Event Recap: Flowing to the Future with Water Community Indaba
Copperleaf, an IFS company, recently hosted an in-person event for its Water Community Indaba.
Delegates from 13 water utilities across the UK and Ireland arrived in Staines-upon-Thames to contribute to these important conversations, underscoring the importance of the topics discussed and the value of the community we’re building.
Water Community Indaba meeting in Staines-upon-Thames.
Navigating Uncharted Waters of AMP8
With the upcoming Asset Management Period (AMP8) presenting new challenges and opportunities for water utilities, the event’s main theme “Navigating Uncharted Waters of AMP8” resonated deeply with all participants.
These engaging presentations, insightful discussions, and thought-provoking questions provided everyone with a wealth of ideas to incorporate into their strategies moving forward:
Copperleaf Solution Roadmap
An overview of the Copperleaf® Decision Analytics Solution roadmap gave attendees a clear vision of the future developments and enhancements at Copperleaf, ones that will help ensure clients are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of AMP8.
The roadmap featured upcoming features designed to improve decision-making capabilities, enhance data integration, and provide more robust risk management tools. Attendees were particularly interested in how these new features could help them optimise asset management strategies and achieve performance targets.
Managing Performance Against PCDs
Dave Lamb of United Utilities delivered a session on managing performance against Performance Commitment Deliverables (PCDs), particularly focusing on leakage. This topic is critical for all water companies, and Dave’s insights sparked lively discussions that are expected to continue and potentially lead to a “packaged” solution for the water sector during AMP8.
Dave shared how United Utilities uses Copperleaf to track and manage their PCDs, ensuring that they meet regulatory requirements and improve service delivery. His presentation underscored the importance of data-driven decision making in achieving performance targets and highlighted the role of the Copperleaf product suite in supporting and enabling these efforts.
Automation through Integration
Despite being internally labeled as a “dry topic,” the session on automation through integration proved to be anything but. The high levels of audience interaction was proof of the keen interest of water companies like Scottish Water, Uisce Éireann, Portsmouth Water, and South East Water in driving efficiency gains through integration with Copperleaf.
The session covered various integration strategies, including the use of APIs and data connectors to streamline workflows and enhance data accuracy. Attendees were very interested in how automation could help reduce manual processes, improve data consistency, and enable more timely and informed decision making.
Data Visualisation and BAU Transition
In her session on data visualisation and the transition to Business-As-Usual (BAU), Liz Cornelius of Anglian Water showcased Anglian’s approach to data, where everyone in the company has access to their PowerBI dashboard.
This transparency validates the concept of “Copperleaf in the Boardroom” and demonstrates the value of delivering data-driven insights to stakeholders. The presentation highlighted the importance of making data accessible and actionable for all levels of the organisation, from frontline staff to executives.
She also discussed how Anglian Water is using Copperleaf to support their BAU transition, ensuring they can maintain high performance and adapt to changing conditions. Check out this webinar for more on how Anglian is unlocking greater value with data-driven investment insights.
Risk Management through AMP8
Risk management was a hot topic, with participants discussing various solutions to manage emerging risks during AMP8 and better prepare for AMP9. The interest in adopting risk management tools from Copperleaf was evident, emphasising the importance of proactive risk management in the water sector.
The session outlined best practices for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, as well as how Copperleaf capabilities support these efforts by providing real-time risk analytics and scenario planning capabilities. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of how to integrate risk management into asset management strategies to ensure resilience and sustainability.
Embedding AIP through BAU
The session on embedding Asset Investment Planning (AIP) provided valuable ideas and strategies for integrating AIP into daily operations, helping organisations face challenges head-on as they transition to BAU.
The high engagement between attendees reinforces the importance of aligning investment planning with organisational goals and operational realities. They learned how Copperleaf supports better alignment by providing a comprehensive view of asset performance, investment needs, and financial constraints. This holistic approach enables organisations to make more-informed and strategic investment decisions, ensuring they can achieve long-term objectives while maintaining operational efficiency.
The session on Embedding AIP through BAU hit the mark completely with me and is reflective of where our organisation is in preparation for BAU. It provided us with ideas to face those challenges head-on.
NIALL TUKE
Asset Investment Manager
Uisce Éireann
Future Indaba Events
Attendees were inspired by the real-world applications and innovative ways peers are using Copperleaf, showcasing the product suite’s flexibility and adaptability across different organisational contexts, and its ability to drive performance improvements and achieve strategic objectives. Networking sessions also allowed attendees to build valuable connections, share best practices, and explore potential collaborations.
The Water Community Indaba was a pivotal event, demonstrating the power of collaboration and the value of the Copperleaf solution in navigating AMP8. The high level of engagement reaffirmed everyone’s commitment to supporting the water sector through innovative solutions and collaborative events.
This sense of community and mutual support is a key strength of the Water Community, and we look forward to fostering these relationships in future events.
Check out our Water Community page or connect with us to get involved.