Event: European Wastewater Management Conference (EWMC) 2023

Date: June 2023

Location: Manchester, UK

Type of CPD: Technical conference / innovation insight / sector engagement

Duration: Two‑day conference (attendee + contributor)

Summary of the Event

I attended the European Wastewater Management Conference 2023 in Manchester, one of the UK’s leading technical forums for wastewater professionals. The event brought together utilities, regulators, technology innovators, consultants, researchers and environmental specialists to discuss the latest developments in wastewater treatment, monitoring, regulation and operational performance.

The programme covered a wide range of topics including nutrient removal, storm overflow management, digital transformation, treatment optimisation, energy efficiency, biosolids, and emerging contaminants. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to engage with sector leaders and explore how innovation can support environmental improvement and regulatory expectations.

Throughout the event, I contributed to discussions on real‑time biological monitoring, microbial activity sensing, and the role of advanced sensing technologies in improving treatment stability, early‑warning capability and environmental protection.

Key Themes Covered

• Wastewater treatment optimisation Process control, nutrient removal, biological stability and operational efficiency.
• Storm overflow and environmental performance Monitoring requirements, PR24 expectations and ecological impact reduction.
• Digital transformation and real‑time monitoring Integration of biological, chemical and physical data into predictive operational systems.
• Emerging contaminants and regulatory change Microplastics, pharmaceuticals, PFAS and evolving compliance frameworks.
• Energy, carbon and sustainability Low‑energy treatment, circularity and resource recovery.
• Innovation and technology adoption Pilots, validation, procurement and scaling of new monitoring and treatment tools.