Okappy at Utility Week Live: Tackling the Water Industry’s Subcontractor Challenge for AMP8 and Beyond

The UK water industry is standing at the edge of a pivotal moment. As AMP8 is upon us, the pressure is mounting—not just to deliver critical infrastructure upgrades and sustainability goals, but also to find, onboard, and retain the armies of subcontractors needed to get the job done.That was the resounding message we heard loud and clear at Utility Week Live, where Okappy was proud to exhibit and meet over 150 industry professionals across utilities, subcontractors, suppliers, and the regulators themselves.Over two packed days, we had the privilege of engaging in in-depth conversations with the people keeping the UK water network flowing. And while each perspective was unique, one theme ran consistently throughout.:The water sector is ready for change—but it’s struggling to build the networks needed to deliver it.

Innovation is top of the agenda—but connections are lagging behind

Utility Week Live has always been a barometer for the industry’s priorities, and this year, innovation took centre stage. From AI-driven leak detection to predictive maintenance, digital twins to sustainability monitoring, it’s clear that the sector is brimming with ideas to transform its operations.But when it comes to turning those ideas into reality, a critical piece of the puzzle is often overlooked—the people who will actually deliver the work.AMP8 represents a step-change in ambition for the sector, with a raft of new projects focused on resilience, environmental protection, and net zero. Yet as water companies ramp up their plans, they’re running into a familiar problem:Finding the right subcontractors is hard enough. But onboarding them efficiently—and keeping them engaged and productive for the long haul? That’s a whole different challenge.We heard from utilities who struggled in previous AMPs to onboard the thousands of subcontractors in the timeframes required, while also ensuring compliance, health and safety, and quality standards are met. Subcontractors, in turn, told us about the paperwork overload, the miscommunication between teams, and the sheer admin burden that slows everything down.Add in the complexity of multi-tiered supply chains, and it’s no wonder that projects risk stalling before they even get started.

How Okappy helps utilities get ahead of the subcontractor curve

At Okappy, we’ve been listening—and we’ve been building for exactly this moment. Our connected workforce management platform was designed from the ground up to help utilities and their partners find, onboard, and retain the subcontractors they need to deliver on their AMP8 ambitions.Here’s how we do it:✅ Connect and Go: With Okappy’s unique, LinkedIn-style approach to collaboration, you don’t have to worry about lengthy onboarding processes for every subcontractor. Instead of chasing paperwork and approvals, you simply connect and go—giving you instant access to a growing network of trusted subcontractors, ready to hit the ground running.✅ Real-time Visibility Across the Network: Whether it’s a Tier 1 contractor working directly for a water company or a Tier 3 subcontractor working downstream, Okappy connects everyone in a single, real-time view of the job. That means no more miscommunications, lost paperwork, or delays waiting for updates.✅ Jobs Flow Seamlessly: Our market network approach means that once a subcontractor is on the system, they can be connected to multiple utilities and contractors without repeating the same onboarding steps. That’s a game-changer for the fragmented water industry, where subcontractors often work across multiple clients.✅ Improved Compliance and Quality Assurance: By digitising job information, safety checks, and audit trails, Okappy makes it easier to maintain high standards—even as the number of subcontractors scales up. Regulators are happy, and so are your customers.✅ Retention Through Simplicity: Let’s be honest—subcontractors are in demand, and they’ll choose to work with the utilities and contractors who make their lives easier. Okappy’s clean interface, mobile app, and hassle-free workflows make subcontractors more likely to stay, helping you avoid the churn that plagues so many AMP cycles.

A sector ready for bold moves

The conversations we had at Utility Week Live showed us that the water industry is more than aware of the challenges ahead. There’s a willingness to innovate, to break down silos, and to work smarter—not harder.But that willingness needs to be matched with the right tools. As we head into AMP8, the water sector can’t afford to rely on outdated systems and disconnected processes. It needs a networked, digital solution that connects utilities, contractors, subcontractors, and regulators in one seamless flow of information.That’s what Okappy delivers—and we’re ready to help the sector rise to the occasion.

Let’s keep the conversation going

If we spoke at Utility Week Live—thank you. Your insights and stories are invaluable, and we’re excited to continue the conversations we started.If we didn’t connect, but you’re grappling with the challenges of subcontractor management and delivery at scale, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can build a more connected, efficient, and resilient water industry for AMP8—and beyond.Let’s make it happen.