Development Services Working Group Meeting - Drought, Housing & Reuse

Welcome & national risk framing (Fareita Udoh)

• UK entering a cycle of drought, failed harvests, and flash flooding - mirroring Australia pre‑Millennium Drought.
• Why Developer Services (housing) must now adopt commercial reuse models to protect future supply.
• Today’s focus: How do we lift proven commercial reuse systems into UK housing at scale?

1. Australia’s Millennium Drought & Aquacell’s response (Hugh Fisher, Aquacell)

• What the Millennium Drought changed in Australian water policy and development practice.
• How Aquacell deployed building‑scale and precinct‑scale reuse systems across commercial and residential developments.
• Lessons for the UK: dual plumbing, on‑site treatment, non‑potable networks, developer‑led reuse.
• What the UK can adopt immediately.

2. Lessons from Commercial Water Reuse: Policy, Regulatory & Market Drivers - and What They Mean for Domestic Scale (Keir Lewis, Senior Policy Manager)

• Regulatory landscape: Where commercial reuse is enabled; where domestic regulation lags; alignment opportunities.
• Market signals: Rising water costs and scarcity; ESG pressures accelerating commercial uptake.
• Domestic scaling: What commercial models can be lifted directly into housing - centralised reuse hubs, dual plumbing, shared non‑potable networks, estate‑level O&M.

3. Rainwater & greywater systems for UK commercial clients  (Vibushan Thirukumar, Oru CEO and Co-founder & Matt Hull Stormsaver)

• Case study: Oru Sutton
• Specification, engagement and challenges.
• Any community Learning?

4. A short reflection on DEFRA’s position on reuse, and how regulatory reform could support developer‑scale adoption. (Katie Smith, Head of Water Efficiency and Demand Management)

4. Close & next steps (Fareita Udoh)

• Today strengthens our Open Letter to Government.
• Clear asks become clearer. The session reinforces our calls for:
  • reuse requirements in new developments
  • alignment of commercial and domestic regulation
  • accelerated planning for non‑potable networks
• Next milestone: Networks November Water Infrastructure Industrialisation Session.
• We will present the strengthened Open Letter and seek wider industry endorsement