The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has highlighted Portsmouth Water’s Havant Thicket Reservoir project as an example of the water sector leading the way on the long-term collaboration required to meet the UK government’s hugely ambitious 10-year infrastructure strategy.

From products to partnerships, as the water sector in England and Wales embarks on an unprecedented scaling of investment, Jason Hemingway, SIG Infrastructure sales director, asks what can be learned from big infrastructure projects in other sectors.

The UK will struggle to deliver the government’s £725bn 10-year infrastructure strategy without immediate and sustained action to boost industry capacity, productivity and collaboration, according to the Institution of Civil Engineers’ State of the Nation 2026 report.

Southern Water says collaboration between partner agencies to protect and enhance the water quality of its 87 designated bathing waters is reaping its rewards along the region’s 700-mile coastline.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks has announced that a first of its kind comprehensive Energy Resilience Strategy will be published next year to future proof the energy system to address the evolving risks the sector faces, including climate change impacts, cyber threats and geopolitical tensions.

A memorandum of action (MoA) has been signed between trade association British Water and US innovation hub The Water Council to establish a framework of collaboration to foster innovation, business development, and global connections in the water sector.

Water sector regulator Ofwat has announced details of its £400 million Innovation Fund which will be extended for a further five years to 2030, the next five years of AMP8 - the funding is intended to support ambitious and collaborative water innovation projects.

Ofwat has released a third party report produced as a guide to the coordinated delivery of utility infrastructure – the document was published on the regulator’s website on 24^th December.

Discussion at last week’s joint ICE/CIWEM flooding and water conference in Leeds has resulted in broad agreement on the urgent need for wider collaboration on flooding.

The Institution of Civil Engineers has published an interesting policy paper on learning lessons from the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg.