The latest Planet Possible podcast from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) tackles the often-contentious topic of water recycling, and contrasts approaches and attitudes in the UK and elsewhere. After the recent wet winter, EBNet members in southern England maybe ruefully considering other issues of water recycling. But the reality is that population growth and changing industrial needs mean Large increases in the anticipated demand for water over the next few decades, while climate change is making future rainfall increasingly unpredictable. The likelihood is that the UK will need to adopt all measures from cutting wastage to improving resilience by increasing storage, as well as more effective water treatment and recycling.
The scale of the problem is well illustrated by another piece on the CIWEM website describing lessons learned from 2025 in Scotland, when a dry spring followed a dry winter and river levels reached record lows. EBNet members travelling in Scotland that summer reported how shocked they were to see near-empty reservoirs for hydropower and water supply. As discussed in the podcast, water recycling brings a host of challenges and opportunities for advanced recovery technologies and a more sustainable water system.
Don’t miss this or other episodes of the Planet Possible podcast, and look out for other insightful pieces on this issue on CIWEM’S News pages