FEATURES
OCU Group: Working in partnership with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Since 2011
A long-lasting partnership that set the early foundations for OCU Water.
OCU is very proud of its long-standing and ongoing relationship with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW). The Pressurised Pipe Framework was one of the first major frameworks that OCU...
Navigating regulatory uncertainty through wastewater insight
A changing regulatory landscape
In light of recent government decisions about the future of UK water regulation,1 the UK water industry is in a period of structural uncertainty. While the implications remain speculative at this stage, what is certain is...
Repairing a suspended pipe within 30 minutes
Arzacq-Arraziguet is a French village with 1093 inhabitants, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. SATEG, (a subsidiary of SAUR) which distributes drinking water to more than 35,000 subscribers in nearly 200 municipalities in the Pau region...
Space Eye sets sights on UK water leakage crisis
Seven water companies are collaborating on a unique satellite project that could transform how water leaks are detected across the UK.
The Space Eye venture, led by South Staffordshire Water and the University of Wolverhampton, includes partnerships with SES Water,...
Confronting leakage: The strategic opportunity water utilities can no longer afford to miss
By Shelley Copsey, CEO, FYLD
As Britain braces for another summer of hosepipe bans, the real challenge facing our industry is not public compliance but operational resilience. Every day, nearly 3 billion litres of clean, treated water escape through leaks...
Southern’s record year for leak busting
Is this the end for listening sticks? It could be at Southern Water.
The company – responsible for four million customers – is celebrating a record year of finding and fixing leaks.
And it’s all thanks to their new system of...
From detection to repair: complete solutions for water networks
Locating and fixing water leaks effectively and efficiently is one of the key drivers behind every UK water company from a regulatory, customer and financial basis.
The war on water leaks often gets lost, simply by searching for a single...
Data’s critical role in £88bn investment plan
Predictive asset maintenance, driven by location data, is a highly valuable tool for the water companies, says Chris Wilton, Sector Lead, Utilities, Ordnance Survey.
The water industry is under pressure to deliver infrastructure that is secure, sustainable and fit for...
Safety First, for Customers and the Utility Workforce
Drinking water treatment facilities have the critical job of producing a safe supply of high-quality drinking water. Complex operational processes demand the highest flow meter accuracy and reliability, as well as long-term stability and a low cost of ownership....
Plugging the data gap for accuracy
Smart water meters are transforming how utilities manage and deliver water, enabling precision in leak detection, consumption monitoring, and usage forecasting. Yet, for all their promise, they face a hidden but growing problem in inaccurate or incomplete data, says...
AI tool transforms access to UKWIR research
Access to critical water research has just got easier with the launch of a free, bespoke AI search tool from UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR).
The initiative supports the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission’s (IWC) final report, highlighting the...
Using real-time monitoring and AI to clean up our rivers
Effective river management needs better data and smarter tools, says Stig Martin Fiskå, Global Head of Cognizant Ocean.
Rivers are vital to the UK’s ecosystems, communities and economy - yet they’re in crisis. Around 85% of English rivers currently fail...
Bridging the skills gap in the UK water sector: A training provider’s perspective
The UK water sector is undergoing rapid transformation. As the industry responds to climate change, population growth, and the need for sustainable infrastructure, the demand for a skilled and future-ready workforce has never been greater. At 3t Training Services,...
Focus on skills: Meeting demand and preparing a future workforce
With record levels of investment driving growth and increasing demand for skilled workers, the need for skills and training in the UK water industry has never been greater.
In December, regulator Ofwat confirmed it would allow water companies in England...
Recruitment and retention – a reset for the water sector
The importance of skills and recruitment in meeting the massive increase in water industry investment in AMP8 was underscored by the presence of four government ministers at the Water Skills Summit, hosted by Water UK in July. By Lila...
Is the UK water sector ready for the workforce demands ahead?
Widely discussed since its release, the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report has delivered a decisive set of proposals that are shaping the conversation about the future of the UK water sector. Its recommendations, spanning regional planning, strengthened oversight, and...
OCU Group: Trenchless solutions for the water sector
Providing sustainable water solutions with maximum outputs and minimum disruption.
