjective and requiring no further confirmation steps.

Specificity and Sensitivity Colilert-18 suppresses the growth of nontarget organisms, making the test both specific and highly sensitive. A single viable coliform or E. coli per 100 ml sample can be detected.

Quality and Assurance In addition to the IDEXX Water QC laboratory being ISO 17025 accredited, the QC certificate of Colilert-18 is ISO 11133 compliant, giving users considerable advantages over other, non-compliant products. Customers also benefit from IDEXX taking full ownership of the entire test process. If any element of the methodology

falters, whether it is the equipment or an abnormal result that cannot be explained, technical support is always available.

Versatility Colilert-18 can be used on raw water samples, whether from rivers or reservoirs. The accuracy and ease of use is beneficial when testing raw water which can contain a high level of background flora which is suppressed using Colilert-18. This makes interpretation of results much simpler. Furthermore, the test can be used in situations where it is important to show a sufficient reduction of E. coli levels from raw sludge before it is released.

® Trademark or registered trademark of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries

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WINDMILL INSIGHT SOLUTIONS

COLLABORATION: ZOOMING AHEAD?

Collaboration is hard at the best of times, but we know that parties spending time with each other helps build understanding. Hence co-locating staff from different organisations in joint ventures and partnerships. Then along comes Covid... Now that working from home is being encouraged, the question is how do we recreate at least some elements of collaborative working using remote technologies like Zoom?

Don’t expect miracles Zoom is not a complete replacement for face to face meeting and collaboration. I have tried it on teaching, assessments, and working on international projects since the original lockdown, and it does a job. However, none of us rate it over face to face meetings.

What are the problems One factor has emerged that I hadn’t anticipated: Video meetings are tiring, more so than face to face meetings. This first emerged in my work assessing professional registrations for the Science Council and has since been confirmed during remote training delivery for Northern Ireland Water and Severn Trent. To prove it’s not just a UK thing, this was also found during meetings for the international ToVET project (https://www.tovet.eu) with partners from Finland, Italy and Spain for which I am the external evaluator. The second key factor, in my opinion, is the quality of the meeting Chair.

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Having the skills to maintain good meeting practice like only one person speaking at a time and including everybody becomes essential.

and more natural, and email is still a great tool for factual information.

To summarise ■

Making it work Keep meetings short and well-focused, only invite those we are needed, involve everybody. And schedule regular breaks, say every 10 minutes every 45 minutes.

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The Chair needs to understand how to manage individuals, groups, and teams. ■

Ideally, they will not only understand behavioural models but be able to apply them in effectively practice. “Behavioural models” might sound a bit OTT, but they have worked for me ever since I learned about them when I did my MBA (aged 48!). Yeah, I was a bit late to that particular party, but it’s paid off in spades ever since.

Some other thoughts Avoid the hammer and nail issue, that is when you have a hammer everything looks like a nail. Just because you have Zoom does not mean that you have to use it. Video is arguably more important in the early stages of a project but for 1-2-1 discussion a phone call is often quicker

Zoom et al are great tools for collaborating with remote teams but are not a full replacement for face to face meeting. The best remote meetings strictly observe the normal meeting disciplines. However, this does not mean being pushy or aggressive but staying calm and being assertive Having a Chair who understands and can apply behavioural models can transform the Zoom experience.

About BWEC

At BWEC (www.bwec.org.uk) we offer a range of CABWI, ILM and bespoke courses delivered by Masters level tutors with decades of industry experience which can equip individuals and teams with the kind of collaboration skills that are so important in today’s world. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch for a chat. M: 07554 994855 E: bob@bwec.org.uk

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INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING A Collaborative Approach to Shape Wastewater Investment and River Basin Management in Northern Ireland. Background The Long-Term Water Strategy for Northern Ireland (2015-2040) identified a need for a sustainable catchment-based approach to environmental regulation and NI Water capital asset upgrades. The development of robust catchment models was deemed to be core to provide the decisionmaking framework for the evaluation and development of a cost-effective programme of improvement measures to control point and diffuse sources of pollution and meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Consequently, NI Water, working with environmental regulators and stakeholders –the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA); NI Environment Agency (NIEA) and AFBI (Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute) – are developing catchment models under NI Water’s Integrated Environmental Modelling (IEM) Programme. This collaboration will facilitate greater acceptance of potential improvement measures across wastewater, agriculture and mariculture sectors and support associated ecosystem services built in to the decision-making process to help ensure long-term sustainability. For NI Water, these integrated models will help to investigate, identify and target asset solutions that optimise capital and operational efficiencies across future asset investment portfolios. They will provide an evidence base for the identification of catchment pressures and thereby ensure that the asset improvements being delivered in the future are proportionate to environmental needs and deliver the best environmental outcomes.

Need River Basin Management is a key element in implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD), and takes an integrated approach to the protection, improvement

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Flow gauge

and sustainable use of the water environment. In 2009 the first set of River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) as required under the WFD were published by NIEA for each River Basin District within Northern Ireland. The Plans identified where NI’s water environment is in ‘good’ or ‘high’ condition and set out objectives for improvement or prevention of deterioration. As required by the WFD, the Plans are reviewed and updated every 6 years. In 2015, NIEA published the second set of Plans, providing an overview of changes and progress that have been made.

2027) RBMP process in order to tackle the complex issues, prevent deterioration and move towards achieving ‘good’ status target for all waters.

Collaborative Approach The development of the IEM Framework is being undertaken in close collaboration with NIEA, DAERA and AFBI to promote a cross-sectoral working relationship and provide greater transparency in a move towards “catchment-based consenting” for direct discharges. The outputs will also identify areas of potential land use improvement to be addressed through various ongoing strategies.

Although significant advancement on the implementation of the WFD has been made across NI, the development of catchment models was identified as a supplementary measure to assess the cumulative impacts of discharges on a large scale, catchmentwide basis and so that scenario testing can be undertaken.

At the outset of the approach, an IEM Steering Group was established to oversee progression of the various IEM projects being undertaken by NI Water. This was deemed vital so that the Group could collaborate on the decision-making and economic principles of catchment remediation that underpin the WFD ethos.

Utilisation of the IEMs will complement the important work being undertaken by NIEA and DAERA during the second cycle (2016 to 2021) and third cycle (2022 to

An IEM Technical Working Group is available to address any technical queries arising from an IEM project to ensure the suitability of approach and

FEATURE: COLLABORATION representativeness of model outputs. NIEA have appointed a liaison officer to ensure free flow of information and manage decision making across both the Steering and Technical Working Groups.

