New champion for UK Water
Feb 26, 2015
The UK Water Partnership was launched today to promote the UK’s expertise in the sector around the globe.
The creation of the Partnership marks a dynamic new chapter for the UK water industry as public and private sector organisations join forces for the first time. Countries around the world require infrastructure investment – and underpinning it all is the need for reliable and sustainable water supplies.
The Chair of the new body is Lord Smith of Finsbury, who expects the body to play an important role in promoting both resilience and growth.
Launching the new body, Lord Smith said, “There’s nothing more important than water. With expanding urban concentrations around the world and the growing impacts of climate change, we need to get better at managing water, conserving it, cleaning it, delivering it, and using it. That’s where innovation is going to be so important. The UK Water Partnership will bring together people across the UK water community to stimulate ideas and develop the products and services that will take on these challenges for the future.”
The Minister responsible for water at Defra, Dan Rogerson, also welcomed the creation of the new body. He said, “This new partnership offers a huge opportunity for all sectors of the UK water industry. By developing new technologies and driving knowledge and skills, we will be better placed than ever to respond to global challenges. I am certain that by working together, the partnership can break down barriers across the industry and set the standards around the world.”
Among the many other organisations who have expressed support for the initiative are Severn Trent, Arup, British Water, the Met Office, Pinsent Masons, Research Councils UK led by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Society of British Water and Wastewater Industries (SBWWI), WRc, the UK Water Research and Innovation Partnership, Innovate UK, Defra (the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and UK Trade and Industry (UKTI).
UK Water Partnership Director, Tom Flood, outlined the key themes behind the group’s work. “I think we have a great opportunity here to align innovation with growth opportunities both in the UK and internationally. As such, the UK Water Partnership can play an important role in building more sustainable and resilient global networks, while contributing to the economic growth of the UK,” he said.
The Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Mark Walport, also lent his support to the new body. As he pointed out, “Water is vital to our wellbeing, health and economy. I am pleased that both industry and the public sector have agreed to support this very worthwhile initiative. The action that the partnership is undertaking will ensure the future challenges facing us in water security and the global water market are well coordinated. Numerous examples have shown that industry sectors with a strong private-public leadership are the areas that move forward most quickly and that is why I fully support this initiative.”
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