Key stakeholders from across the water sector met at Malmaison in Leeds on 12th January to celebrate five years since the launch of the Water Industry Forum (WIF) in January 2012.

The event acted as a great platform for discussion with industry leaders from regional water companies, suppliers, universities, OFWAT and the Environment Agency coming together to celebrate the work that WIF has done over the past five years.

The key note speaker on the night was the Chair of the Environment Agency, Emma Howard Boyd, who highlighted the successes of the water companies’ investment in achieving record breaking bathing water results in 2016.  Emma also drew attention to the 27 million cubic meters of water per year that has been returned to the environment since 2008 - a result of more efficient use of water, tackling leakage and network improvements.

Arup’s Global Water Leader Mark Fletcher, in his role as a founding non-executive director of the Water Industry Forum, provided an update on the Forum.  Mark explained how the organisation was formed to reflect the needs of the marketplace for more collaboration amongst stakeholders, and to “enable conversations that wouldn’t otherwise happen!” Mark also praised the work of co-founding chair & non-executive director, Roger Hyde, whose lifelong contribution the UK water sector was marked with a lifetime achievement award.

The Water Industry Forum was launched in January 2012 to provide a neutral, independent stakeholder forum for the UK water sector.  Membership of the forum is growing rapidly and currently comprises over 500 member organisations including

• regional water companies
• suppliers
• research organisations
• regulators
• professional associations
• third sector organisations
• investors and other industry stakeholders.