UDG Virtual Annual Conference and Expo 2021

CIWEM’s Urban Drainage Group continues its long tradition of hosting its annual conference in the autumn as the culmination of a year of highly regarded virtual events across the whole industry, attracting speakers and delegates both nationally and internationally.

With the upcoming COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this Autumn and the continuing development of Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans in mind, our theme centres around our response to quantifying and more importantly managing Climate Change and adapting our solutions to be both resilient and meet Net Zero challenges related to urban drainage management.

This autumn we are again hosting a virtual technical conference, building on the success of last year and our attendance at the recent CIWEM Flood & Coast event, we will be providing an experience as closely matched to our traditional physical event as possible.

We recognise how our community values getting together and sharing its ideas on best practice, innovation and partnership working in urban drainage and will be delivering a packed agenda of CPD-accredited panel sessions, technical papers, panel discussion, and, returning this year, workshops. In addition, we will be hosting a virtual exhibition to enable our sponsors and delegates to interact and share the experience.

We are pleased to announce that this year's conference will take place on the Hopin platform. The platform is designed to feel like an in-person event — not only will delegates be able to interact with speakers through the live Q&A and sessions but with fellow delegates, too. As a delegate you will be able to take part in group work, share your views through the chat, take part in speed-networking and arrange meetings with fellow delegates. We hope you will enjoy this new platform but most importantly, we hope you enjoy the content.

The conference will include the award of the WaPUG Prize 2021.


BOOK NOW

Prices and sponsorship enquiries

Prices (inclusive of local taxes, where applicable):

For group bookings and sponsorship enquiries, please email events@ciwem.org

BOOK NOW

UDG Annual Conference Programme

Please click on the + for more details about our programme and speakers.

Day 1: Climate Change and Adaptation

09:30 - 10:00 Networking and Expo

10:00 - 10:05 Welcome address by Kieran Downey | Session Chair

10:05 - 10:25 Keynote by Samuel Larsen, Director of Programmes and Planning | Water UK Presentation_Samuel Larsen.pdf

10:25 - 10:35 Keynote Q&A

10:35 - 10:55 Presentation by Murray Dale | JBA Consulting: Future Rainfall for the Water Industry – new design storm uplifts, future rainfall time series, and other changes to rainfall patterns Presentation_ Murray Dale.pdf

10:55 - 11:15 Presentation by Hector Adell Troncho | WSP: Adaptive policy pathway methodology on Wessex Water - DWMPs option development assessments Paper_Hector Adell Troncho_WSP.pdf

11:15 - 11:35 Presentation by Ismail Weiliang | Mott MacDonald: Delivering Smart Flood Management in Bangkok Presentation_Ismail Weiliang.pdf

11:35 - 11:45 Comfort break

11:45 - 12:05 Presentation by Alex Stephenson | SuDSPlanter: The use of ‘Smart’ rainwater planters to remove or reduce rainwater in sewers. Feedback and findings from monitoring of two test sites and a large school retro-fit project Presentation_Alex Stephenson.pdf

12:05 - 12:35 Panel discussion and Q&A

12:35 - 12:40 Closing remarks by Kieran Downey | Session Chair

12:40 - 13:30 Networking lunch and Expo

13:30 - 14:30 Workshops

14:30 – 15:00 Networking and Expo

Day 2: Managing Storm Overflows

09:30 - 10:00 Networking and Expo

10:00 - 10:05 Opening address by Elliot Gill | Session Chair

10:05 - 10:25 Keynote by Tom Davies, Senior Policy Adviser (Wastewater and Storm Overflows) | Water Quality Team | DEFRA and Elliot Gill | UDG & Stantec Presentation_Tom Davies & Elliot Gill .pdf

10:25 - 10:35 Keynote Q&A

10:35 - 10:55 Presentation by Mike Clough | United Utilities and Damian Ward | Stantec: Using overflow performance data to derive the scale of solution to meet future spill frequency performance targets Presentation_Damian Ward & Mike Clough.pdf

10:55 - 11:15 Presentation by Richard Dannatt | Intertek: Inland Bathing Waters and Future River Quality Management – lessons to be learned from twenty years of coastal bathing waters and WFD modelling Presentation_Richard Dannatt.pdf

11:15 - 11:45 Presentation by Jo Bradley | Stormwater Shepherds UK: Finding an innovative funding model for future-proof stormwater management before it’s too late Presentation_Jo Bradley.pdf

11:45 - 11:50 Comfort break

11:50 - 12:10 Presentation by Chris Ellis | Arup and Christian Phillips Adams | Welsh Water: Storm Overflow Assessment Framework in Wales (SOAF) | Our story Presentation_Chris Ellis & Christian Phillips Adams.pdf

12:10 - 12:35 Panel discussion and Q&A

12:35 - 12:40 Closing remarks by Elliot Gill | Session Chair

12:40 - 13:30 Networking lunch and Expo

13:30 - 14:30 Workshops

14:30 – 15:00 Networking and Expo

Day 3: Making the Best Use of Big Data

09:30 - 10:00 Networking and Expo

10:00 - 10:05 Opening address by Fiona Barbour | Session Chair

10:05 - 10:10 WaPUG Prize Winner announcement by Kieran Downey | UDG Chair

10:10 - 10:25 Keynote by Christine Colvin, Director for Partnerships & Communications | The Rivers Trust Presentation_Christine Colvin.pdf

