Northumbrian Water Group’s (NWG) chief executive and the former chairman of Dong Energy UK were among the utilities leaders recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for 2018.
Heidi Mottram, CEO of NWG and Institute of Water member received a CBE for services to the water industry and business community.
Brent Cheshire, who retired as the chairman of Dong Energy UK [now Orsted] in June 2017, was also awarded with a CBE for services to the renewable energy sector.
Mottram joined NWG, which includes Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water, in 2009 and has driven the business to lead the way in customer service, environmental practice,
innovation and social responsibility.
She said: “I feel incredibly proud to receive this honour. I am very lucky to have the privilege to lead such a fantastic organisation as Northumbrian Water Group and I hope this award also reflects the amazing work that our teams do to keep the water flowing for the customers and regions that we are proud to serve.”
Carolyn Fairbairn, director general at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), added: “Heidi has been at the forefront of the business community for some years now, displaying inspirational and innovative leadership in her time with Northumbrian Water Group.
“She has been a true champion for businesses and their role in wider society, and has been a strong advocate for firms in all corners of the country in her work with the CBI.”
Northumbrian Water won Utility Week’s Utility of the Year Award in December 2017 and most recently walked away with the Water Company of the Year title at the Water Industry Awards 2018 organised by Utility Week’s sister publications WWT and Wet News.
Meanwhile Cheshire was Dong Energy UK’s first employee in 2004 and retired as chairman in June 2017 after 13 years with the company.
He oversaw the firm’s rapid expansion and £6 billion was invested under his watch.
Ahead of his retirement, Cheshire said: “My career started in oil and gas, so to end up retiring from the UK’s leading offshore wind business has been quite a transformation for me, personally.
“Dong Energy has invested billions into the UK already and the business is in great shape to continue leading the energy transformation for many years to come.”
The chief executive of Dong Energy, Henrik Poulsen said Cheshire played “an absolutely fundamental role in the significant growth and success” of the UK business.
Dong Energy changed its name to Orsted in November last year.
John Loughhead, who was appointed chief scientific adviser for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in October 2014 was also recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2018. He was made a Companion of the Order of Bath for services to research and development in the energy sector.
Also recognised in this year’s list were:
Order of the British Empire – Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- David Eyton, group head of technology, BP for services to engineering and energy
- Colin Herron, managing director, Zero Carbon Futures for services to business and the renewable energy sector
- Jennifer Saunders, lately chief executive, National Energy Action for services to tackling fuel poverty
Order of the British Empire – Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Deborah Greaves, head, School of Engineering, University of Plymouth for services to marine renewable energy, equalities and higher education
- Deirdre Michie, chief executive, Oil and Gas UK for services to the oil and gas industry
Order of the British Empire – Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Sonya Bedford, head of renewable energy, Stephens Scown LLP for services to community energy
- Alan Creighton, senior smart grid development engineer, Northern Powergrid for services to the energy industry
- Annette Heslop, financial director, Energy4All for services to community energy
- Ray Noble, director, Solar BIPV for services to renewable energy
This article was written by Katey Pigden for Utility Week, CLICK HERE to visit their website.
Yesterday, on World Environment Day (5th June), the Society for the Environment presented the prestigious Environmental Professional of the Year 2018 award to Anglian Water CHP Manager and Chartered Environmentalist, Graham Powell.
The agenda for the ‘Society for the Environment Awards and Lectures on World Environment Day’ included the presentation of a number of honours and an expert line up of topical talks. The grand finale saw the announcement of the Environmental Professional of the Year 2018, which was presented to Graham Powell CEnv, CHP Manager at Anglian Water and member of the Institute of Water.
Immediately after the presentation, Graham expressed that he was “delighted to receive the honour” and was “in shock” when his name was announced.
Graham has lead and mentored projects aimed at issues to promote the fundamentals of; Reduce, Refurbish, Re-use, and Innovation to create awareness and culture change. Amongst other achievements, he has developed a strategy to improve CHP efficiency, which is a UK first strategy. This now forms part of the company’s renewable energy investment strategy and results will be shared across the industry.
