Continuous Water Quality Monitoring

Chaired by: Oliver Grievson and Rich Bragg

Continuous Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) is now central to how the UK water industry prepares for, delivers, and evidences compliance under Section 82, alongside increasing expectations around real-time monitoring at final effluent. This focused SWIG workshop brings together water companies, regulators and delivery partners to share practical progress updates, lessons learned and real-world experience from implementation to date.

The event will be led by water companies, providing updates on how Section 82 CWQM is being implemented across wastewater networks and treatment works. Presentations will explore current progress, operational challenges, data strategies and what early deployment is revealing in practice through case studies and lessons learned.

Regulatory perspectives will be a core part of the day, with input from regulators on evolving requirements, upcoming changes and insights from ongoing trials. This includes Section 82 activity led by the Water Research Centre (WRC), as well as Environment Agency-led programmes focused on continuous monitoring at final effluent.

A live panel discussion and audience Q&A will follow, offering the opportunity to explore themes such as data confidence, quality assurance, standardisation, readiness across the supply chain and practical delivery challenges.

The afternoon session will focus specifically on continuous monitoring at final effluent, covering operational experience, sensor performance, trial outcomes and how emerging datasets are starting to inform compliance, optimisation and performance assessment.

This workshop is designed for those involved in instrumentation, regulation, asset management, operational delivery and data assurance for continuous water quality monitoring across wastewater networks and treatment processes.

Draft Agenda:

9.30: Introduction - Rich Bragg, United Utilities

9.40: United Utilities Update - Danny O'Connor, United Utilities

10.10: Section 82 Implementation, Progress, and Challenges - Jason Dearlove, Severn Trent

10.40: Break

11.10: MCERTS for Continuous Water Quality Monitoring - Rupert Bucknell, Environment Agency

11.40: Servitech and WRc Trial - Leo Carswell, WRC & Steve Laddle, Servitech

12.10: Panel Discussion

13.10: Lunch

14.40: Wessex Water Update - Cobus Compion, Wessex Water

15.10: NWL Strategic Delay: The art of going slow to go faster - John Edwards, Northumbrian Water

15.40: Close

Recommended Accommodation:

Mercure St Helens