Paul Horton, CEO, Future Water

Paul Horton

CEO Future Water

What are your hopes for the future of our water sources?

That they are managed using a ‘systems thinking’ approach - recognising catchment dynamics, local and catchmentwide ecology, and users (people, agriculture, industry and the environment)

Why is water quality still a topic of concern globally?

The water industry is the essential part of the system from rainfall, through collection treatment, to use by households, industry and wastewater being taken away and treated - water quality is dependent on an effectively functioning water industry.

What steps are you taking to help improve water quality?

Future Water is engaging its members in ‘doing things differently’ in helping to push the agenda for change.

We have hundreds of members working in all parts of the supply chain, working with the utilities to improve operations and services.

Future Water also pushes the boundaries of innovation through ‘Water Dragons’ akin to Dragons Den (but with the money). The innovative ideas that have come through over the past several years have been reviewed by judges from utilities, investors and the private sector. More recently real-time monitoring systems have been featured in Water Dragons.

It is critical to public health, to well-being and understanding how the environment is being impacted. However, water as a sector globally is underfunded, compared to the sectors which create pollution or adversely affect water quality.

Water as a sector globally is underfunded, compared to the sectors which create pollution or adversely affect water quality

What role does the water industry play in improving water quality?

The water industry is an essential part of the system. If we think of foul and surface water drains, being taken to a treatment plant which at peak rainfall times may overflow through stormwater outlets - this operates as a system, not in isolation from each part. If you could change one thing about the way water quality is managed currently, what would it be?

Fund innovations that drive the development of real-time water quality monitoring systems.

What role do you think technology will play in securing water quality?

A crucial role. Real-time water monitoring systems are only just emerging and yet they are vital to being able to monitor water quality in river systems, reservoirs and at point of use.

Driving this technology forward so that we can monitor a range of parameters in real time will change how we understand water quality.

Website: futurewaterassociation.com