By Barry Millar, CTO Waterscan
Why World Water Week matters
It’s rare to attend an event focused solely on water. That’s what makes World Water Week (WWW) so valuable, and why it was such a privilege for our team to deliver our talk show, Wading Into Change.
This year’s theme, Water for Climate Action, underscored the deep interconnectedness of our activities. The programme was one of the most diverse I’ve ever seen, with sessions spanning agriculture, catchment management, and business water use.
Unlike utility or wider climate conferences—where water is often a side note—World Water Week offers something unique: a sharp focus on one of the greatest emerging threats to socioeconomic development.
The urgency of water scarcity
The urgency is real. In the UK, we’re already seeing businesses denied permission to operate or expand due to water resource limitations.
WWW is not about providing quick fixes; it’s about shining a light on these issues, showing they are global in scale, and encouraging us to learn from international perspectives.
The call for better water data
One theme echoed across the event was the urgent need for clear, empirical water data.
This is a message we shared repeatedly. In business settings, water can drive positive change—but mismanaged, it carries equal potential for harm. Unlike energy, water data has lagged far behind, leaving impacts poorly understood. Without accurate measurement, everything else is assumption—a weak foundation for policy, investment, and action.
Smart metering and the water–energy–carbon nexus
Smart metering is often touted as the solution, but in the UK we’re still 10–15 years away from universal coverage for businesses. Even then, metering is only the beginning.
The real opportunity lies in using water data to target actions for maximum impact, recognising the critical water–energy–carbon nexus that underpins climate resilience.
A global perspective on water risk
The international dimension of WWW made this even more compelling. From Yorkshire, enduring a summer-long drought, to Stockholm, a city surrounded by water but still issuing shortage warnings, the message was clear: water risk is universal.
Looking ahead: business engagement is essential
Looking ahead, we hope to see stronger engagement from the business community. Water professionals were in their element this year, but we must bring end users with us.
Only by moving knowledge from the academic into the commercial can we scale solutions that deliver real-world results.
Join the conversation: Watch “Wading Into Change” from World Water Week 2025 on our YouTube and LinkedIn.