In response to the announcement, Chair of the Society’s Honorary Fellow Panel and award presenter on the evening, Professor Carolyn Roberts CEnv, said; “Every year we meet amazing people in the environmental professions – people who do great things to improve the world we live in, to make it more sustainable. Our 2018 winner, Graham Powell CEnv of Anglian Water, is an outstanding example of an amazing person who works across the boundaries to manage water, waste, energy and carbon emissions concurrently. That’s what we need to secure genuine environmental improvements.”
The annual award can be won by a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) or a Registered Environmental Technician (REnvTech) – of which there are over 7,300 – from any sector, discipline or Constituent Body. The nominations for the award were of a “very high standard”, said Professor Roberts. With this in mind, awards were also presented to the runner up and highly commended finalists:
- James Peacock CEnv – Runner up
- Gemma Williams REnvTech – Highly commended finalist
- David Hampton CEnv – Highly commended finalist
- Mark Gallagher CEnv – Highly commended finalist.
The evening, which was hosted by Arup, London, also saw the presentation of three new Honorary Fellows of the Society for the Environment (HonFSE). The deserving new Honorary Fellows are:
- Professor Paul Leinster CBE HonFSE CEnv, Professor of Environmental Assessment at Cranfield University
- Dr Emyr Roberts HonFSE, the first CEO of Natural Resources Wales
- Dr Mark Fletcher HonFSE, Global Water Leader at Arup.
They join a revered group of individuals who have been recognised for their outstanding environmental work and/or their contributions to the Society.
Dougal Driver CEnv, Chair of the expert led Society for the Environment Awards and Lectures event, said; “It is fantastic to see such an array of inspiring and talented Chartered Environmentalists and Registered Environmental Technicians vying for the Environmental Professional of the Year 2018 award.
“Announcing the worthy winner at our World Environment Day celebration evening along with our esteemed new Honorary Fellows was very fitting. The awards really brought the importance of the global day for the environment to life through exceptionally talented people who, day to day, are making a difference to the world in which we live.”
A quintet of expert speakers completed the event with insightful and challenging talks around marine litter, natural capital and the global theme for World Environment Day 2018, plastic. The highly engaging speakers included:
- Professor Ian Boyd, Chief Scientific Advisor at Defra
- Stephanie McGibbon CEnv, Director of Environment at Arup
- Dr Costas Velis, marine litter expert at the University of Leeds
Plus, two of the newly awarded HonFSEs, Dr Emyr Roberts and Professor Paul Leinster CBE CEnv.
Registration is now available for the Society for the Environment Awards and Lectures on World Environment Day 2019 via the Society’s website.
The Institute of Water has announced the full line of speakers, including keynote speaker, Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Scottish Government, for its revered Annual Conference.
The 2018 Conference, ‘Shaping the Future’, will present the opportunity to look closely at the growing expectations of customers and society with sessions across the two days focusing on areas including innovation, the circular economy and digitalisation.
This year’s programme aims to drive ideas, discussions and debates through TED talks, panel interviews and a line up of exciting, informative speakers. Delegates at this year’s event will also have the opportunity to download the very first institute of Water Conference App giving them access to speaker information, logistics and the full event programme at their fingertips. The App will also provide an opportunity for delegates to participate in a number of sessions across the two days.
Speaking about the Conference, Institute of Water Chief Executive, Lynn Cooper said:
“Our Annual Conference is now in its 73rd year and we’re looking forward to what is sure to be another fantastic event. I’m very excited about this year’s Conference and in particular the interactive element of the programme which will bring a new dimension to the event.
“I’m confident that our Conference will again have something to offer anyone with an interest in the water industry and I’d urge anyone with a desire to develop their career to come along.”
Conference Speakers and Sessions:
Day one
Conference Introduction
Douglas Millican, Chief Executive, Scottish Water
Keynote Speaker
Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Scottish Government
Embracing the Circular Economy
Phil Berry, Former Director Footwear Sustainability, Nike
Dr Mark Fletcher, Director/Global Water Leader, Arup
Bob Stear, Head of Innovation, Severn Trent Plc
Richard Flint, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Water
Rob Mustard, Director of Digital, Scottish Water
Simon Parsons, Director of Strategic Customer Service Planning, Scottish Water
Debate – “Delivering for customers will require companies to be ambitious and innovative”
Chair
Dr Mark Fletcher, Director/Global Water Leader, Arup
For Motion
David Black, Senior Director of Water 2020, Ofwat
Peter Peacock, Chair, Customer Forum in Scotland
Against Motion
Jo Causon, Chief Executive, Institute of Customer Service
Alan Sutherland, Chief Executive, WICS
Water and the Environment
Sue Petch, Drinking Water Quality Regulator
Marcus Rink, Chief Inspector, Drinking Water Inspectorate
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive Officer, SEPA
Professor Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director, International Water Association
Day Two
Debate – “Does ownership matter in delivering for our customers?”
