Ian Pallett evaluates whether a revoution in water & wastewater treatment is on the horizon.
Innovation is defined variously as “to make changes” or “to introduce novelties” or even “revolution”.
Much of the basic science that underpins our current approaches to the collection and treatment of water and wastewater was unravelled by Victorian and Edwardian scientists in a particularly innovative forty year period at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Similarly much of the infrastructure for delivering this innovation was delivered by Victorian and Edwardian engineers in the “golden age” of British engineering.
Although there have been many advances in our understanding of the science and the range of engineering options employed, the Victorians would find a lot that was familiar to them in a 21st century inventory of water company assets. The twentieth century saw much gradual improvement and fine tuning of processes, but apart from a few examples innovation and its uptake did not approach that seen in the Victorian era. But perhaps the over capacity designed into the infrastructure, which absorbed the increasing demands of development, removed the need for anything other than tinkering at the edges.
Growing populations, a changing and unpredictable climate and a raft of EC Directives with ever tighter standards will continue to place increasing demands on our water infrastructure. A huge investment will be needed to deliver on these demands in an affordable and sustainable way but unfortunately the “innovations cupboard” is largely bare, reduced investment in the twentieth century being exacerbated by a reticence to take up innovation following privatisation.
Of course the empty cupboard reflects the fact that the drivers for innovation in a heavily regulated and accountancy driven industry are much reduced – but were they also largely absent before privatisation? Are we narrowly looking for technological innovation only and not accepting changes to managerial and operational systems and procedures as innovation? It could be argued that a period of consolidation with a better understanding of the performance, costs and management of the existing asset base was the most cost effective and innovative way forward in the years following privatisation.
Privatisation brought an initial optimistic flurry of investment and expansion only to be followed by a more cautious financially driven response to the five yearly planning cycle. This led to management efficiencies (de-manning) and a focussing on the core business to provide the required operational surpluses and financial returns demanded in the private sector. This provided the financial returns to investors but dissipated pressures to deliver efficiencies and cost savings by process and technological innovation and it also reduced the resilience of the industry as a whole.
The Environment Agency requires 25 year resource plans and Ofwat is now asking for indicative longer term investment plans which are feeding a general expectation for the development of a longer term planning cycle to overlay the five year AMPs. The optimists in the research and supply chain sectors hope this will result in increased opportunities and receptiveness for the uptake of technological innovation. The industry will need to maintain, even enhance the efficiency of its long term assets but overall achieving new quality and supply demands will be facilitated by promoting the restocking of the “innovations cupboard”.
The late 19th and early 20th century’s golden age of “revolution” in water industry innovation was followed in most of the 20th century with gradual innovation “making changes” and “introducing novelties”. So will the innovation pendulum swing full cycle back into “revolution” for the 21st century? The challenges of a tightening of the regulatory screw, demands from customers, enhanced environmental (local and global) protection and the absence of spare capacity could together form the engine that drives the development and implementation of 21st century innovative products, processes and engineering.
About the Author
Dr Ian Pallett is Technical Director at British Water - www.britishwater.co.uk
Contact via their website.