Aims and Objectives Working alongside their environmental regulators and key stakeholders, NI Water’s IEM programme aims to build on NIEA’s robust RBMP work and AFBI’s extensive Ecosystem Modelling approach to develop holistic catchment models across NI’s three river basin districts. Other key aims and objectives of the IEM Strategy are to: ■

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Gain a better understanding of the influence of abiotic factors (e.g. wind, temperature, soil, topography, rainfall, sunlight, chemicals) on our ecosystems such as the water quantity movement and hydrological processes within catchments and how that interacts with biotic factors (living organisms) and overall water quality. Facilitate “catchment thinking” internally and externally with stakeholders so that a common and integrated ethos to solution development is embedded as common practice and to promote greater flexibility in consenting policy (i.e. only implement what is required to achieve WFD good status) and advise the River Basin Management process. Ensure acceptance by all key stakeholders and environmental regulators on the determination of the current sources, scale and pathways of bacteria and nutrients that are impacting WFD water quality (source apportionment) that either need to be reduced, removed or better dispersed so as to help achieve WFD ‘good’ status and/or the appropriate Bathing and Shellfish Waters standards. Tackle organics and pesticides within clean water catchments in order to reduce the treatment cost of drinking water at source. Futureproof the IEM Framework to address WFD emerging pollutants of concern. Promote cross-sectoral and crossdiscipline collaboration and innovation to build on existing skill sets and relationships.

Innovation The IEM framework integrates a range of modelling tools including: sewerage

River Sensor Drainage Area Plan (DAP) models, to represent NI Water’s sewerage collection and treatment systems; river catchment models, to represent the hydrological response and diffuse loadings from land use; coastal/lake models to represent the hydrodynamics of the receiving water environment and in some instances, bio-chemical models to simulate ecosystem responses to pollutant loading. The combination of these tools simulates the unsteady state of the environment in relation to continuous and intermittent sources of pollution reacting to rainfall on a catchment-wide basis over long duration assessment timescales. Modelling compliance assessments, for mainly bacteria and nutrients, will be undertaken to inform NI Water’s Asset Investment Programmes and ensure that the solutions proposed are deliverable, proportionate, sustainable and address threats such as climate change. The framework is also being used in drinking water catchments in order to investigate the impact of pesticides and organics to reduce the cost of drinking water at source and for carbon offsetting work. The in-house development of innovative support tools, such as an Asset Discharge Model - which disaggregates DAP outputs to get a better understanding of pollutant load that is known to vary depending on the type of network, time of day (diurnal variation) and the intensity of rainfall occurring - has been demonstrated to improve model calibrations and inform solution development. Installation of real time, self-sufficient monitoring technology at carefully selected

points within catchments is fundamental to the effective performance of the model to accurately predict outputs. As part of the IEM programme, NI Water and AFBI are investing in a wide range of monitoring equipment within priority catchments, including meteorological and hydrological equipment, combined with multi-parameter water quality instrumentation. This instrumentation is integrated through a series of signature designs that link remotely to NI Water by an outpost telemetry system. The aim is to operationalise the models to allow near real-time management response to changing pressures and predicted water quantity and quality within these catchments.

Summary The IEM approach allows for evidencebased decision making to improve Northern Ireland’s aquatic environment and WFD status. It will also inform NI Water’s Asset Investment Programme in a sustainable manner in line with the WFD “polluter pays” principle. Furthermore, the development of IEM models - through holistic catchment management - will provide NI Water, NIEA and DAERA with the knowledge and tools to create sustainable solutions in order to address River Basin Management pressures. On completion, the models can be utilised for a multitude of environmental compliance assessments and will be held in public sector ownership to eliminate duplication of effort and encourage future data sharing and crossdepartmental working.

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TRAINING IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Training and developing our staff to ensure safety and compliance has always been a key priority for Anglian Water. “Training and developing our staff to ensure safety and compliance has always been a key priority for Anglian Water. Everyone from new starters and apprentices to long serving employees are required to undergo training when they start with the company and are actively encouraged to increase their competence throughout their careers” says Rick Butler, Head of Technical and Professional Development at Anglian Water.

by Kara Sadler1 and Rick Butler2

Training and Development Business Partner (1) and Head of Technical and Professional Development (2), Anglian Water

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In the past year, we have trained 2175 staff in over 70 various technical, operational and water quality training courses. Our efforts have been widely recognised with the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) Chief Inspectors Report in 2019 Q2, identifying that “Anglian Water has a well-developed, resourced and embedded technical training

and competence framework, which is given a high priority at all levels throughout the company, and is externally accredited. The company reaps the benefits of a technically competent workforce which keeps knowledge refreshed through continuing professional development linking to professional registration with the Institute of Water.” A recent LRQA audit for Competent Operator (ISO 17024) praised how detailed the audit reports were and stated that our system is extremely impressive. A Surveillance Audit in Risk Management Assessment Scheme (RMAS) from the DWI highlighted further success with the systems standing up to rigorous scrutiny from the Lloyd’s Inspection assessor and DWI Inspectors all noting several examples of us being ‘industry leading’. So, when

FEATURE: COLLABORATION on 16 March 2020, Anglian Water had to cease all training following guidance from the UK Government on the Coronavirus outbreak and the need to carry out social distancing, our team had to act quickly and decide what steps had to be taken. In collaboration with training providers, EUSR, Colleges and our Alliance Partners, Clancy Docwra and Kier, interim measures were immediately agreed to ensure that there would be no detriment to our employees with regards to Health and Safety, and that we could have full confidence that our staff remained fully competent. To prevent accident and injury, the duty remained to ensure that staff were adequately trained and competent to carry out duties and to operate machinery and equipment. Initially, anyone needing to utilise an extension period for any out of date certificates needed to be able to demonstrate competence through refresher questionnaires or Active Management. With our contract staff, any employees who had training out of date and were either solo workers or in a non-compliant team, were removed from carrying out that specific high risk work activity. The next stage was to identify what training we had to continue as high risk and whether that training could be delivered virtually. Our Information Services team worked tirelessly through the day and night accelerating investment in our critical infrastructure to support remote working. Overnight we saw an average of 300 users working remotely from home increase to over 3000. These efforts paid off! Now we have the technology to support training virtually, it has allowed us to explore different ways and media in how we approach delivering training and going forward as we continue to adopt this approach, it has proven to be of great benefit from a reduction in travel, downtime and our carbon footprint. Our IT training Team, used to dealing with small ad-hoc requests for creating e-learning courses, have now successfully converted over 40 of our usual face to face training courses and competency assessments; and will continue to do so. Managing this new work stream, whilst still equipping front line staff with the necessary technology to carry out their job and adapting to train in large socially distanced office spaces instead of the usual fully equipped IT rooms which are

no longer in use has been no mean feat. All within six months, we now have a 50:50 split in the courses which we run virtually compared to previously being 100% classroom based. Feedback on this delivery has proved effective with enjoyment of the course being rated 4.39 (out of 5) and 67% preferring Virtual Training/Assessment commenting “surprisingly very interactive given the virtual delivery and the challenges this can bring” and “I was suitably amazed it worked really well and I was engaged for the full duration”. Let’s not forget the environmental impact here, in six months there has been a saving of 3527 business miles, reducing 0.96 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The impact of COVID-19 on our Competency Management System (CMS) training programme was reviewed, and it was seen to have minimal impact. Examples of training continuing virtually through the use of Skype has helped reduce that impact. An assessor from a recent LRQA audit noted many positive improvements to our Competency Management System (CMS) such as manual updates and the use of Microsoft Forms for feedback and assessments, which had never been used before lock-down. Looking to the future, Anglian Water still honoured the number of apprentice hires and their start dates deciding not to defer. By converting the traditional face to face interviews, assessment centres and induction to a remote experience we managed to maintain our commitment to them. This new way of working has had its challenges. We have had to think creatively about new exercises that could be done remotely whilst ensuring no detriment or disadvantage to candidates. And we had to change our on-boarding right to work process to be able those hired to start on time. With colleges and specialist providers closing, prioritisation had to be given to those already on programme who needed to complete their course (as no predicted grades could be awarded). One thing that has again proved extremely successful is the collaboration between internal customers and wider stakeholders, our apprenticeship providers being one. A phased return for all year groups was agreed and new cohorts were registered early to enable them to begin

