What’s new at the 2022 Water Industry Awards?

Water Industry Awards 2022 judges set the scene for the awards’ latest instalment on 29 June – featuring a number of new categories.

June will see the return of the Water Industry Awards, reuniting the sector – in person – to celebrate  hard work and innovation in water over the past year.

The event’s 19 awards offer the chance to enter a number of new categories this year, such as the Groundbreaker award, celebrating the most innovative technology the industry has to offer; the Smart Water Networks Award, seeking projects that are maximising the potential of the digital revolution; and the Pollution Mitigation Initiative of the Year, for those tackling one of the most pressing issues of this year and beyond.

“As ever, the Water Industry Awards will award the very best practice from the frontline of the water sector,” Ellen Bennett, portfolio director, Utility Week and Utility Week Innovate – which organizes the awards – said of this year’s event.

“We’re looking for entries from all companies – large and small, water companies themselves and their industry partners – who can show evidence of innovation, creativity, efficiency and outstanding customer service.”

Entries will follow the same two-stage judging process, assessed by a panel of industry experts who are looking for evidence of tangible benefits – to customers, to the environment, and to companies themselves.

Projects and initiatives entered into the awards – taking place in Birmingham on 29 June – must either be ongoing or have been completed in 2021 in order to be eligible.

• View the full list of Water Industry Award  2022 categories here

Environmentally driven innovation

Setting the scene for the 2022 awards, MOSL CEO – and Water Industry Award judge – Sarah McMath states that the water industry has been under intense pressure over the past 12 months, with the climate emergency in particular bringing a sharper focus to water usage, supply challenges, the quality of rivers and water companies’ working practices. However she adds that this has been met by a “clear drive for innovation”, to address said challenges.

Similarly, British Water’s chief executive, Lila Thompson, says that she has seen the UK water sector embrace its responsibility around climate change through its world leading plan to deliver a net zero water supply for customers by 2030 over the past 12 months.

“This is driving collaborative innovation and demonstrates a desire to play a key role in both mitigating and adapting to climate change,” she adds.

“There is recognition within water companies that the only way to deliver the best possible outcomes is by engaging closely with all stakeholders, including the supply chain, academia, regulators and communities. They are also working more closely with other utilities both here in the UK and globally.”

AMP7, Covid disruption and widespread scrutiny

Thompson continues that in the year gone by the sector has also risen to the challenge of delivering critical services while operating with constrained resources, both in terms of personnel and supply chain disruption, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is all against a backdrop of utilities facing tightening environmental regulations and increasing consumer expectation, along with intense focus from the media and politicians,” she says.

“Public and political scrutiny on issues such as pollution is not going away, so it is imperative that water companies continue to engage closely with the supplier community to uncover and trial the best possible solutions and best practice in addressing these tough challenges.”

With this in mind, fellow judge Ceris Van de Vyver, head of technology and training, UK, at Isle Utilities, reflects that it’s important to recognise those who’ve made an impressive start to AMP 7 amid such challenging circumstances.

“At the start of any five year economic cycle, in years one and two, companies restructure and build teams to be in a position to meet the requirements of the investment programme,” she explains. “This means that for the beginning of AMP 7, new people, new teams and departments are created and need to focus on their output. Some teams have yet to meet face to face in person, yet they are delivering a service to customers. That is an achievement.”

Digital revolution

The challenges faced over the past 12 months have also shaped a number of emerging trends. Nicci Russell, managing director at Waterwise, for example, has witnessed the gradual realisation that large-scale water efficiency is essential to both tackling and adapting to the climate emergency and observed a stream of subsequent innovation.

What’s more, Isle Utilities’ Van de Vyver, has seen developments in the digital space, such as artificial intelligence and internet of things technology, advancing at pace.

“Its early days and yet augmented reality equipment for field teams has been trialed and adopted, increases in the number of tailored digital platforms for the water industry that can bring together real time data and provide in-depth knowledge of operations and assets are on the market, and advances in customer interface apps to support customer interaction are constantly being developed and improved, all to deliver good actionable data and information to increase business efficiency,” she says.

Thompson adds that, in her view, an increased focus on collaboration across the sector has ramped up over the past year evidenced by the publication of the five emerging water resource management plans, updates on infrastructure solutions from the Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) and the launch of water innovation centre of excellence, Spring.

Greater sense of purpose

Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, Rob Light, concludes that while there are a number of significant issues facing the water industry, if the sector addresses them collectively, and with a clear focus on delivering in both the short and long terms, water can establish itself at the forefront of innovation in utilities.

Van de Vyver adds, however, that the events of the past year see the UK water industry operating in a “new norm”. “I believe that a hybrid way of working will remain with us in the long term,” she says.

“We have proved we can change, proven we are agile, and open to new ways of working. We must keep on innovating to be efficient and effective, working together to deliver the outputs required to deliver wholesome water to our customers and taking it away.”

Ultimately, Thompson states that she saw a greater sense of purpose as the sector came together to provide critical services during a life-changing global public health event while working to drive net zero and protect the environment.

“In the last 12 months pressing challenges have opened new avenues for cross sector collaboration and data-sharing, which is accelerating the speed at which the sector can tackle some of its most important problems around leakage and pollution.”