Chair
Rae Stewart, Director of Corporate Affairs, Water UK
For Motion
Dr Kate Bayliss, Author of ‘Bring Water into Public Ownership’
Jonathan Ford, Financial Times
Against Motion
Ian Marchant, Chair, Thames Water
Peter Simpson, Chief Executive, Anglian Water
A Digital Future
Ananth Krishnan, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Consultancy Services
Professor Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director, International Water Association
Gillian Docherty, Chief Executive, the Data Lab
Iain Fry, Information Services Director, Anglian Water Services Ltd
Rob Mustard, Director of Digital, Scottish Water
Simon Parsons, Director of Strategic Customer Service Planning, Scottish Water
The Institute of Water Annual Conference 2018 takes places on 21 and 22 June at The Caledonian University, Glasgow. To book and to find out more about the event please visit www.instituteofwater.org.uk
Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, received the Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) President’s Prize for her societal impact as an engineer and educator, and her involvement in Global Grand Challenges.
The President’s Prize is awarded biennially for services to engineering education, and previous recipients of the award include:
- Former Academy President Sir John Parker GBE FREng, who received the award in 2014, and is a great champion of industrial strategy;
- Former Academy President Lord Alec Broers FMedSci FREng FRS, a nanotechnology pioneer who was President of the Academy from 2001 to 2006, and later served as the Chairman of the Judging Panel for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering:
- Professor Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, DBE FREng FRS, who received the award in 2012, and was the Royal Academy of Engineering’s first Senior Research Fellow in 1987. She was elected to the Academy ten years later and is a strong advocate of engineering education and research.
Dame Ann became President of the Academy in 2014 and is also a Deputy Vice Chancellor and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge, where she was Head of the Department of Engineering 2009-14 and ran the University Gas Turbine Partnership with Rolls-Royce 2001-14. She has held visiting posts at MIT and at Caltech. Her research focuses on efficient, low emission combustion for aero and industrial gas turbines and low noise engines, especially for aircraft and cars.
At the request of government, Dame Ann led the Dowling Review in 2015 to examine how businesses of all types and sizes could be encouraged to connect with the UK’s universities through strategic research partnerships that can deliver economic benefits for the country as a whole.
Dame Ann said:
“I am delighted and very honoured to be awarded the EPC President’s Prize. It is really special because it is awarded by my peers – engineering professors – who include colleagues and friends that I have known for many years. I am especially honoured, and humbled, when I see the very impressive list of past recipients.”
Engineering Professors’ Council President, Professor Sarah Spurgeon OBE FREng, presented the award to Dame Ann and said:
“It is a great honour for me to make the award this year to Professor Dame Ann Dowling. Dame Ann is a distinguished mechanical engineer and a leading advocate for the societal importance of engineering. Her work is characterised by collaboration and she has been hugely influential in developing the UK’s involvement in Global Grand Challenges. She continues to make a considerable societal impact as an engineer and educator.”
The calibre of nominations for the Society for the Environment 2018 Environmental Professional of the Year award were superb, which made choosing the five finalists rather tricky! However, we are now extremely pleased to announce the finalists for the award, in no particular order, as:
James Peacock CEnv
Product Manager at EnTrade
Dave Hampton CEnv
Founder and CEO at Carbon Coach Ltd
Gemma Williams REnvTech
Catchment Risk Coordinator at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Mark Gallagher CEnv
Environmental Advisor at Mars Wrigley Confectionary UK Ltd
Graham Powell CEnv
CHP Manager, Anglian Water
We are thrilled to see 3 members of the Institute of Water amongst the finalists.
The presentation of this prestigious award will take place at the Society for the Environment Awards and Lectures on World Environment Day (5th June 2018) at Arup, London (see address below). Join us to celebrate with the finalists!
Event registration is still available! Find out more and register to attend here.