remote learning from home. Experienced apprentices considered ‘key workers’ were admitted back on campus early before other students to ensure the safety and wellbeing not only to them but also their wider teams. Working together we have ensured that our apprentices have been able to reach their end point assessment within the planned timeframe and move successfully into their full technician roles. Further Industry level engagement has been ramped up significantly over the COVID period – not only are we conducting the usual meetings virtually (e.g. National Water Hygiene Steering Groups), we have also been having monthly Water Industry catch-up calls to understand how we are all managing resources, training, sharing best practice and information. These have been useful and have given us the reassurance that the decisions we have been forced to make as a business in these unusual and unprecedented times are aligned with the rest of the industry. Although recovery post Covid-19 is a concern, this is an industry wide issue. Training has been successfully delivered virtually, courses made into e-learning and where we can return with safe working practices, face to face assessments are now being allowed with appropriate social distancing in place. Government guidelines are continually changing and with that, as an industry we will have to keep changing too. However, with continued collaboration, we have got to see the positive benefits of this for our future – reduced travel time and cost, reduced environmental impact, whilst delivery excellent service to our internal and external customers and an increased focus on our priority customers. Rick Butler commented “Although we always try to be prepared for a volatile and uncertain world, 2020 threw us a challenge that nobody had predicted. The response to this has been nothing short of exceptional and we are continuing to build on these innovative and leading methods of training delivering which will put us in a great position for future challenges”. No other situation would have enabled us to act this quickly and efficiently in this short period of time before and for that, as a company, we should be very proud.

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CELEBRATING A DECADE OF COLLABORATION Wet Wood near River Faughan

2020 has certainly been a year to remember. Like all water utilities, NI Water have adjusted and adapted to the current situation to continue to provide excellent services to our customers. sustainability works which carry on in the background and like everyone, we have been celebrating the good things where we can.

by Rebecca Allen

This year, the NI Water Sustainable Catchment Management Planning (SCaMP) team are excited to be celebrating a 10 year partnership with The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland and Loughs Agency, in planting trees together to protect and enhance our environment. Our partnership has so-far resulted in the planting of over 150,000 trees in some of NI Water’s 24 drinking water catchments from Counties Antrim to Armagh.

But we also have not neglected those important environmental and

The SCaMP team work continuously to promote the message that we all need to play our part in protecting waterways,

Catchment Liaison Officer, NI Water

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which in turn will protect drinking water sources, biodiversity and nature in our catchments. The team strives to use natural or green engineering to improve raw water quality. Catchment Liaison Officer Rebecca Allen explains, “NI Water mostly abstracts surface water from lowland lakes and rivers to supply the clean and wholesome water that we all rely on to drink. It is important for us to protect these areas from bankside erosion, flood damage and livestock encroachment as much of the water used for public supply comes from these watercourses. Any erosion happening in these riparian areas can have a direct effect on colour, turbidity, taste and odour and can cause problems with disinfection bi-products. Trees help

FEATURE: COLLABORATION us to mitigate these issues. They also provide a new habitat for animals and birds, and can improve quality for fish spawning.”

Riparian planting Brackfield Wood

Since the seeds of the SCaMP programme were sown in 2010, NI Water has worked with The Woodland Trust on many different planting projects throughout Northern Ireland, providing tree-guards and planting native deciduous trees that annually shed their leaves, in riparian areas within our drinking water catchments. Riparian tree planting not only improves our raw water quality but also provides a home for wildlife, shelter for spawning fish and helps reduce the effect of climate change by capturing carbon and slowing river flow. Tree species planted together include Alder, Aspen, Sessile Oak, Downy Birch and Willows. Ian McCurley, Director for Woodland Trust Northern Ireland says: “Northern Ireland is one of the least wooded regions in Europe, with just 8% woodland cover compared with 13% in the UK and 37% in Europe. Our role is to stand up for trees, protect our woods and increase woodland cover locally for the benefit of people, wildlife and climate. The partnership with NI Water is an excellent example of how progressive organisations and businesses can get involved and help us increase woodland cover throughout Northern Ireland.”

Burntollet has been ongoing since this time. Since 2014, over 21,000 trees have been planted at Glenedra in the Sperrin Mountains in the North West, which supplies water for the towns of Dungiven, Claudy and Limavady. Another 2,000 trees were planted at Lough Fingrean in Co. Tyrone where water is abstracted for the Omagh area.

Some of the projects we have worked together on so far include the planting of 9,000 trees at Dunore Point Water Treatment works in Antrim and Castor Bay Water Treatment Works in Lurgan. Local Key Stage 2 pupils helped out with the planting and in turn learned about the water cycle.

In June 2020, NI Water provided resources for a Woodland Trust ‘wet wood’ flood alleviation project alongside the Faughan River in Co. Londonderry. The planting of 2,000 trees and creation of ponds within private land alongside the river which can be flashy will work to improve water quality, reduce the impact of flooding, protect the farmer’s land and assets and will provide new havens for wildlife. Tree roots help filter the water and slow the flow in times of flood ensuring that when the ponds are full the woodland provides a further buffer with the River Faughan. This technique was deployed by Loughs Agency and The Woodland Trust within other nearby woodland, with positive results.

Then in May 2013, 2,000 native trees were planted at the Glendun River in Cushendun on the North Coast. This project was followed by 10,000 trees planted at Dorisland Water Treatment Works, above Carrickfergus near Belfast, and the same number in the Faughan Valley along the Faughan and Burntollet rivers, where water is abstracted to supply the city of Londonderry. Planting at Faughan and

Loughs Agency Chief Executive Officer, Sharon McMahon says, “Loughs Agency value sustainable development and climate action projects that improve the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. Habitat enhancement of the rivers within the Foyle and Carlingford catchments is at the heart of Loughs Agency’s long term objectives. As well as improvements to water quality and wildlife habitat, tree planting assists

The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland have been an important steering partner to NI Water’s SCaMP work programme since 2010 and were one of our first active partners.

Glenedra in Co. Londonderry

in natural river restoration. Importantly for Loughs Agency, it enables the natural filtration of nutrients and sediments resulting in improved water quality for fish and their spawning requirements.” NI Water have really exciting plans to ramp up our planting in the next few seasons and we hope that our partnership with The Woodland Trust continues to grow and flourish for years to come, ust like the trees. For more information contact NI Water’s Catchment Team at catchment@niwater.com. To support the work of and read more about the Woodland Trust, visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/join Pictures courtesy of the Woodland Trust.

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SELWOOD

INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY, FLEET, AND FACILITIES Selwood is building upon its position as the leading UK pump rental solutions company with an ongoing programme of investment. The company, which has Solutions teams operating from rental branches around the UK, has made significant additions to its team, product fleet, facilities and use of innovative technology. These developments enhance its ability to deliver solutions for large-scale and complex water industry projects.

