UKWIR
United Kingdom Water Industry Research Ltd. is based in London. UKWIR was set up in a collaborative move by the UK water industry in 1993. Its purpose is to provide a framework for the procurement of a common research programme for UK water operators. UKWIR's members comprise 24 water and sewerage undertakers in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Subscribers
Anglian Water Services Limited Severn Trent Water Limited Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water Plc South East Water plc Bristol Water Plc Southern Water Services Limited Cambridge Water Plc South Staffordshire Water Plc Dee Valley Water Plc South West Water Limited Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Sutton and East Surrey Water Plc Folkestone & Dover Water Services Limited Tendring Hundred Water Services Limited Mid Kent Water plc Thames Water Utilities Limited Northumbrian Water Limited Three Valleys Water Plc Northern Ireland Water Utilities Water Plc Portsmouth Water Plc Wessex Water Services Limited Scottish Water Yorkshire Water Services Limited Each Subscriber contributes towards and steers UKWIR's research programme.
Collaborators
UKWIR also collaborates with various governmental, national and international agencies and organisations.
American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF) Department Of Health The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Environment Agency Foundation for Water Research (FWR) Global Water Research Coalition National Environment Research Council (NERC) Office of Water Services (OFWAT) PROAQUA (Istituto per studi e ricerche sui servizi idrici) Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER) Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Scottish Executive The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) The Netherlands Waterworks' Testing and Research Institute (KIWA) The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) Water Reuse Foundation (WRF) World Health Organisation (WHO)
UKWIR researches topics under the principal headings;
Climate Change
Under this heading UKWIR includes 7 sub-categories. The first is Stormwaters (aspects of prediction, treatment and management). The second category is the use of low quality water for non-consumption purposes.
Drinking Water
UKWIR operates research projects that cover many aspects of Drinking Water from source to tap. From Microbiological studies through to distribution systems, UKWIR has many completed and published research projects. Furthermore UKWIR provides a forum for debate and development between Subscribers and UK national agencies.
Regulation
The role of regulation in the UK water industry is highly dynamic and thorough. Water regulators continue to work with UKWIR subscribers to shape the future of the UK water industry from its methods of innovation, monitors, cost assessments, including the impacts of metering, Asset management, serviceability and benchmarking.
Waste Management
Technological advances, new regulation, environmental concerns and issues of public health all covered under this subject heading.
Toxicology
The water industry both manages maters of public health, from a toxicological standpoint and contributes to such problems, as it treats water and sewage to meet UK requirements. These matters are covered under this heading.
Water mains, Sewers and Services
What most people consider as pipes, water companies consider as assets. There is considerable science and history behind what appears a straightforward category. UKWIR has a series of reports on pipeline technology, leakage, reinstatement and maintenance.
Water Resources
The delivery of clean, safe water to residents is a regulated requirement of all UK Water Companies. UKWIR looks at water efficiency, supply, reuse and supply / demand balancing.
Each year UKWIR commences approximately 40 research projects, with final reports published through its UK Water Industry Research Bookshop.