OXFORD: The fifth annual Waterwise Water Efficiency Conference, part of UNESCO's World Water Day events programme, will address the challenge of mainstreaming water efficiency in the future.
Held on 22-23 March at Keble College, Oxford, this year's line-up of speakers include:
Baroness Barbara Young, a member of the Government's Climate Change Adaptation sub-committee.
Regina Finn, chief executive, OFWAT.
Blane Judd, chief executive, Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering.
Nick Herbert MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Jonathon Porritt CBE, founder director of Forum for the Future, and chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission from 2000-2009.
Lord Chris Smith, chairman of the Environment Agency.
Pamela Taylor, chief executive, Water UK.
Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust.
Jacob Tompkins, managing director, Waterwise.
Last year's conference urged delegates to improve the uptake of water efficiency schemes and active partnerships. The water companies are seeking to create links with social housing providers, local authorities, retailers, energy companies and others.
Waterwise is currently carrying out cost-benefit analysis on the advantages of demand-side measure rather than supply-side measures.
It is Waterwise's opinion that water efficiency and water meters when combined with improving leaks from water mains is more cost-effective and better for the environment than building new reservoirs to increase the supply of water.
Waterwise has carried out some research and found that the energy used to pump, treat and heat the water in the average family's home produces the carbon equivalent of a return flight from London to New York.
To find out more about this year's conference, visit the events section of the Waterwise website.
