ABOUT THIS EPISODE
By 2055, England alone faces a staggering 5 billion litres a day shortfall in public water supplies.
In this episode, Natasha Wiseman dives into the frontline of this environmental challenge. From the driest regions of the country to the strategic planning rooms of water utilities, we explore how the UK is preparing for a future where water can no longer be taken for granted.
Guest 1: Daniel Johns. Managing Director, Water Resources East (WRE). Daniel is a former key figure at Anglian Water and a senior civil servant at DEFRA, as well as the former lead for the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment. Daniel discusses the evolution of WRE into a multi-sector “system planner,” balancing the needs of agriculture, energy, and the environment in the UK’s most water-stressed region.
Guest 2: Victoria Thatcher. Head of Water Strategy and Environment, South Staffs Water and Cambridge Water, with over 12 years of experience in environmental protection and strategy, with a background in marine biology. Victoria provides the on-the-ground utility perspective, explaining how South Staffs and Cambridge Water are diversifying their sources.
Key takeaways:
The ‘rainy UK’ myth: Why high rainfall doesn't equal water security, and how growth hubs like Cambridge and Milton Keynes are feeling the pinch.
How agriculture and industry are being integrated into water planning, including the potential for treated effluent reuse for data centres and irrigation.
The role of smart metering and using machine learning for dynamic catchment management.
The push for mandatory water efficiency labelling and why water scarcity must be baked into local planning and building regulations.
Why massive infrastructure projects like reservoirs take decades, and how demand management (eg, leakage reduction and behaviour change campaigns) can be an effective short-term defence.
Sponsored by Xylem UK and Ireland. Providing innovative water technology solutions to help communities and utilities solve the world's greatest water challenges.
