Many of the challenges facing the water industry are clear. Climate change, population growth and the need to mitigate and adapt to these changes are key. Recent droughts and floods have shown the need for a resilient water and sewerage infrastructure. The wet summer has highlighted again the pressures caused by intermittent storm discharges on bathing water quality. The need to developing sustainable, locally sensitive schemes to cope with urban drainage is starting to be accepted.
All these factors mean that the water industry will have to look very different by 2050. This will require forward thinking, innovation and continuing massive investment. It will also mean taking some risks to ensure schemes are both affordable and can adapt to an uncertain future.
Delivering this will require some of the country’s best young graduates to be attracted to work in the water sector. The concern must be that the current pause in the investment cycle, compounded by the economic recession wont allow companies to recruit the most able staff or invest in the training needed.
This is a test of the post comment box
ReplyDelete