Event: British Water Digital Conference 2022

Date: November 2022

Location: Virtual / Hybrid (UK‑based digital event)

Type of CPD: Keynote speaking / digital transformation / innovation leadership

Duration: Full‑day conference (speaker + participant)

Summary of the Event

I participated in the British Water Digital Conference 2022, a major annual event focused on accelerating digital transformation across the UK water sector. The conference brought together utilities, technology companies, regulators, researchers and innovators to explore how data, automation, real‑time monitoring and digital culture can improve performance, resilience and environmental outcomes.

I was invited as a Keynote Speaker, presenting on the role of advanced sensing technologies—particularly microbial activity sensing—in enabling smarter, more adaptive water and wastewater operations. My keynote addressed the intersection of biological insight, digital platforms and operational decision‑making, and how these tools support the sector’s shift toward predictive, data‑driven management.

The event provided a valuable platform for sharing innovation leadership perspectives and engaging with digital specialists from across the industry.

My Contribution: Keynote Speaker

Keynote Title: Biological Data in a Digital Water Future: Microbial Activity Sensing for Predictive Operations

Key points delivered:

• Explained how microbial activity sensing provides real‑time biological insight that complements chemical and physical monitoring.
• Demonstrated how biological data enhances process optimisation, early‑warning detection, and treatment stability.
• Showed how microbial sensing integrates with digital twins, AI‑driven analytics, and automated alerting systems.
• Highlighted the importance of data quality, interoperability and transparency in digital transformation.
• Discussed the cultural and organisational shifts required for utilities to fully leverage digital tools.
• Engaged in Q&A and panel discussions with digital leaders from UK utilities and technology providers.

Key Themes Covered

Technology adoption pathways Piloting, scaling and integrating new digital solutions.

Digital transformation in the water sector Data integration, automation, digital twins and predictive analytics.

Real‑time monitoring and biological insight The growing role of biological sensing in operational decision‑making.

Operational resilience and optimisation Using digital tools to stabilise processes and reduce unplanned events.

Innovation culture and capability building Skills, leadership and organisational change required for digital adoption.

Environmental performance and transparency How digital tools support regulatory compliance and public trust.