10:25 - 10:35 Keynote Q&A

10:35 - 10:55 Presentation by Samuel Shelley | Nuron: Continuous fibre optic monitoring of sewer delivers novel operational insights

10:55 - 11:15 Presentation by Connor Underwood | Atkins and Kirk Donaldson | Severn Trent: Asset Health Dashboard Using Telemetry Data (Sewerage Assets) Presentation_Kirk Donaldson & Connor Underwood.pdf

11:15 - 11:35 Presentation by James Ogden | StormHarvester: Machine learning / artificial intelligence for smart sewer blockage prediction, flow prediction and smart storm tank attenuation Presentation_James Ogden.pdf

11:35 - 11:45 Comfort break

11:45 - 12:05 Presentation by Robert Ward | RPS: Reconciling EDM data with model results Presentation_Robert Ward.pdf

12:05 - 12:35 Panel discussion and Q&A

12:35 - 12:40 Closing remarks by Fiona Barbour | Session Chair

12:40 - 13:30 Networking lunch and Expo

13:30 - 14:30 Workshops

14:30 – 15:00 Networking and Expo

Why attend?

  • Join CPD-accredited panel sessions and live presentations with recognised industry leaders
  • Discuss the latest industry developments
  • Meet and interact with speakers, exhibitors and delegates
  • Participate in group workshops and discussions
  • Speed-network and arrange meetings with new colleagues

Our 2021 sponsors:

RAA is a local company, based near Haywards Heath in Sussex, which has been providing expert urban drainage solutions nationally since 1996.

As a successful SME, the company promotes its core values of innovation, integrity, responsibility, excellence, inspiration and collaboration; which have played a part in driving the current period of growth which has seen the company expand into the North West with a regional office opening in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

Offering specialist hydraulic modelling services, RAA has established itself as a leader in integrated catchment modelling and was appointed by CIWEM and the Environment Agency to lead the update of the Integrated Urban Drainage Modelling Guide (May 2021).  Our client base includes water companies, government agencies, lead local flood authorities, as well as the private sector.

Have a look at our brochure to learn more about us.

RPS is a leading global professional services firm. We define, design and manage projects that create shared value to a complex, urbanising and resource-scarce world. We work across six sectors: property, energy, transport, water, resources, defence and government services.

In the water sector we are proud to work with most of the water companies in England along with Welsh Water, Scottish Water, Irish Water and Northern Ireland Water.

We stand out for our clients by using deep expertise to solve problems that matter, making them easy to understand and by being easy to work with.

Read our brochure or access our Waternet Pro video to learn more about us.

Intertek's Energy and Water Team secures compliance, reduces cost and manages risk for our clients by helping them optimise asset performance from feasibility to decommissioning. We help water utilities and regulators understand the environmental impacts on aquatic systems -rivers, lakes, reservoirs, estuaries and coastal waters. We provide our clients with information and analysis that allows for targeted investment and safe and compliant delivery.

We have developed industry-leading tools and offer a range of services including integrated environmental modelling, compliance assessments, surveys, monitoring and laboratory water services that deliver measurable benefits to regulatory, environmental and engineering constraint challenges.

Have a look at our brochure to learn more about us.

Innovyze is a global leader in building innovative, industry-leading software for the water industry for over 35 years; serving thousands of clients including the largest utilities, ENR design firms, consultancies and refining plants around the world.

With unparalleled global expertise, the Innovyze connected portfolio of best-in-class AI & operational analytics, Asset Management, Drainage Design, Water Distribution, Stormwater, Sewer, and Flood Modelling solutions empower thousands of engineers to competitively plan, design, and manage, highly efficient and reliable infrastructure systems that provide an enduring platform for customer success.

Access our brochure and learn more about us.

Communities are fundamental. They provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.

We care about the communities we serve. This allows us to assess what’s needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what’s never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success.

We’re designers, engineers and scientists, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

SNC-Lavalin's Atkins business is one of the world's most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies. We build long-term trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas.

Employing people across the UK, North America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe, clients come to us for transformational solutions.

Atkins helps clients plan, design and enable major capital projects, and provides expert consultancy that covers the full project lifecycle across infrastructure, transportation, nuclear and power, oil and gas, engineering and design, water, the environment, defence, aerospace, communications, project management and architecture.

Access our podcasts to learn more about us.

We’re a global engineering, management and development consultancy. Everywhere around the world, people’s needs and aspirations are changing, fast. That brings increasing challenge for our clients, as you seek to satisfy your stakeholders, tackle societal issues and deliver your business strategy.

Our network of experts looks at problems from fresh angles and finds opportunities in complexity. They bring together diverse skills, experience and insight, to turn obstacles into sustainable solutions.

Our aim: to add value at every stage, for you and the lives you touch every day.

Read our Water Resources and Flooding brochure or access our video to learn more about us.

WSP is a collaborative global team of future-focused experts, who thrive on challenge and unconventional thinking.

The Water Team is a 300-strong group of expert and experienced water specialists across the UK, planning and designing for your needs – today and in the future.

Our role is to plan, design, manage and engineer communities that thrive – an impossible mission without effective flood management or a future-proofed water supply.

We provide services across asset management, asset design, water management and technical advisory for water companies, infrastructure owners and operators, developers and others.

Sponsor Events

With your business at the forefront of our minds, we offer a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities designed to raise your profile with CIWEM’s portfolio of events

Find out more

Industry events

CIWEM supports a wide range of industry events that are of interest and benefit to our Members.

Find out more

Events archive

Missed an event?

Find out more