Turning ambition into action: reflections on EWSC’s Water Smart Growth event
Our event on 26 March, ‘Towards Water Smart Growth’, was the culmination of four years of work from the Enabling Water Smart Communities team
The event brought together over 100 people across numerous organisations and sectors to reflect on the work of the project and set a path for its future.
Central to Enabling Water Smart Communities’ (EWSC) work is the question, how do we solve the problem of building 1.5 million new homes when we face a water shortfall, problems with wastewater treatment capacity, increasing surface water flooding and the declining health of our water environment? This challenge was set out in stark terms by keynote speaker, Paul Leinster, chair of the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group, established to unblock development stalled by water scarcity in Cambridge.
EWSC’s ambition is to mainstream ‘water smart’ housing across all new developments. To do this, it has been systematically unblocking perceived and real barriers – regulatory, financial, public attitudes, and more.
At the event, we shared our insights and guidance for overcoming these barriers, answering difficult questions such as: what do the public really think about water reuse? What are the cost and benefits of sustainable drainage versus traditional systems? What could a future stewardship model look like for water smart communities?
A key moment was debuting our EWSC film, a compilation of personal reflections on the project and its achievements from the EWSC team and key collaborators. Take a look below:
A cross-sector panel – including Ofwat, MHCLG, Defra, Good Homes Alliance, Homes England, Hill Group and Huntingdonshire District Council – also shared their reflections on the project and what is still needed to mainstream water smart communities across the country. They offered a range of perspectives, healthy debate, but a lot of consensus and shared optimism for change.
This optimism reflected in a palpable energy amongst participants; it was clear that there is a sizable cross-sector group of professionals who are passionate, determined and knowledgeable about how we will overcome the remaining challenges.
“I think today was quite special. I said to colleagues, it felt like I was a small part of something that (for water and homes), might change everything.”
The project has laid a clear pathway for water smart development, and the event marked another major step on that journey with the launch of the Water Smart Growth Board (WSGB) alongside Future Homes Hub and Defra. The Board, linked to a ‘Community of Practice’ rooted in practitioners, will drive forwards what EWSC has initiated into positive changes in policy and practice.
Defra remarked at the event that EWSC had had the foresight and timeliness to open a door with government: “It’s all coalescing about now being the time. You’ve got a perfectly timed, suited piece of work.”
Rob Boughton, CEO at Thakeham and co‑chair of the WSGB with Defra said:
“Developers, government, and the water sector have a shared responsibility to deliver sustainable communities. The WSGB creates a forum for collaboration and practical delivery. By working together in areas like water efficiency, reuse and SuDS, we can unlock housing growth whilst protecting and improving our water resources.”
To keep in touch with us, and be part of EWSC’s ongoing 'Community of Practice', which will be linked to the work of the Water Smart Growth board, use the link below:
With courage and ambition and a healthy dose of good timing, perhaps our future homes really will be water smart.
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And a huge thank you to everyone who made the event such a success:
The EWSC team – for bringing such passion, clarity and momentum through your presentations.
Rebecca Radford from Anglian Water, the Building Centre and the CIWEM events team - for getting the event off the ground so smoothly, including Nathan Gore for all the hard work developing the visual content.
Our excellent speakers and panellists - for your insightful comments, healthy debate, and shared optimism that we can achieve this.
And Niki Roach – for guiding us through the afternoon with her curiosity and brilliantly engaging style.