By Eleanor Pendle, Waterscan
There’s something uniquely energising about World Water Week. Maybe it’s the mix of bold keynote announcements and quiet, thoughtful side-room conversations. Or the curious, committed crowd it draws from across business, academia, and civil society. Maybe it’s the ‘kanelbulle’ (cinnamon buns).
This will be my third year attending World Water Week. I went in 2023, as a newcomer excitedly navigating the largest international water conference on my own. In 2024, I had the joy of sharing the experience with my brilliant colleagues Jessica Wyatt and Kate Nelson, learning, debating, and soaking up inspiration together. Each time, I’ve walked away with new ideas, meaningful connections, and a renewed sense of purpose.
There’s no other space quite like it: a whole city temporarily transformed into a hub proudly dedicated to water. You find yourself chatting about catchment resilience over coffee, diving into tariff reform in a packed breakout room, or swapping stories on new projects while walking between venues. There are the formal stages, but the real magic often happens slightly away from the spotlight, at the Oxford Water Network reunion, at the famous Josh’s Water Drinks (I’m still waiting to meet Josh, maybe this is the year?), or even in a peaceful moment by the river.
This year, there’s an added layer of excitement as I’ll be speaking in Waterscan’s first ever Talkshow at World Water Week alongside our Chief Technology Officer, Barry Millar and our Sustainability BDM, Maddy Lockyer.
Eleanor Pendle, Sustainability Consultant, Waterscan
Our session, “Wading into Change: Water for Climate Action”, brings together voices from across the sustainability spectrum to explore the deep interconnections between water and climate. Too often, they’re managed in isolation, but in reality, they’re two sides of the same coin. The risks are shared. So too are the opportunities.
We’ll be discussing how aligned approaches to water and climate can deliver compounded benefits – whether through tech innovation, behaviour change, or tariff design. We’ll also look at how collaborative working across sectors is helping to scale impact and build much-needed evidence of what works.
That’s what excites me most: the connective power of water. It has a way of bringing people together – across silos, across sectors, and across geographies – to drive meaningful change. I’ve seen it happen again and again, and I’m looking forward to being part of it once more this August.
WATCH: Eleanor Pendle previews World Water Week 2025 and discusses what to expect from this must-attend annual event in the water calendar.
