Global Progress in Water Resilience

United Kingdom | Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Reading Time : 3 minutes

A conversation with David Symons on progress, challenges, and what comes next in Global Water Resilience

In late 2024, WSP released “Navigating the Waters of Change”, a landmark report outlining ten Future Ready® strategies for a water-constrained world. Drawing on interviews with 30 water utilities across the globe, the report offered a blueprint for tackling water scarcity through innovation, collaboration, and long-term thinking.

Now, one year on, we sat down with David Symons, author of the report and Future Ready leader at WSP, to reflect on what’s changed, what’s working, and what’s next.

What’s changed since the report?

“There’s been real momentum,” David begins. “Utilities are no longer just talking about resilience, they’re acting on it. We’ve seen progress particularly in areas like leak detection, and in planning new water resources, like reservoirs.”

Several case studies featured in the report have evolved. For example, Northumbrian Water and South West Water are both now using LeakBots with their customers. Utilities in Australia and the US are scaling up smart metering and predictive maintenance. “The appetite for innovation is growing,” David notes, “but so is the urgency.”

Still, not all lessons have been easy to implement. “Water recycling remains a tough sell in some regions,” he admits. “The technical solutions are there, but public perception and regulatory frameworks are still catching up.”

New trends and shifting priorities

Since the report’s publication, new trends have emerged. “The climate extremes we’ve seen - floods, droughts, wildfires - have pushed water resilience up the agenda,” David says. “There’s also a growing focus on biodiversity and nature-based solutions. For the first time we’re hearing of water companies speaking of their desire for nature-based solutions to be the first choice, rather than an experiment.

He highlights the rise of “radical transparency” driven by social media and ESG reporting. “Utilities are being held to account in real time. That’s changing how they communicate and engage with the public.”

Revisiting the ten lessons

Asked which of the ten Future Ready® lessons has proven most relevant, David doesn’t hesitate: “Be data-led.” He explains, “Data is the thread that runs through everything, from leak detection to customer behaviour to Net Zero tracking.”

And if he were to add an 11th lesson? “I’d say: ‘Plan for uncertainty.’ The pace of change, technological, environmental, political, means we need strategies that are flexible, not fixed.”

David Symons

United Kingdom

Related themes and tags

Utilities are moving from discussing water resilience to actively implementing innovations like leak detection, smart metering, and nature-based solutions.

Data-driven decision making and flexibility in strategy are highlighted as essential for addressing ongoing climate and technological changes in the water sector.

Public engagement campaigns, such as Cape Town's 'Day Zero' and Gotland’s 'Ugliest Lawn', are proving effective in raising awareness and changing water use behaviours.

The water sector is making progress on reducing emissions, especially through international collaborations, but faces ongoing challenges with direct and indirect emissions (Scope 1 and 3).

Innovation and the role of AI

Technology continues to reshape the water sector. “AI, digital twins, and machine learning are no longer future concepts; they’re being deployed now,” David says. “We’re seeing utilities use predictive analytics to anticipate pipe failures, optimize energy use, and even model customer behaviour.”

But he cautions that tech is only as good as the strategy behind it. “You need clear goals. Otherwise, data becomes noise.”

Net Zero: progress and pitfalls

The water sector’s contribution to global emissions, around 2%, is increasingly under scrutiny. “We’ve seen great strides in Scope 2 emissions, especially through renewable energy procurement,” David explains. “But Scope 1 and 3, like fugitive emissions from wastewater or customer water heating, are harder to tackle.”

He points to international collaborations, like the partnership between Severn Trent, Melbourne Water, and Aarhus Vand, as promising models. “We need more of that cross-border knowledge sharing.” And to recognise that while climate action has become political, the reality is that the water sector is in the front line of climate change – changing rainfall patterns, cloudbursts and drought all contributing to the critical need to plan Future Ready.

Engaging the public: From ‘Toilet to Tap’ to ‘Ugliest Lawn’

Public engagement remains a critical challenge and opportunity. “The Cape Town Day Zero campaign is still the gold standard,” David says. “But we’re also seeing creative approaches like Gotland’s ‘Ugliest Lawn’ competition, Georgia, USA’s Wet Wipe Monster and Severn Trent’s trial with Nectar to reward water saving as imaginative ways to get beyond the usual serious messaging. “People want to be part of the solution, but they need to trust the message and the messenger.”

Personal reflections

Reflecting on the research process, David shares: “What surprised me most was the sheer diversity of approaches. From Namibia to Singapore to Denmark, there’s no one-size-fits-all, but there’s so much we can learn from each other.”

What gives him hope? “The passion of the people working in this space. They’re not just managing water: they’re shaping the future.”

And if he could challenge one assumption? “That water is someone else’s problem. It’s everyone’s responsibility.”

The future isn’t fixed. But with the right strategies and the courage to act, we can navigate the waters of change together.

David Symons Future Ready and Net Zero Global Leader, Director - E&E

David Symons Future Ready and Net Zero Global Leader, Director - E&E

What’s next?

Looking ahead, David and WSP’s Future Ready® team are continuing to track progress and share insights. “We’re working on new case studies, new partnerships, and new ways to support clients in building water-secure futures.”