Computer Aided Design Selwood’s engineers, led by a new fulltime specialist in REVIT Autodesk, are using CAD design on all major projects. This enables the team to visualise installations off-site, identify potential obstacles and ensure the ideal solution is reached. CAD also enables the team to engineer out any delays before the job begins, analyse safety risks and minimise issues. Pump formations and site layouts can be examined from every angle in advance, which enables faster installation times and limits unplanned stops due to problems being found on-site.

New strategic appointment To support the delivery of large-scale and complex solutions, Selwood has appointed a dedicated Director of Special Projects and Solutions. Dallas Churcher, pictured, who has 23 years’ experience in the management and delivery of large projects with Selwood, will provide senior leadership, support and management to the business’s solutions and installation teams, working with other senior managers and directors to ensure a collaborative approach in delivering customer-centric solutions. Dallas is supported by a team of Pumping Solutions Managers, which has been increased with four new appointments in the past six months.

limited. Selwood has invested in 18 giant submersible pumps with motor sizes from 100kw to 250kw and flow capacities of up to 1,300 litres per second. The units can be configured with self-priming capability using Selwood’s unique SelPrime system and can be vertically or horizontally mounted. The units will be available across Selwood’s branch network, with dedicated hubs in Southampton and Middlesbrough. The submersibles are part of a wider investment in Selwood’s pump fleet, which recently hit a milestone with 5,000 units available for rental.

A new London Pumping Solutions Centre Selwood has opened a new multi-millionpound solutions centre in London as part of ongoing investment in its premises and fleet. The facility at Crayford brings more capacity, a bigger team and an expanded offering to customers across London and the South East. It replaces and significantly expands upon Selwood’s previous branch at Charlton, which has now closed. The expansion will allow Selwood’s London team to offer faster response times and store a hugely-increased stock of pumps – including those with more environmentally-friendly Tier 5 engines – along with pipework, stoppers and accessories.

Telemetry

A £1m investment in submersible pumps

Selwood has made SelWatch – its cloudbased telemetry tool – available for most of its pump range. SelWatch provides users with round-the-clock updates including GPS pump location, fuel levels and fuel consumption, engine efficiencies, site water levels and servicing status.

Submersibles offer increased versatility over traditional pumps, particularly in areas where space is tight or access is

Use of SelWatch can significantly reduce downtime, save money and help efficiently

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schedule events such as refuelling and maintenance.

Innovation in flowmeters Being able to rely on the accurate measurement of pumped flows is highly important to customers who rent Selwood’s packaged pumping systems. All Selwood’s packaged solutions are carefully tested between hires. These tests include the verification of each flowmeter to ensure that it is within its original calibrated specification, so the customer can have confidence that flows are being accurately measured. Selwood engineers worked closely with ABB to help develop a new ABB Ability™ digital platform which greatly reduces the verification testing time for WaterMaster flowmeters to just a few minutes. Better measurement means better performance, higher efficiency and reduced costs. www.selwood.co.uk

Providing engineered solutions for a wide range of water treatment problems

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Our product range Our product range offers value for a variety of applications within areas covering drinking water, wastewater, leisure resorts, food processing, breweries, mining, power generation, facilities management and mainstream industrial processes.

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UNIVERSITY OF BATH

BATH ACADEMICS HELP TO TRACK CORONAVIRUS IN SCHOOLS BY MONITORING WASTEWATER

Scientists and engineers from the University of Bath are set to investigate how monitoring wastewater at schools in England could provide an early warning system for coronavirus outbreaks. As part of the new TERM* project led by Middlesex University, they will help monitor sewer-bound water at schools to look for microscopic evidence of coronavirus and advise on how the data collected could be turned into an early warning system. It’s hoped that wastewater monitoring could provide an effective, fast, inexpensive and anonymous way of detecting outbreaks of viruses such as the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The study will provide new evidence on the safety of schools reopening and additional insights on transmission of coronavirus

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from children-to-children and children-toadults. The £2.4 million project is funded by the NHS Test and Trace Surveillance Testing Team. Middlesex University is leading the study in collaboration with Test and Trace’s Joint Biosecurity Centre and researchers from Bath, as well as Cranfield University, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Imperial College London, and University College London. The London Assembly Health Committee, Brent Council, and The London Drainage Engineers Group are members of the stakeholder group.

The TERM project has four key objectives: Collate new evidence on the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 in schools and how this associates with local cases ■ Determine whether a wastewater surveillance system can work at school level, i.e. establish the effectiveness of extracting non-infectious SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments (the virus that results in COVID-19) from in-school wastewater systems ■ Evaluate the costs of undertaking a wastewater surveillance system at a large scale ■ Explore the feasibility of implementing an early-warning system based on ■

FEATURE: COLLABORATION wastewater surveillance data at a community level Professor Jan Hofman, Director of Bath’s Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC@Bath), said: “Sewer surveillance has an important role as an early warning system for SARS-CoV-2 infections. The virus can be detected in wastewater in the early stages of an infection, ahead of the outbreak. With this project we can further increase our understanding of how the virus spreads and get it under control. It can hopefully give us a clear view on effective protection measures for pupils, their parents and teachers. “Within WIRC@Bath we have strong experience and expertise in wastewater monitoring and our links with our institutions, ranging from our UK partners on the TERM project, to the KWR Water Research Institute in the Netherlands which has led on global monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, to other partners in Africa

and around the world, allow us to work very effectively and share our findings quickly.” Dr Andrew Singer of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) said: “Near-source detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is an emerging field that can potentially offer rapid insights into the health of a particular population, in a manner that is inexpensive, anonymous, and non-invasive for the people surveyed. TERM is piloting what might be the future of population health surveillance.” Commenting on the study, John Hatwell, Director of NHS Test and Trace Surveillance Testing (Pillar 4) said: “The TERM project is another step forward in our commitment to defeating this invisible killer. We are excited to have Middlesex University lead this study and the potential it offers to identify COVID-19 outbreaks in schools and inform response measures.

We can help you reimagine your water R&D

Not only will the results help us better understand transmission amongst children, but they will enable us to support the safe reopening of schools.” Researchers are currently working with schools and setting up laboratories. The aim is to monitor 70 schools throughout England. The work expands on the existing wastewater monitoring work at the University of Bath, including the N-WESP partnership project to estimate COVID-19 cases from UK wastewater and a similar effort in partnership with Universities in Nigeria and South Africa.

Water Innovation & Research Centre

Through the Water Innovation and Research Centre at the University of Bath our experts work with industry, academia, and other stakeholders to tackle the fundamental issues surrounding sustainable water. Through WISE, our Centre for Doctoral Training in Water Informatics: Science and Engineering, we work with collaborative partners to train the next generation of skilled water scientists and engineers. To explore a partnership with water research experts and students at the University of Bath for your organisation, contact water-research@bath.ac.uk.

go.bath.ac.uk/water-research

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COMPANYAFFILIATENEWS

ELIQUO HYDROK STRENGTHENS EXECUTIVE TEAM IN PREPARATION FOR FURTHER GROWTH held several leadership roles at BT Plc for 10 years and held other finance-based roles prior to that. He is a Chartered Management Accountant, a member of the Institute of Directors and an experienced Non-Executive Director and Trustee.

