Expert Q&A : Addressing the UK water crisis

Meet the Experts:

What are the biggest issues facing UK water infrastructure right now?

DE: It has been a long held view that the biggest challenge to the water sector’s infrastructure has been its ageing assets. There is the obvious example of Victorian mains in large cities such as London where, although incumbent suppliers can receive criticism for the leakage levels, the rate determining replacement factor often comes down to how many roads can be released for closure (without causing traffic gridlock) in order to dig-up and replace the network. The traditional intervention method has been improved upon in recent years by ‘no-dig’ technology, such as slip-lining or spray-coating. History has shown that ‘point-of-failure patching’ gains little, merely shifting the pressure to the next weak burst point, if the overall asset condition is poor.

MH: One of the biggest issues facing the water infrastructure in England and Wales right now is looking after the environment and working towards net zero. In doing this, we will push water companies to target concerns such as leakage and pollution, develop more nature-based solutions, and make sure that we have enough water available in the future, while delivering better value for money for water customers, and protecting the natural ecosystems. To tackle these challenges, we launched a £200 million Innovation Fund to drive innovative solutions to benefit customers, society and the environment.