Mark Smith, Chairman of the Future Water Association
Canada House, London
Hello, good afternoon and welcome to the Future Water Awards Reception at Canada House, hosted with the support of the Canadian High Commission for the fifth year in a row. My name is Mark Smith and I am privileged to be the Chairman of the Future Water Association.
Firstly, I would like to thank our hosts for the magnificent welcome we always receive here, and in particular Jason Key and Megan Wood for their support and encouragement. We are delighted to be here again to celebrate the incredible people who drive innovation, resilience and sustainability in the water sector—and I’m sure we have a great evening ahead.
Where We Are Now
The UK water sector is at a pivotal juncture. Against the backdrop of global climate change, unprecedented technological advances, and shifting societal expectations, the need for leadership, vision, and collaborative action has never been greater. Future Water members understand both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity it presents. The Association offers a platform where innovation is nurtured, challenge is welcomed, and new ideas take root. As Chairman, I see first-hand the commitment and energy of our members, partners, and team—and it’s genuinely inspirational.
We know, despite recent political manoeuvres, that climate change and the extreme weather it brings are the biggest challenges we face as a society. Personally, I have always thought that the climate crisis is a water crisis. Most people will feel the effects of climate change through their interactions with water—whether that’s floods or drought, rising sea levels, supercells of rain, or prolonged periods of no rainfall. And yet, the signs are not great that we are treating the situation with the seriousness it deserves.
Just today, the World Meteorological Society published their Annual Global Climate Update Report. It concludes there is an:
- 80% chance that at least one of the next five years will exceed 2024 as the warmest on record
- 86% chance that at least one of those years will be more than 1.5°C above the 1850–1900 average
- 70% chance that the five-year average for 2025–2029 will exceed 1.5°C.
These are trends that should keep our political leaders up at night—but right now, other things seem more important, or perhaps the problem just feels too large to grasp.
Our Role as a Sector
It’s worth saying the obvious: even if people can adapt to living with extreme temperatures, human beings cannot exist without water. So, as a sector, we must ensure that water continues to flow, sewage continues to be collected and treated, and people are protected from the extremes that Mother Nature will throw at us in the future.
In the UK, we are fortunate that more investment is going into our sector than ever before—over £100 billion will be spent over the next five years. But the challenges we face are considerable:
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Water resources: The UK faces a projected daily shortfall of 5 billion litres by 2050. We need new infrastructure—reservoirs and water transfer schemes—and to reduce daily consumption.
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Aging infrastructure and leakage: Around 19% of water is lost before reaching consumers. This must improve.
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Environmental pollution and sewage overflows: Water companies face scrutiny and fines. Just today, Thames Water received a record £104 million fine over environmental breaches involving sewage spills.
Ofwat estimates that over £300 billion of investment will be needed in the next 25 years, with water bills potentially rising to £1,000 per year by 2050 in today’s prices. But customer satisfaction has declined to its lowest point since 2020. We must bring the public along with us on this journey.
The Workforce Challenge
And finally—who is going to do the work?
A recent industry labour report published by Murray Macintosh found that 49% of respondents see talent shortages as the biggest issue facing the sector. It’s not going to get better on its own: 66% are planning to leave for another industry in the next three years, and 23% plan to retire in the next five years.
So why aren’t people, young and old, flocking to join the sector? What can we do to attract them? We urgently need engineers, scientists, economists, data analysts, AI experts, communications specialists—and above all, we need to grow and support the next generation of leaders.
Innovation Is Critical
Unusually for me, I haven’t yet mentioned innovation—but if we are to succeed, innovation must be at the heart of everything we do. I worry that in the rush to spend, we’ll miss the opportunity to create. We must find time to think, develop, innovate, and challenge the status quo.
19th and 20th-century solutions won’t cut it in the 22nd century. Our peak creativity didn’t stop with Sir John Snow and Bazalgette. We need solutions that will last 50 to 100 years—and we must create the space to facilitate that creativity.
Join Us
At Future Water, we’re trying to do our bit. We now have over 130 corporate members—representing utilities, consultants, contractors, suppliers, and even regulators. Collectively, our members employ over 100,000 people and generate more than £10 billion in revenue.
The water sector needs people. It needs you—whoever you are and wherever you are in your career. If you’re not already a member, you should join us. I know Paul and Hannah would be delighted to discuss membership with you.
Please enjoy the evening. I look forward to celebrating with all of the Award winners.