Leading water engineering solutions company, ELIQUO Hydrok, welcome Peter Wroe as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as of October 2020; with his remit to further develop the future growth strategy of the company and build upon the reputation for quality and service in partnership with all UK water utility companies. Peter is an experienced board Director and leader of finance, procurement, contract management, tendering and governance teams. Previously he was Finance Director at the Eden Project, Cornwall, for 5 years,

Commenting on the appointment Gauke Reitsma, CEO of ELIQUO Water Group GmbH, said “ELIQUO Hydrok has achieved remarkable success under the leadership of Dave Armstrong as Managing Director and Lewis O’Brien as Technical Director, together with an experienced and passionate team of over 130 water professionals with a heritage of quality and delivery. We are very pleased to have Peter on board at ELIQUO Hydrok to further strengthen the Executive leadership team.” Joining at the start of AMP7, Peter said, “It is a great time to be joining the company which is geared up to partner with UK water companies with an exciting portfolio of environmentally considerate technologies and products to meet the forthcoming AMP7 requirements. These include new and improved Mecana cloth filtration systems,

a partnership with Royal HaskoningDHV for their NEREDA® treatment technology plus a range of products for Biosolids Treatment which will help in the challenges we are all facing regards climate change and reduction of damaging greenhouse gases. I am already enjoying working with our respected and experienced team to help our customers to deliver cost effective and sustainable water treatment solutions.” In a joint comment Dave Armstrong and Lewis O’Brien said, “We are both delighted to welcome Peter to the Board of ELIQUO Hydrok. AMP7 is destined to present many challenges for not only our business but for our industry in general. We are well into our preparation for this next 5 years with plans being formed in readiness; Peter’s appointment is key to our continued strategic growth and future abilities to provide the innovation and solutions to our Clients.” For more information on the Eliquo Hydrok range of Wastewater and Water solutions visit the website: www.eliquohydrok.co.uk or email: sales@eliquohydrok.co.uk.

AQUA CLEAR APPOINTED SUPPLIER BY CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AQUACLEAR is delighted to be the only Scottish-based supplier to be awarded a place on a UK-wide public sector framework led by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). The Water, Wastewater and Ancillary Services Framework Water gives all public sector organisations across the UK fast access to compliant suppliers to save money on water costs. AQUA CLEAR SC are water management specialists based in Midlothian, with extensive industry experience and are immersed in knowledge about all things WATER - water consumption, water audits, water profiling, water supply, water recycling, water reduction strategies, water regulations, water rebates and water savings.

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Kenny McGregor, Director & Water Management Specialist said, “We are thrilled to be named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s Water, Wastewater and Ancillary Services Framework; meeting stringent government standards to do so. We engaged Caughey Solutions Ltd, a bid specialist, to assist us with the bid process. It has never been more important than now, for public sector organisations to look for innovative and cost saving practices and solutions.”

McGregor continues, “Our business is niche, focussing only on Water Management. To date we have collectively saved our clients millions by reducing water usage and water wastage, improving sustainability, identifying irregularities, satisfying legislative requirements and in turn delivering substantial carbon, energy and money savings…all without impacting on service. We look forward to further engaging with public sector bodies across the UK to help them save water, money, energy and the planet!”

NEW FIGURES SHOW THE WORLD’S POOREST MISS OUT ON CLIMATE FINANCE Those who tread lightest on the planet carry the heaviest burden. Climate change is happening now, and it is poor communities left to pick up the bill despite doing the least to cause it. A new report, ‘Just add water: a landscape analysis of climate finance for water’, shows that that the money is not getting to where it matters most. WaterAid’s Senior Policy Analyst, Jonathan Farr, tells us how we can boost available finance for climate resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

Q1. Why did WaterAid commission the Overseas Development Institute to carry out this report, and why is the climate finance landscape so relevant to WaterAid’s mission? This detailed analysis of the climate finance landscape was commissioned to help establish where donors and national governments need to consider re-prioritising climate investment. Two billion people across the world lack access to clean water close to home. And with increasingly severe and frequent droughts, floods and extreme weather events, these vulnerable people will find it impossible to be resilient against the impacts of climate change unless we see real change.

the most vulnerable have access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. In some countries in which access to water is already poor, that’s around $1 per person per year.

Q3. What are the barriers to unlocking this much needed investment? Even the funds which are being allocated to helping countries adapt to the impact of climate change are not getting to those who need it most. Of the 20 countries receiving the most climate funding for water programmes, 19 are middle income, despite it being the world’s poorest countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. The analysis shows that 86% of the finance offered for climate adaptation within the water sector takes the form of loans rather than grants. This means that governments are faced with a choice between leaving their communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change or getting into even deeper national debt. Another significant barrier is a lack of urgency. Despite climate change already being with us many governments are responding to disasters rather than taking steps to ensure communities have the skills and capacity to monitor and manage risks from climate change.

Q2. What are the outcomes of this analysis? Can you explain how this indicates which areas need to be prioritised/ re-prioritised in terms of their investment? This report shows us that the world is not responding to the climate crisis by prioritising the most vulnerable. Instead, the poorest communities, those on the front lines of climate change who are already feeling the impacts, are being left to pick up the bill themselves.

Q4. How can we encourage donors and national Governments to re-prioritise their climate investment? WaterAid is calling for the world’s most vulnerable people to be moved up to the front of the queue when it comes to international financial support. We are facilitating high-level discussions with representatives of governments and aid agencies along with climate and water experts this month, to set out a programme of changes required to support climate resilience for the world’s poorest communities.

The analysis found that just 1% of the billions pledged globally to fight climate change goes to programmes to ensure

This follows a pledge at our Water and Climate Summit, hosted by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in March

Atia, 8, and her grandmother carry water back from an unprotected water source in Nacoto Village, Mozambique

2020, to work towards boosting finance for climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services.

Q5. The water sector is already working

to build resilient solutions to our changing climate, yet WASH remains a very small part of the global climate investment. How can we increase this investment in WASH? Despite climate impacts being predominantly from storms floods and droughts, the water sector globally receives less than 10% of climate funding from public sources – standing at USD 6.4 billion in 2018 for water and wastewater management, and basic WASH is a very small part of that investment – Just USD 774 million. We must ensure vulnerable communities are able to access climate investment, and that these funds can be used to help build systems, and provide services which ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to a reliable source of clean water so that future generations are protected from the impact of our changing climate. The UK is championing climate resilience at the UN conference next year and the UK water sector is a global leader in developing the skills and strategies necessary for adapting to climate change. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support from our partners across the UK water industry in providing sustainable water access to communities around the world, and sharing our goal of reaching everyone, everywhere by 2030. To read WaterAid’s latest report ‘Just add water: a landscape analysis of climate finance for water’, visit washmatters.wateraid.org

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Tel: 07884 004 802 E-mail: u.d.s@live.co.uk Web: utilitydesignservices.com Web: utilitydesignservices.co.uk Proactive and professional civil engineering design consultancy services. We have extensive experience and expertise within the design of water network distribution & water network trunk mains. From initial overview through to detail civil design, while also equipped to provide planning, project management and construction support services. We would welcome the opportunity to visit you for an initial consultation to discuss your aims and needs. We would endeavour to incorporate our design and engineering solutions to match your business requirements.