OCU delivers market-leading Trenchless installation services, underpinned by more than 20 years of experience and continuous investment. We have built a nationally scaled in-house Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) capability, supported...
Strengthening cybersecurity in the water industry
By Doug McGeachie, Director of Enterprise Sales, Fortinet
From the introduction of the Eighth Asset Management Period (AMP8) and the Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS2), to the National Cybersecurity Centre’s Cyber Assessment Framework, the regulatory landscape...
The case for continuous final effluent monitoring in AMP8 and beyond
By Tom Lendrem, Solutions Architect, Badger Meter
As we enter AMP8, the national rollout of Continuous Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) is underway.
While well-intentioned, the programme faces well-documented challenges including maintaining power to remote systems and land access issues. Add to...
What role does AI have to play in creating resilient water infrastructure?
By Thomas Grand, COO, Samp
How do companies overcome the dual challenge of tackling climate issues and meeting the need for massive infrastructure investment? Thomas Grand, COO, Samp, says digital is the way forward.
Access to water, for both drinking and...
Safety technology innovations to support changing working practices in the water industry
By Becca Dodds, Marketing Manager, Mobile Gas Management, Draeger Safety UK
Safety technology in the water industry has made significant advances in recent years, not least in the field of gas safety.
Industry 4.0 and the ongoing automation of traditional industrial...
Combined tertiary Nitrogen and Phosphorus removal, a case study
By Kathleen Moons, Eric Leenaerts (Aquafin), Hans Wouters (Brightwork)
Drivers for nutrient removal
Removing nutrients (N and P) from wastewater is essential for several environmental, economic, and public health reasons. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus levels can lead to eutrophication in rivers,...
Exploring ballasted clarification for phosphorous removal
With phosphorous reduction required at more than 800 wastewater treatment works over the next five years, Duncan Wildgoose, BDM head of wastewater & water treatment, Xylem UK, discusses ballasted clarification, one of the solutions achieving very low levels.
The 2025-2030...
Water company achieves sustainable phosphorus removal with Veolia Water Technologies’ Hydrex™ Coagulant
In a UK first, a major water company has trialled Veolia Water Technologies’ innovative plant-based coagulant, Hydrex™ 62925, for phosphorus removal at one of its wastewater treatment works (WwTW) and is now exploring opportunities for wider roll-out.
The use of...
Wessex Water unveils wetlands plan for protected site
A £5 million project is being proposed to protect one of England’s most important landscapes.
Wessex Water, along with partner YTL Construction, will use natural methods to reduce harmful nutrients found in river water.
The ambitious proposals will create new wetland...
Phosphorus reduction technology successfully trialled by United Utilities
Water-efficient, low-energy, phosphorus reduction technology has enabled United Utilities to deliver tightened phosphorus removal consents at one of its wastewater treatment works.
Water companies in England and Wales are experiencing ongoing challenges in meeting new and expected phosphorus permits, some...
Bacteria-based self-healing cementitious materials tested for enhancing the durability of wastewater treatment infrastructure
By Dr Dana Ofiteru, Newcastle University
Access to a continuous flow of untreated municipal wastewater at the BEWISe pilot plant enabled the first systematic feasibility study of bacteria-based self-healing (BBSH) concrete under realistic wastewater conditions.
Portland-cement concrete contributes about 8 %...
International research: ‘BEWISe about Trickling Filter Process Emissions’
By Paul Lavender, HaskoningDHV UK Ltd
To address this knowledge gap Haskoning and Newcastle University have developed a research programme to overcome the challenges to understand the impact of TF processes on emissions. This programme will use the BE:WISe Wastewater...
Europe’s largest pilot-scale research facility focuses on NetZero wastewater treatment
By Professor Russell Davenport and Debbie Wilde, Newcastle University
The BEWISe facility is the first of its type in Europe to use bacteria in large-scale wastewater treatment research.
The facility is based at Northumbrian Water’s sewage treatment plant at Birtley, near...
Choosing the best evaporation technique for digestate and sludge
By Arnold Kleijn, HRS Heat Exchangers
Due to their thick, viscous nature digestates and sludges are among the most challenging materials to evaporate efficiently and effectively.
However, the benefits in terms of handling, disposal and treatment can be significant. While there...
