Jonathan Stokes, Head of Storm Alliance, Yorkshire Water

What can we expect from your contribution at the WWT Wastewater Conference & Exhibition 2026?

I’ll be talking about 4 key risks that Yorkshire Water is taking to enable faster delivery of the AMP8 storm overflow programme through the Yorkshire Storm Alliance. I’ll be encouraging other water companies not to play the same old game with the supply chain, to release the full programme on day 1, to build first – model later and to standardise then buy, buy, buy. I’ll be highlighting the benefits of delivering through a true Alliance model and be discussing some of the key learnings we’ve had in the first year of AMP8. 

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?

I’m hoping to hear about how the supply chain can help to deliver more blue-green solutions and challenge the norm by driving down the cost and complexity of surface water removal to make this the solution of choice.

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

We are finding that Planning is one of the biggest obstacles to rapid delivery. Organising and resourcing statutory bodies to support the water industries biggest ever environmental investment needs to be a key focus for government and regulators. 

Why is the WWT Wastewater Conference & Exhibition 2026 important to the industry and to you?

It’s a chance to learn from others and to reflect on some of the shared challenges we face.
 

Christine Moloney, Water Recycling Network Director, Wessex Water

What can we expect from your contribution at the WWT Wastewater Conference & Exhibition 2026?

We have a discussion focused on CSO spills, this is clearly a hot topic for the industry and hopefully my colleague and I on the panel will provide different perspectives on this issue.

What are you most looking forward to hearing about at the conference?  

I love innovation – so there are a number of presentations looking at data and new ways of addressing problems, including nature based solutions.

What are the biggest challenges facing your industry at the moment, in your opinion?

It’s difficult to pick one, customer and stakeholder perception and trust, climate change and moving to nature based solutions with permits are big challenges.

Why is the WWT Wastewater Conference & Exhibition 2026 important to the industry and to you?

In the UK we have huge challenges as an industry to face, sharing our ideas, innovations and  getting the opportunity to share these with peers, supply chain and stakeholders to help move us all forward is vital.