Surge control systems and compressed air engineering from Quantum Engineering Developments Ltd

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Windmill Insight Solutions Tailored Training, Real Results Quality Training for the Water Industry -

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WINTER 2020 ISSUE208

SPRING EDITION 2021 - PUBLISHING EARLY MARCH • Engineering Projects • C-MEX/ODI’s • Leakage Investigation Techniques • Water Quality

IN THIS ISSU E CONFERENCE REVIEW SUSTAINABILIT Y UNDERGROUND ASSETS COLLABORATIO N

To advertise your company contact Martin Jameson on 07342 850289 or martin@jimjammedia.com

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INSTITUTE OF WATER MAGAZIN E

EASTERNAREANEWS

COVID WATER DEMAND IN THE UK’S DRIEST REGION 2020 has been a year like no other, with COVID impacting the way we work, think, behave and ultimately go about our daily routines. Across the water industry, demand has fluctuated dramatically, with significant impacts being felt in commuter populations working from home in more rural locations. As well as demand shifting, it has also increased up to 20-30% in some locations, creating real supply challenges for water companies. The reasons for this increase are still being explored, but cleanliness (handwashing), more time spent in gardens and more opportunity to enjoy the warmer weather are all likely to have contributed. In September, the Institute of Water Eastern Area invited Anglian Water and Northumbrian Water (Essex and Suffolk) to join an online webinar to discuss the impacts that COVID water demand has had on operations, customer campaigns and long term water resource planning. Colin Hinge presented on Anglian Water’s supply

Customers were also responding to Government advice, washing hands and facemasks frequently and spending more time at home than ever, enjoying time in the garden, water the plants, digging ponds, filling paddling pools etc. Tim Wagstaff presented Northumbrian Water’s campaigns to increase customer water efficiency around these activities throughout the summer, when peak demand would be at its highest.

ensure that no customer is left without a supply of water, to allow people to enjoy water-based activities responsibly, and prevent exceedances of the legal level of abstraction. This final point is essential when water companies are undertaking longterm water resource planning. Geoff Darch (Anglian Water) discussed the potential long-term changes that COVID might drive, where 2020 demand levels become the new normal. Once it becomes more clear what the new normal will be, Water Resource Management Plans will need to be revisited to reflect this change. We would like to thank all of our presenters for such an interesting event. Keep an eye out for more great events coming soon from the Eastern Area.

Effective communication (within and outside of water companies) has been essential to

FIKA TIME During these unprecedented times it is even more important to ensure people stay connected.

culture. Many Swedes consider that it is almost essential to make time for fika every day. It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) virtually and switch off.

How does it work? Once signed up,

Since May, the Eastern Area Committee has been offering our members the opportunity to get involved with other members remotely through FIKA time. Fika is a concept, a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish

VIRTUAL SOCIAL

operations, showing an immediate spike in demand following lockdown, which peaked to the highest ever demand recorded in May 2020. This increased pressure on assets led to more failures requiring immediate repair, with a backdrop of social distancing and rapidly changing Government advice.

you will be paired with another randomly selected member of the Eastern Area to enjoy a 20-minute chat on a media of your choice (phone, Zoom, WhatsApp). Each session we run we will give you a starter conversation topic as an initial prompt and enable you to network with other members, regardless of organisation or role. You may get paired up with one of our committee members, or our very

own Eastern Area’s President, Susannah Clements, HR Director at Anglian Water. Those who joined in on previous session said that “it was a good opportunity to speak with someone that I wouldn’t otherwise speak to” and enabled “chill out time just to chat about what other members are up to”.

Get involved: Look out in your inbox for details of our next fika session in November. We will randomly match you up with another member of the Eastern Area and email you and your fika partner and then you can arrange when is most convenient for you both to chat in the week selected.

With autumnal vibes aplenty on 29th October the Institute of Water Rising Stars hosted our first virtual social, a make-a-long cocktail/mocktail session celebrating all things October. It was honestly a really great event and felt like an informal pub networking evening. We’re planning a Christmas theme next- watch this space!

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NORTHERNAREANEWS

NEW LOCKDOWN - NEW EVENTS CALENDAR The Northern Area Committee are excited announce the first 4 events of their new calendar They will be shortly be providing further info on the 2021 digital and hopefully “live” programme but before that November & December 2020 see a number of engaging, interesting and fun events. For more info on any of the events visit the events section of our website.

Wednesday 18th November 2020

Drones, drones, drones! Coptrz and Severn Trent share ideas of how we can utilise drone technology more across a wide range of applications.

Tuesday 1st December 2020

Effective ways to build mental, emotional and physical resilience Following the success of the pre-Covid mental resilience seminars across the Northern Area, we will be running one final session of 2020.

Friday 11th December 2020

Getting Value for Customers from he Internet of Things Find out how Yorkshire Water is translating developments in ‘Internet of Things’ technologies into real value for customers. The event will include input from Sam Bright, Adam Smith and Tom Ogden of Yorkshire Water, plus Rob Bullock from Connexin and Adam Smith from Intrepid Minds.

Thursday 17th December 2020

Merry Quizmas After the Northern Area team absolutely annihilated the competition at the South East Area quiz we thought it was time to give everyone else a chance. • For the first time ever the infamous Northern Area Quiz will be going online. • Bring your own mince pies and festive jumpers but no need to form a team. • We will assign you to a team of likeminded elves so you can connect and network on the night. • We will have some great prizes available too so sign up now!

2021 Mental Resilience We have already secured funding for additional sessions and will be continuing to provide training and guidance on this ever-popular topic throughout the year. Fore! Planning is also underway for the first Northern Area Golf Event ever!!! Well maybe the first this committee team remembers anyway. Watch this space, it might even get Ian Limb up North, keep early June free in your diary! Leadership / Management The Northern Area would like to receive expressions of interest for a series of online workshops looking into leadership and management training. The workshops would be subsidised for members, contact Rachel at rachel.powell1@uuplc.co.uk.

COMMITTEE UPDATES Janet Howard

Paul Henderson

The committee would like to pass on our deepest thanks to Janet Howard, who has recently taken a step back from the Committee and the Secretary role. Janet has been an active member of the Institute of Water since 2009, while also working for United Utilities.

Northern Area Partnership Officer Paul Henderson has been appointed to the Council of the UK Society for Trenchless Technology. The UKSTT represents manufacturers, suppliers and industries that use trenchless technology.

As one of our most hard working and committed long-term members, Janet will be sorely missed but we look forward to seeing her in the future as an attendee of our events. All the best in the future, Janet!

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Paul, Business Development Manager of Lanes Group’s Sewer Lining Division, said: “It is a privilege to be voted on to the council by sitting members and to be able to serve UKSTT, I look forward to promoting further collaboration between UKSTT and the Institute of Water for the benefit of members.”

