Event: British Water – Annual House of Lords Reception 2025

Date: April 2025

Location: House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, London

Type of CPD: Policy engagement / sector leadership / strategic networking

Duration: Evening reception (1–2 hours)

Summary of the Event

I attended the British Water House of Lords Reception 2025, an annual parliamentary gathering that brings together peers, MPs, senior utility leaders, regulators, technology innovators and environmental organisations. The reception provides a high‑level forum for discussing the strategic challenges and opportunities facing the UK water sector, particularly in the context of rising environmental expectations, regulatory scrutiny and the need for accelerated innovation.

The 2025 event focused on environmental performance, storm overflow reform, PR24 delivery, digital transformation, and the role of the UK supply chain in supporting long‑term resilience. Parliamentary speakers emphasised the importance of transparency, public trust and evidence‑based decision‑making, while industry leaders highlighted the need for scalable innovation and strong cross‑sector collaboration.

Throughout the evening, I engaged with policymakers, utilities and innovators on the role of real‑time biological monitoring and high‑resolution environmental data in strengthening compliance, improving river health and supporting PR24 outcomes.

Key Themes Covered

• Environmental performance and river health Pollution reduction, transparency, ecological outcomes and public trust.
• Storm overflow reform Monitoring requirements, enforcement expectations and targeted interventions.
• Digital transformation and real‑time monitoring Data integration, digital twins, predictive analytics and automation.
• Innovation adoption and scaling Pilots, procurement, capability building and regulatory alignment.
• PR24 and long‑term delivery strategies Resilience, affordability, customer expectations and environmental accountability.
• Collaboration across the supply chain Utilities, innovators, regulators and policymakers working together to accelerate progress.