WIRC is a member of a variety of national and international water-related organisations and bodies. We do this to extend our networks and to gain access to information and events for the benefit of all members of WIRC. In most cases indicating your membership of WIRC@Bath will gain free entry to events, or reduced rates at least. In some cases, these organisations have online databases of information, data, or other resources such as white papers, and we can provide access information for those interested. Please find below summaries of the organisations of which WIRC is currently a member, and what benefits they bring. If you are interested in any of the below, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Tom Arnot to find out more.
The UK Water Partnership (UKWP)
https://www.theukwaterpartnership.org
The UKWP was established in 2015 to provide a strategic vision for the development and growth of the UK water industry. The UKWP aims to bring the UK water sector together into a single, coherent body in order to promote understanding, cooperation and coordination. The UKWP’s stated aims are:
- Identify key strategic water challenges and establish pathways and funding mechanisms to stimulate change in action
- Create national water partnerships with UK governments to address national water challenges
- Provide a platform to identify and promote UK water services, research and technologies overseas
Being a member of the UKWP provides opportunity to influence the UK water sector, gives WIRC@Bath enhanced visibility, and routes to impact and delivery of research. Jan Hofman and Tom Arnot are members of the UKWP Delivery (i.e. strategy) and Technical Advisory Groups.
Water Industry Forum (WIF)
http://www.waterindustryforum.com
WIF is a stakeholder forum and information hub for the UK water sector that was established in 2012. WIF’s role is to:
- Build and manage the network of UK stakeholder organisations.
- Provide a neutral platform for determining the action required to meet challenges.
- Encourage action through workshops and collaborative projects.
- Create opportunities for the development and implementation of innovative solutions.
- Provide a ‘one stop shop’ for information needs of the sector.
Membership of WIF provides full access to this forum and network and therefore provides WIRC members with connection to a wide range of different actors within the UK water sector. WIF also holds a by invitation annual “Water Professors Dinner” – an opportunity to connect with the academic research base. Finally, WIF holds brainstorming and discussion events under “Chatham House Rules”, where relevant stakeholders from different perspectives can come together and discuss sensitive issues facing the water industry in confidence.
Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA)
Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA)
ADBA was established in 2009 to represent the UK anaerobic digestion (AD) and bioresources industry and to support its development. As a trade association, ADBA lobbies government on behalf of the industry. It also holds industry events, such as workshops and educational events, and acts as a forum in which operators, suppliers, farmers, academics and companies working in the AD industry can come together to share knowledge and collaborate to address challenges. Our membership allows us access to ABDA’s renewable energy and biogas tools and extensive resources (there are a lot of case studies of AD on biowaste resources), and connects us to the vast network of stakeholders working in the AD industry. Those of us working in renewable energy, circular economy and zero carbon aspects of the water cycle should find this invaluable.
Watershare
https://www.watershare.eu/
Watershare is a worldwide network of water research organisations and utilities dedicated to applying global expertise to master local water challenges. Member experts collaborate in developing knowledge and science-based tools. The experts then apply this expertise in tackling a wide variety of water issues in their regions. Members of Watershare can upload their modelling tools behind a web-interface, such that other stakeholders can trial them using their own data. This is a great route to independent validation of a model or approach to analysis, and hence impact etc. There is also a member’s area where you can trial modelling tools uploaded by other members.
Water Europe (WE)
https://watereurope.eu
Formed as WssTP in 2004 by the European Commission, Water Europe is the voice and promoter of water research and innovation in Europe. WE’s missions includes improving coordination and collaboration in the water sectors throughout the EU, enhancing the competitiveness of European water sector, and contributing to solving global water challenges through research and innovation. WE membership connects WIRC members to one of the largest networks of water-oriented stakeholders, research organisations and service providers in the world. Through our membership we have access to WE’s policy work, it’s thought leadership, EU funding programmes, networking activities and more. Water Europe has been very successful in influencing EU research programmes under Horizon 2020, and this will continue into the new Horizon Europe programmes, of which thankfully the UK will be a fully functional partner post Brexit.
Sensors for Water Interest Group (SWIG)
https://www.swig.org.uk
Established in 1993, SWIG is an organisation that promotes the dissemination of information on sensor development and fosters collaboration through workshops and related activities. SWIG’s stated aims are:
- To provide a forum for manufacturers, end users and researchers in the sensor community.
- To provide workshops that concentrate on practical applications and current challenges for measurement and control in the water, wastewater, and natural waters.
- To encourage collaboration between all parties interested in research, development and use of sensors for the control and measurement of water quality and quantity.
Membership of SWIG provides considerable benefits of working with leading experts in the field of water-oriented sensor research. SWIG provides networking opportunities, research dissemination opportunities, and opportunities to develop new collaborative partnerships. There is currently an open competition for Early Career Research colleagues who are working on sensing devices (soft or hard) in water systems – why not apply and see if you can win recognition for your work and a prize bonus?
NORMAN Network
https://www.norman-network.net
The NORMAN Network was established in 2005 with the financial support of the European Commission. It is a network of laboratories, research centres and related organisations for the monitoring and biomonitoring of emerging environmental substances. The mission of the network is to:
- Enhance the exchange of information and collection of data on emerging environmental substances.
- Encourage the validation and harmonisation of common measurement methods and monitoring tools so that demands of risk assessors can be better met.
- Ensure that knowledge of emerging pollutants is maintained and developed by stimulating coordinated, interdisciplinary projects on problem-oriented research and knowledge transfer to address identified needs.
The main benefit of our membership is that we are connected to a continent-wide network of leading practitioners, stakeholders and researchers working in the field of emerging environmental pollutants. The NORMAN network also collects data for its open access databases with large datasets on concentrations, fate and (eco)toxicological data for organic micropollutants in water. Recently a database on Covid-19 in wastewater was added with a contribution from Bath.
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