NORTHERN IRELANDAREANEWS

WEBINAR - KING’S SCHOLARS POND SEWER REHABILITATION PROJECT

Unfortunately due to the situation regarding Covid-19, most of our events have been cancelled or postponed. As a result, we have been working hard to plan and provide exciting alternative webinars in our area to substitute for this. The latest webinar we hosted was by Dan Watson, Managing Director at McAllister Group who presented on the King’s Scholars Pond (KSP) Sewer Rehabilitation project. Dan explained how the KSP sewer, found deep beneath one of the busiest intersections in London and above Baker Street tube station needed immediate attention. In addition to severe deterioration, the 170 year old structure had settled 166mm leaving it very close to the tube trains which pass underneath. Attendees learnt that due to the location of the sewer structure it was clear that an innovative solution would be required to extend the life of the asset for 120 years.

Closing the tube line to repair the sewer from below would have been extremely expensive, whilst closing the busy road intersection to repair from above would cause major disruption to the public. So instead, McAllister Group along with project partners designed and constructed a complex modular stainless-steel bridge and integral GRP liner segments which could all pass through a 600mm x 600mm opening and be installed from inside the sewer, therefore eliminating all disruption to the public.

required to ensure all modular sections would fit together precisely. He also answered a number of very good questions from the attendees which helped provide more detail on the unique health & safety considerations and importantly timescales and costs for delivery of the project. We would like to thank Dan for taking the time to provide such a fantastic presentation on a very interesting project. For anyone who missed it, the KSP Sewer rehabilitation webinar is available to watch anytime online https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/ recording/7089820710665930753

Dan gave a great insight into some of the complexities associated with such an innovative project including the precision

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SOUTHWESTAREANEWS

WEBINARS PAST AND FUTURE Over the past few months the South West committee have been organising regular webinars, and updating our event plans to bring a variety of virtual event to members. Dipping into the Internet of Things In September Dr Ben Ward of South West Water gave an insightful webinar on the Internet of Things (IoT), and what this means in the context of the water industry.

sector, and what this could look like if we re-imagined the water industry and put ethics, customers and the environment truly at the heart of how we design, operate and regulate the industry. What would the future look like if ethical regulation was embraced throughout?

As well as providing a solid background of the subject, and unravelling some of the constraints of the internet of things, this webinar explored how IoT can support some of South West Water’s business plan commitments and ODI’s. It was interesting to hear how the IoT could be adopted in a risk free way, especially considering future technology developments that may affect investments. Finally, the webinar looked at how the IoT could engage and empower future customers, and what benefits this could bring to the water industry.

Our two speakers reflected on these concepts from both regulatory and environmental perspectives. Michelle Ashford - the Chief Operating Officer of Water Industry Commission for Scotland considered the topic through the eyes of a regulator. Nick Barker – Senior Associate at DWF Law - investigated drivers he identified as changing organisational awareness of ethics from a mixed environmental and regulatory perspective.

The webinar concluded with a very thorough Q&A with plenty of audience participation, with some communications experts in the audience explaining some of the finer details of the internet of things and communication technology.

The Only Way is Ethics In order for a business to behave ethically, it must adopt ethical business practices in everything that is done throughout the organisation. Organised and chaired by Carmen Snowdon of WRc, who has a personal and professional interest in the topic, on 14 October SW Branch held an on-line event to investigate the concept of ethical business regulation in the water sector. This webinar explored the water

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It was a thought-provoking session. With the increased focus in the sector on delivering a wider social purpose – through an ethical way of doing business – both companies and regulators are considering changes to the way they operate. It’s early days in the application of this concept, but it seems like changes are afoot.

Institute of Water National Conference The Institute of Water National Conference took place on September 17-18th, and here’s a few words from Rising Star and SW Committee member, Lewis Orr of Penn Water Services, on his experiences at the conference: “The annual conference was amazing with a lot of different and

interesting topics to cover throughout the two days. I got the chance to get myself involved in a Rising Star Oxford Style debate with the motion being ‘Does the water industry need a pandemic to stimulate change?’ which was amazing for my development and we had some great feedback from leading CEO’s in the Industry that attended the conference which will help me improve my debating skills going forward! Overall the first webinar annual conference was amazing and it just shows that you can do anything with technology these days! Us Rising Stars also had a fun networking evening on how to make cocktails which was extremely good fun and meet new people in the industry and what it was all about! More to come over the next few months so look out for that too!”

Coming Up As we wind into winter, look out for our ‘Weather & the Water Sector’ webinar series running throughout December in conjunction with the Met Office. Kicking off on 1st December with TV’s favourite weather presenter Alex Deakin – available to sign up to now. We’re also planning to run a “Meet The SW Committee” event in the coming weeks, as well as looking at delivering some interactive events on the subject of Professional Registration and Chartership, so keep an eye on our events page and email list and we hope to see you at these exciting events!

We’d like to say a kind thank you our sponsors for the support they provide to our area to make it possible for us to organise a wide variety of events throughout the year.

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MIDLANDSAREANEWS

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN THE DEVELOPER SERVICES MARKET: PANEL EVENT

On Wednesday 11th November IW Midlands region held a Developer Services panel event. The event was well attended and we’ve had feedback from multiple attendees that it was a candid, constructive and useful discussion about how to improve service to developers and how the market can improve in the future. Nicky Fomes (MD of Navigate Infra and

Midlands Committee member) chaired the event and provided background and benchmarking on all of the areas the panel discussed. The panel included a developer (represented by Nick Smith of Barratt Homes), a self lay provider (Ben Brownbill of Infrastructure Gateway), a water company Head of Developer Services (Steve Betteridge of Severn Trent) and an independent consultant who has headed water company developer services teams as well as advising NAVs and self lay providers (Jo Parker).

The panel had a discussion across three areas – developer satisfaction (and how the industry can improve its D-MeX scores), developer charging and the future of the market. There was true diversity of different perspectives across the different parts of the market. If you missed the event and want to watch it, you can access the recording at: https://www.gotostage.com and search ‘Institute of Water panel event’.

THE PANEL

Nicky Fomes

Nick Smith

Ben Brownbill

Steve Betteridge

Jo Parker

MD of Navigate Infra

Barratt Homes

Infrastructure Gateway

Severn Trent

Independent consultant

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SCOTTISHAREANEWS

IWATER ANNUAL CONFERENCE An event that we were all looking forward to was the annual conference, which took place virtually this year for the first time ever. by Anna Figueras Carril Laboratories Team Leader, Scottish Water

The conference was themed around COVID: the impacts the pandemic has had in the water industry and how we can build back better. COVID has definitely had a big impact on our sector so I personally appreciated the opportunity to reflect on how it has affected different parts of the industry and realise we can turn a difficult situation into a positive to build

a better future together. The conference ran for two days, the first day was focused around the impacts of COVID from both a national and global perspective, as well as the impact it’s had on people. The first day finished with an all-time favourite, two ‘Meet the leaders’ sessions. The second day kicked off with a Rising Stars debate on the motion ‘This house believes that the water sector does not need pandemic to stimulate change’.

A vote was done before and after the debate, where the majority of the spectators were for the motion to start with but ‘team pandemic’ managed to sway the spectators against the motion by the end of the debate! The speakers hosted sessions focussed on recovery and building back better during the second session. To sum up, albeit being delayed several months, this year’s conference was worth the wait!

