Registration and refreshments
08:45 to
09:30
Chair’s welcome and opening remarks
09:30 to
09:40
Speaker:
Paul Horton.
CEO.
Future Water Association.
Part 1: Latest regulatory updates, plans for infrastructure development and increasing resilience
09:40 to
10:55
The government’s strategic direction for the UK water network – current policy and future plans
09:40 to
10:05
- How is the regulatory framework supporting infrastructure development?
- Identifying current priorities to support resilience – where are we now in improving the whole water system?
- Future plans to ensure efficient water resources management
Speaker:
Martin Woolhead.
Deputy Director, Water Sector Delivery.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Supporting the delivery of vital water infrastructure – next steps to facilitate development
10:05 to
10:30
- Ofwat PR24 review – what does this mean for developing new water infrastructure?
- What initiatives have been taken to accelerate infrastructure delivery?
- Evolving water resources planning processes to strenghten coordination and decision-making
Speaker:
Paul Hickey.
Senior Director – RAPID and Environmental Planning.
Ofwat.
Improving resilience – a long-term approach to securing the water supply for the future
10:30 to
10:55
- Identifying where infrastructure upgrades are needed the most
- Making the systems more resilient to drought and future impacts of climate change
- Leveraging limited resources to ensure that growing demand can be met
Speaker:
Keith Haslett.
CEO.
Affinity Water.
Morning refreshments and networking
10:55 to
11:20
Panel discussion: Effectively managing water demand to increase efficiency – what interventions are needed to reduce usage and saving available resources?
11:20 to
12:05
- What more can be done to support demand reduction?
- Changing consumer behaviour to minimise wastewater
- Enhancing water conservation – what new infrastructure is required?
- Innovative water efficiency measures – examples of successful methods to reduce consumption
Speakers:
Daniel Johns.
Managing Director.
Water Resources East.
Rob Wilson.
Chair.
Consumer Council for Water.
Nick Price.
Head of Water Resources.
South East Water.
Part 2: Delivering the infrastructure needed – asset management and planning for new projects
12:05 to
14:45
Maintaining and improving asset health – maximising the lifespan of existing infrastructure
12:05 to
12:30
- Assessing the conditions of water infrastructure – anticipating the need for upgrades
- Modernising aging assets to increase durability
- Protecting current infrastructure – how to deal with network failures?
- Optimising data use to make more informed decisions
- The role of technology in monitoring and updating asset status
Speaker:
Dr Ben Ward.
Head of Regulatory Planning & Innovation.
South West Water / Pennon Group.
Halving leakage rates by 2050 – innovative approaches to delivering leakage reduction
12:30 to
12:55
- The progress so far – how are faulty pipes being repaired?
- Understanding new factors that are increasing the risk of leakage
- The latest innovations and technologies to quickly detect leakage
- Implementing long-terms plans to meet leakage reduction target
Speaker:
Jeremy Heath.
Innovation Manager.
SES Water.
Networking Lunch
12:55 to
13:55
Securing planning consent for water infrastructure – successfully navigating planning processes
13:55 to
14:20
- What are the planning routes available for new water infrastructure?
- Nationally significant infrastructure projects – using Planning Act 2008 regime for large-scale development
- What does the National Policy Statement for water resources and infrastructure mean for future projects?
- Meeting biodiversity net gain requirements
Speaker:
Jen Ashwell.
Director.
Burges Salmon.
Planning the delivery of large-scale water infrastructure – new reservoirs example
14:20 to
14:45
- The challenge of creating a development vehicle for new multi-billion pound project investments
- The planning process via DCO – best approaches and lessons being learnt
- Navigating the route to delivery using the SIPR regulatory model (previously used for Thames Tideway Tunnel)
Speaker:
Mark Malcolm.
Programme Director - Major Infrastructure.
Anglian Water.
Afternoon networking and refreshments
14:45 to
15:15
Part 3: Delivering future infrastructure that reduces environmental impact and flood risk
15:15 to
16:50
Panel discussion: Preparing for the delivery of future projects - what can be done now to ensure that necessary schemes are brought forward?
15:15 to
16:00
- Understanding the delivery of pipeline of projects – where are the potential gaps that will limit delivery?
- Overcoming key regulatory barriers for future development - economic, water resources, consenting and permitting
- Enhancing the capacity of the supply chain to support new infrastructure
- Which commercial framework is best to adopt?
- Risk management strategies to implement early on
Speakers:
Lila Thompson.
Chief Executive Officer.
British Water.
Tom Carpen.
Consents Strategy Lead.
Thames Water.
Reducing water infrastructure’s carbon footprint – planning for 2030 carbon neutrality
16:00 to
16:25
- How does infrastructure need to be adapted now to meet targets in the next five years?
- Delivering new infrastructure while meeting net zero targets
- New opportunities created by decarbonisation
Speaker:
Dr Donna Rawlinson.
Capital Delivery Programme Manager.
Northumbrian Water.
Infrastructure solutions that are minimising the risk of flood across the UK
16:25 to
16:50
- Systems approach to tackling flooding & water management
- Reflections from major incidents
- Nature based solutions to drain surface water
- Power of partnerships - strengthening collaboration to enhance flooding resilience
Speaker:
Rob Kelly.
Water Management Director – Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance.
Norfolk County Council.
Chair’s closing remarks
16:50 to
17:00
Close of conference and networking drinks
17:00 to
18:00