UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) has appointed a consortium of industry experts led by Atkins, and supported by Ovarro, the University of Manchester and Asset Resolutions BV, to develop their Future Asset Planning project.
The group will work closely with the sector to take investment planning to the next level, allowing companies to create additional value through their asset management decision making.
The flagship project is the largest of dozens being managed by UKWIR to answer its Big Questions – the water industry’s strategic research programme to deal with the challenges posed by issues such as climate change, population growth and the need for greater environmental protection.
The research project will provide greater industry-wide consistency on how investment decisions are reached through three main elements:
- Scenario Planning – to define the future scenarios water companies use to assess how asset investment will need to change over time
- Value Frameworks and Measures – to develop consistent approaches to measuring the value investment creates.
- Asset health measures – to create a clear definition of asset health and metrics that can be applied to water and wastewater assets across the industry
Chris Royce, UKWIR Programme Lead and Strategic Asset and Investment Manager at Anglian Water, said:
“The UK and Ireland water industry is the custodian of millions of pieces of vital equipment which keep our taps and toilets flowing.
“However, many of these assets are ageing and have far greater demands placed on them than they were designed for. We know it is more expensive to react to failures than to prevent them so we need to improve how we predict future investment in our assets so our services remain sustainable and affordable.”
Richard Whale, Market Director – Water at Atkins, commented:
“Atkins has been committed to the water sector for many years, working with clients to design, build, operate and maintain crucial assets that provide us with sustainable water services. This research, with the potential to transform how companies plan their investment, is key to helping the sector meet the various, interlinked challenges it faces and secure a sustainable, Carbon Net Zero future.”
The project is being delivered through a series of sprints and will be finished by the end of 2021, with the results shared with the industry and stakeholders throughout 2022.
The not-for-profit UKWIR organisation was set up in 1993 and is owned and funded by the 19 water companies in the UK and Ireland. It invests around £3 million in independent research each year – ranging from eliminating water poverty to planning for climate change to reducing leakage – all designed to help tackle the short, medium, and long-term challenges faced by the water sector.
For more information on the project contact UKWIR via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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