TUESDAY OCTOBER 11TH    /    9.00 am – 3.00 pm    /    SKY ROOM

The Changing role of Water Utilities: New Service Models and Innovation for Resource Stewardship

The role of water and wastewater utilities is shifting from a primary focus on resource provision to leading and enabling resource stewardship. This transition requires a greater emphasis on community engagement, industry partnerships and investment decisions that consider the social, economic and environmental costs in an ever changing environment and climate.

With this shift, new service paradigms for water utilities will aim to deliver value to a range of stakeholders, with strategies and business models that embrace concepts such as the circular economy and take advantage of the digital revolution. The role of the customer in strategic and business planning will become central, with water utility leaders instigating a public discourse on the value of water.

Bold decisions on new technologies and practices needed

Utilities will be challenged to take bold decisions in adopting new technologies and practices that enable these transitions, finding ways in the innovation process to navigate political and regulatory constraints and also meet the changing demands of customers. Water utility leaders will need to anticipate and respond to the barriers and opportunities for innovation to deliver these services of the future and be resource stewards.

The Utility Leaders Forum, to be organized as part of the World Water Congress in Brisbane in October 2106, provides a unique opportunity to bring together utility C-level executives to share, learn and network amongst each-other, but also connect with other leaders who support this transition of urban water utilities as resource stewards.

The Forum will be structured around two themes, divided into two 95 minute sessions. Each theme will include a panel with 3-4 panelists addressing sub topics in each a 10 minute presentation, followed by 3 x 20 minutes’ group discussions on each of the sub-topics. The discussions from each table will be summed up in the closing session. Detailed programme can be found below.