Following a recommendation from Ofwat’s independent Resilience Task and Finish Group, Water UK has started work with the WWRAG setup.

The ‘Task and Finish’ Group, chaired by Waterwise managing director Jacob Tompkins, considered what resilience means for the wider water sector and recommended a water and wastewater resilience action group to take forward an on-going discussion on this key topic. The Group’s report stated that a step change was required to build resilience, with a greater need for partnership with stakeholders and engagement with customers to meet challenges with softer infrastructure solutions.

The group, which is chaired by the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Professor of Built Environment Foresight at University College London Tim Broyd, will consider best practice and leading thought on resilience across the water sector.

WWRAG will actively seek input from thought leaders within and outside of the water, taking advice from as wide a range of interested parties as possible. Clear guidance on where innovation and thought leadership has been lacking as well as where the group considers parts of the sector have achieved best practice, will be provided.

The Group has already begun working on projects on land management post-CAP, resilience research and qualitative metrics for resilience in the water industry. Outputs of the group will take place regularly throughout the year will recommend actions to be taken.

Broyd said, “I am delighted to be working on this critical subject. Resilience is a real and current issue for the services customers rely on and I am looking forward to making strong progress with the group.”

Sarah Mukherjee, Water UK’s Director of Environment and a member of the group, added:

“A resilient water sector providing secure supplies of water and returning treated wastewater to the environment is crucial for health, the environment and the economy – but the water industry can’t do this on its own. Collaborative work of this kind across the sector is the way forward.”

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