The Institute of Water’s National Drilling and Tapping competition took place in Birmingham at Utility Week Live on the 22nd and 23rd June and what an event it was!
2018 marks the 30th Anniversary of this national competition and proved again to be an exciting two days, drawing in a lively crowd, fantastic support and a lot of noise.
The crowds were anticipating the familiar battle for the men’s championship, sponsored by Talis, between returning champions Anglian Water and past champions Bournemouth Water (part of Pennon Group), however, it was underdog Northumbrian Water who took first place with a time of 2minutes 24seconds and a quality tap.
The Northumbrian Water team will go on to represent the UK in the ACE competition in Denver in June 2019, sponsored by the Institute of Water, and in the World Water Cup in Amsterdam in November 2019, Sponsored by Mueller International.
There was no Women’s competition this year, however, Waternet Women’s team were recognised for their participation in the UK competition and will be competing in the Aquatech competition in Amsterdam next year. The Institute of Water wishes Waternet and Northumbrian Water the best of luck.
Drilling and Tapping Competition 2018 Results
1st Place and winner of the Talis Men’s Trophy – Northumbrian Water, 2mins, 24secs
2nd Place – Bournemouth Water (part of Pennon Group), 2mins 48secs
3rd Place – Anglian Water, 2mins 49secs
The Institute of Water would like to thank all the teams, sponsors and judges involved in this year’s competition. There will be a full write up of the competition at www.drillingandtapping.co.uk in the next couple of weeks.
The Institute of Water are delighted to announce the finalists for their National Innovation Award 2018.
Each year the Institute of Water’s National Innovation Awards celebrates some of the most innovative individuals and companies from within the UK water and sewerage sector and highlights the leading role the Institute plays in developing talent and cultivating innovation across the sector.
The National Award is the culmination of the regional Innovation Awards, led by each of the Institute of Water’s Area Committees, where the winner from their region is put forward to the National Innovation Award.
The deserving finalists and their innovations are:
- Scottish Water Sewer Response Team – Improving High Pressure Water Jetting Safety
- Yorkshire Water – Retrofit Splash Guards for Secondary Chlorination Units
- Dwr Cymru Welsh Water – Mobile Working Vehicle Fit
- Lanes Group plc – Wellbeing App and Practitioner Programme
- South West Water – Love Your Loo Campaign
- Disruptive Technologies AS – Sensor Solution
A judging panel of water sector experts will assess the applications and jointly select an overall winner. On the panel are: Nicci Russell, Managing Director of Waterwise, Trevor Bishop, Director at Ofwat, Professor Tom Stephenson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation at Cranfield University and Mark Wilson, Director, Northern Region at Veolia Water. Chairing the panel is Sir Brian Bender, independent Chair of Water UK.
The overall winner will be announced at the Institute of Water’s President’s Dinner and Awards which will take place at the prestigious setting of Glasgow City Chambers on the 21st June. The Dinner will be hosted by the incoming President of the Institute of Water and Chief Executive of Scottish Water, Douglas Millican.
Mark Wilson, Director, Northern Region – Veolia Water, who is also on the judging panel, said:
“Innovation is central to how we drive Veolia Water forward and to sponsor the Institute of Water’s Innovation Award is a fantastic way to demonstrate our commitment to supporting and recognising innovation across the water sector and to ultimately improve the service we all provide to the customer.”
The National Innovation Award is a spotlight for the many innovative individuals and companies within the water sector who are demonstrating excellence through innovation and is part of the commitment the Institute of Water is making to promote the right cultural environment and encourage pride in the sector.
The award will be presented alongside the Institute’s other awards such as the Allen Bolton Award, President’s Cup, annual CPD Award plus special awards from WaterAid, Energy and Utility Skills and the Certification and Assessment Board for the Water Industry (CABWI).
The President’s Dinner and Awards is part of the Institute of Water’s National Conference which will take place on the 21st-22nd June at Glasgow Caledonian University. Titled ‘Shaping the Future’, water sector experts from across the UK will come together at the conference to discuss and share their views on topics including the circular economy, water and the environment, and a digital future, considering how we can respond to the growing expectations of our customers, communities and stakeholders.
