Event: British Water – Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru) Liaison Meeting

Date: February 2024

Location: Virtual / Cardiff–London hybrid

Type of CPD: Utility engagement / strategic collaboration / innovation and regulatory insight

Duration: 1–2 hours (plus preparation and follow‑up)

Summary of the Event

I participated in the British Water / Welsh Water Liaison Meeting in February 2024, a strategic engagement session designed to strengthen collaboration between the UK supply chain and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. The meeting brought together senior representatives from Welsh Water, British Water members, technology innovators, consultants and policy specialists.

The session focused on Welsh Water’s operational priorities, environmental performance challenges, PR24 expectations, innovation needs and opportunities for deeper partnership with the supply chain. Key themes included storm overflow reduction, wastewater treatment optimisation, digital transformation, catchment‑based approaches and customer trust.

The liaison meeting provided a valuable platform to understand Welsh Water’s strategic direction and to explore how innovation—particularly real‑time biological monitoring—can support their environmental and operational objectives.

Key Themes Covered

• PR24 and long‑term delivery strategies Environmental outcomes, affordability, resilience and investment planning.
• Storm overflow and river health commitments Monitoring expectations, transparency and targeted interventions.
• Wastewater treatment optimisation Biological process stability, compliance challenges and operational resilience.
• Digital transformation and data integration Predictive analytics, automation, digital twins and real‑time monitoring.
• Catchment‑based approaches Agricultural runoff, nature‑based solutions and multi‑stakeholder collaboration.
• Innovation adoption and supply‑chain engagement Pilots, procurement pathways, capability building and scaling technologies.