British Water to host first Micropollutants conference

Micropollutants pose a huge challenge for operators in both drinking water and wastewater.

As governments, campaigners and consumers grow increasingly aware of the environmental and health impacts of micropollutants entering our water sources and drinking water – the pressure is on for the water sector to respond quickly and robustly.

To support the sector in rising to these challenges, on 29 March 2022, British Water is hosting its first ever conference on micropollutants in water and wastewater. The event, which is being held in Birmingham, UK, will explore three key areas:

• Installations for the removal of micropollutants from water and wastewater
• Concerning trends of micropollutants in the environment
• Effective multi-stakeholder interventions

The conference will draw on cross-sector expertise, with speakers confirmed from the Drinking Water Inspectorate, NHS and Veolia, as well as academic institutions and engineering and innovation consultancies.

“The fundamental challenges about micropollutants are the sheer number of organic chemical contaminants, their diversity in molecular structure and their interaction.” said conference chair Dr Fabio Bacci, innovation manager at specialist engineering construction company Glan Agua, and an environmental scientist specialising in emerging contaminants.

“While regulatory and industry responses need to prioritise those classes of micropollutants posing greater risk to the environment and human health, proactive action is required to ensure the water sector is prepared to address this timely issue. The conference offers an opportunity for the industry to seize the moment and demonstrate it is ready and willing to work closely with the supply chain, business and government in the development of novel solutions.” he added.

Solutions for the removal of micropollutants often require combinations of existing technologies and for this reason the conference will focus on informing the industry on technology advancement and promote collaboration, specifically at the supply chain level, with the view to stimulate research and development.

Regulatory regimes are funded on sound evidence of emission and impact of pollutants. To understand the possible course of future legislation, the conference will provide participants with a concise overview of emission trends that are of particular concern and review upcoming regulations that govern emissions of micropollutants. Particular regard will be paid to AMP8 – the regulatory asset management period 2025-30 for England and Wales.

While treatment technologies at various levels of industrialisation have already been developed for the reduction of micropollutants, dealing with water when and where it falls - source control - remains an acceptable option for regulators and industry alike. Stakeholder intervention plays a crucial part in source control and the final objective of the conference is to inform the audience about the success of existing polluter engagement schemes and encourage further collaboration to curb the emission of micropollutants.

For more information or to book a slot, please visit: British Water