Building on over 34 years’ experience in servicing the water industry, the launch of Stonbury Scotland sees the Stonbury Group firmly establish presence within the Scottish water industry. Services will include traditional Stonbury works, from the refurbishment of Treated Water Storage Points (TWSPs) including service reservoirs and water towers to the introduction of the full scope of services the Stonbury Group offers.
About Stonbury Scotland
As specialist contractors to the water industry Stonbury aim to bring a wealth of knowledge and innovation into Scotland. Led by Iain Weir, the company will utilise accumulated group knowledge from existing frameworks with 15 UK water companies. Jon Featherstone, Delivery Director comments “The board is delighted to appoint Iain Weir as Managing Director of Stonbury Scotland. We have known Iain for many years and recognise that he holds the same values that Stonbury stand for in terms of customer focus, integrity and dedication to his profession. We are sure that within a very short time Iain will be an integral member of the Stonbury Group”.
Stonbury Scotland is currently operating from offices in Peebles, with the intention to expand into other geographical locations. Initially supported by DOMS trained site and management teams from the North of England, Stonbury Scotland will soon employ fully trained, competent and local staff.
From our ongoing collaboration with Regulation 31 material manufacturers in the UK, we look forward to bringing our commitment and knowledge in drinking water safety and regulation to Scottish Water and the supply chain.
About Iain Weir
Iain Weir brings with him 20 years of experience from working across the UK and US water sector. Since graduating with a degree in Chemistry from the University of the West of Scotland, Iain has pioneered the introduction of various new technologies into the drinking water sector and led the development and growth of a company, from less than £200k to generating over £3million profitable turnover.
As well as supporting the Scottish Water Regulatory and Compliance Team in developing the current DOMS procedures for the cleaning and inspection of TWSPs, he also led the delivery of a programme with Scottish Water to inspect, clean and refurbish more than 400 service reservoirs per annum as part of the regulatory commitment to DWQR.
Iain Weir comments “Our upcoming developments will be a fantastic opportunity to establish the Stonbury business and brand in Scotland. The vitality and excitement of setting up a new team, reinforced with the full support and experience of the group structure is a unique challenge which I am delighted to embrace. We are very much looking forward to supporting Scottish Water and their delivery partners to provide unparalleled levels of efficiency, value and service through our long-term commitment in Scotland”
As indicated in a recent Science Council update, the Board is seeking to appoint an interim General Manager to work with staff and trustees to support Members and ensure that the charity is able to continue operations during a period of transition. The General Manager will be responsible for the executive management of the Science Council and will report directly to the Chair of the Board. The Board will commence the recruitment of a permanent CEO towards the end of 2018.
The Board is looking to appoint someone into the role for approximately nine months. Working hours are negotiable and there is potential for an individual to take on the role part-time. The Board is also considering secondment opportunities.
Please CLICK HERE to view the job description, any expressions of interest (to include a CV) are to be sent directly Helen Pain at PainH@rsc.org by Monday 21st May.
Portsmouth Water continue with water bottles scheme but aim to encourage single use of its “bottle for life” water bottle.
For several years now we have offered every primary, infant and junior school in our area a drinking water bottle for each pupil at a subsidised rate. This is part of our community initiative to promote the health benefits to young children of drinking water, especially as the quality of tap water has never been better than it is now. The response has been overwhelming with over 500,000 water bottles delivered to our local schools.
This year, as part of our initiative to encourage single use plastic, we are encouraging all schools to order water bottles only for the new intake. The water bottles, whilst being 100% recyclable, are designed to be a “bottle for life” and we are encouraging children to continue to use the bottles they received last year. To help encourage this, we are offering schools the chance to order new lids free of charge for the older water bottles.
Sue Allery, Portsmouth Water’s HR and Community Officer said “We all know that drinking water is good for a number of reasons such as hydration levels and anything we can do to support local children to lead a healthier lifestyle can only be a good thing. We have been overwhelmed with the response and support to our drinking water bottle initiative and are therefore delighted to continue with it in 2018 at the same subsidised rate of 30p per bottle. We really hope the schools can also join us in helping us reduce the amount of plastic we use by ordering bottles only for the new intake.”
We will be contacting every primary, infant and junior school in our area offering them the opportunity to again purchase drinking water bottles ready for the new school year in September.
For more information please contact Ian Limb on 02392 499888
For more information on the performance of the water industry please visit www.discoverwater.co.uk.