RISING STARS - A SCOTTISH AREA PERSPECTIVE At the end of last year, the Rising Stars 2020 cohort set off to plan a year filled with events across the UK to expand our knowledge in the water sector and build our networks. Little did we know that a global pandemic would turn our worlds upside down a few months later… We met at the Utility Week Awards dinner in December 2019 and travelled to Northern Ireland where we visited Northern Ireland Water and met Sara Venning. In March we had a final trip to WaterAid and Thames Water in London – but you have already read about these adventures in the previous issues of the IWater magazine!

So, what has happened since March? To start with, most of us were extremely busy working hard to maintain the water supply across the UK while others were furloughed. We kept in touch by setting up regular calls to check up on each other during lockdown as it was really tough on everyone’s mental health. The Rising Stars programme was put on pause, hoping that the ‘new normal’

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would materialise in a not-so-distant future and we could fill our agendas with events and face to face meetings again but unfortunately this didn’t happen. In September we decided to kick things off again and, with Lynn Cooper’s support, we’re building a plan to raise our profile despite the Covid-19 pandemic. If you attended the Institute of Water Annual Conference in October you will have seen Natalie Lamb, Lewis Orr, Jack Huggins and I debating whether the water industry needs a pandemic to stimulate change. It was a tough debate, ultimately won by team pandemic – no recount required unlike the recent US election. Most recently we organised our first virtual event ‘Margarita the Rising

Stars’, a meet and greet event designed for networking while making autumn/ Halloween inspired cocktails. The feedback from the event was great so we’re hoping to organise a winter/ Christmas themed one in December – watch this space.

What does the future hold? We’re currently working on our 2021 agenda by redesigning the events we had planned face-to-face to take place virtually. These include visits to the other Rising Stars’ workplaces as well as meeting the regulators. We will collaborate with CC Water and WaterAid in the near future as well as hosting a rising stars past and present event. We all look forward to the next few months and to the opportunities that the Rising Stars programme will bring!

SOUTHEASTAREANEWS

RAINWATER HARVESTING AND GREYWATER RECYCLING WEBINAR - 17TH NOVEMBER 2020 187 people joined the technical lunch and learn webinar on rainwater harvesting hosted by the South East Area Committee. The webinar drew a diverse audience from a whole host of water sector organisations and many non Institute members. The webinar was hosted by Lydia Makin, Policy and Projects Manager at Waterwise and the purpose was to disseminate new research on the costs and benefits of rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. Nathan Richardson, Head of Policy and Strategy at Waterwise, introduced the topic of water resources and outlined compelling reasons to save water in the UK, which included saving carbon and chalk streams. Principal Consultant at Ricardo Energy and Environment Stuart Ballinger then presented a positive picture of where rainwater harvesting or greywater recycling could be most cost effective and produce the biggest benefits for society. Over 35 questions were asked in the webinar question box, some of which were answered live and others which were replied to offline.

The huge amount of engagement on the topic is really encouraging and testament to the fact that these technologies could provide excellent solutions on our journey to water resilience. Many thanks again to Stuart and his team from Ricardo for their great work on this research.

The full report can be found on the Waterwise database here: www.waterwise. org.uk/knowledge-base/independent-reviewof-costs-and-benefits-of-rwh-and-gwroptions-in-the-uk/.

SOCIAL MEDIA MASTERCLASS One of the main aims of the South East Area is to have as big a reach to our members as possible and provide them with as much interesting and informative content on our social media channels as we can. To assist us in achieving that, the South East Area committee were delighted to have a special insight in to the world of social media back in August. Akhil Vyas is the Senior Digital Social Media Manager for Thames Water and he kindly gave us some of his time to talk in general terms about how best to utilise social media and some specific hints and tips we can practically use to optimise our content output.

It was an engaging and informative session covering topics such as how to grow your following, how to get the most from each specific social media platform and how to advertise events effectively. We hope to develop a social media action plan and apply some of the principals that we have learnt over the coming months for the maximum benefit of our members... watch this space!

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WELSHAREANEWS

HANDOVER OF PRESIDENCY A newsletter went out to Welsh Area members this month to share the handover of presidency from Linda Williams to Sharon Ellwood as of October 2020. Linda reflected on her time in role, the dedication of the committee and the range of events hosted despite Covid-19, concluding with: “I am proud to have been the first female President of the Wales Area, but most of all to have been part of such a great team – thank you all for the experience and especially to Sophie and

Dominic for their personal support as Welsh Area Chairs”. The Area Committee would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Linda for her support and dedication throughout her time with Welsh Area Committee. Additionally, we congratulate Sharon on her new Presidency!

UNDERSTANDING THE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT OF LAND MANAGEMENT With the effects of climate change becoming ever clearer it’s more important now than ever before for organisations to understand their impact on the environment, and the water industry is no different. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has ownership of nearly 37,000 hectares of land and recently completed a project to develop an understanding of the possible environmental impact and climate change implications caused by how this land is being managed. Alexander Herridge, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s Capital Alliance Carbon Manager, hosted a webinar to describe the process and the outcomes of this project. Attendees from all over the UK joined into a thought-provoking discussion around why the work was undertaken, how the modelling was approached and

the results and conclusions of the project. The webinar was a great success, as the number of questions and subsequent lively debate amongst attendees demonstrated. The ongoing engagement with Alex after the event further showcased the interest in the topic and the strong collaboration between water companies that the IW aims for. Our thanks to Alex for a fantastic presentation and we look forward to seeing how the models develop and the outcomes of the project continue to mature. The PowerPoint presentation is available from the IW on request.

COMMITTEE UPDATES Several other changes which have taken place within our Area Committee. Firstly, Gary Fielding has handed over the baton to Catrin Phillips for the role of Innovation Awards Sub-committee Lead. Thank you, Gary for all your hard work over the last few years. Secondly, Steve Youell, National Chairman of IW, has recently joined us from South East Area alongside his new role in Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water – welcome Steve! His experience within IW will be a fantastic asset to the Welsh Area. Our Area Secretary, Charlotte Rhodes, has recently started a new job with Natural Resources Wales and therefore has a new email: charlotte.g.rhodes@ cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk – congratulations Charlie on your new role! Lastly, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Adrienne Walsh for her commitment to IW and support within Welsh Area Committee over the years, as she leaves us in her retirement. Congratulations Adrienne and best wishes for the future. If you’re interested in joining the committee, whether organising events or becoming our next secretary, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact Gemma.Williams2@dwrcymru.com.

CPD AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MONTH, 4TH-24TH NOVEMBER Would you like to start your CPD journey but aren’t sure where to start or even what CPD is?! You’ve already started your application for Chartership but have become a bit stuck? Maybe you want to work towards a professional registration but aren’t quite ready for chartership yet? We’re here to help! The Welsh Area are excited to announce a series of CPD and Professional Development

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sessions taking place over the month of November. We will be hosting four short sessions over the month that will take you through the stages of the CPD and Professional Development journey and making available the knowledge and experience of our CPD champions to provide any guidance you may need including to progress onto professional registrations including chartership.

There are 4 sessions available, book through the Institute of Water website: Wed 4 Nov – Your development and creating your own Development Plan Wed 11 Nov – Building your CPD record Wed 18 Nov – Pathways to Professional Development Tues 24 Nov – Q&A session with our CPD Champions and Guest Speakers

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