People:Water EngD/PhD:The Stream Industrial Doctorate Centre

Ravi Shah's Project

Cohort V (2013 - 2017)

Developing a monitoring strategy on how climate change is impacting Anglian Water assets.

Project sponsors

Project background

Climate change, in conjunction with a growing global population, and thus a greater need for energy, food and water will only worsen the crisis of already decreasing availability of fresh water, decreasing water quality and growing demand. Anglian Water, AW, as well as other commercial and governmental organisations, in the wider macroeconomic context, are starting to recognise the value of water and its dynamic interaction with our current and future economic, environmental and social challenges. We are beginning to see a transition in economic and business models in both private and governmental organisations.

Sustainability is now a key for organisations trying to tackle climate change. Organisations are realising that adapting to climate change and incorporating it in their business decisions will save them money rather than doing nothing.

The impacts of climate change to AW’s assets are overarching and therefore all decision units at different levels, strategic, tactical and operational, within the AW organisation are in need, to different degrees, of optimisation in order to adapt to the forthcoming risks of climate change. Where the challenge lies is the inherent uncertainty that is intrinsic in climate change modelling. There is contradiction in long term organisational strategic decision making and the lack of knowledge and experience about future climate scenarios and asset performance response to future climate risks. Knowledge gaps within AW’s business decisions will need to be filled and this can only be done through a deeper understanding of asset response to different climate parameters. Therefore monitoring data for assets will enable a greater understanding of asset response.

The end goal is to embed climate change risk in AW’s current risk management processes. In turn this will allow them to make the most suitable and sustainable adaptation decisions and hence investments with respect to climate change impacts on their assets and asset systems.

Host University

Specific aim and objectives of project

The aim of the project is to develop a strategy for monitoring the effects of climate change on Anglian Water assets. In turn, the end objective is the provision of business continuity, through a climate change strategy, so that Anglian Water can meet the future supply and demand of potable water to their consumers in the face of climate change impacts.

Methodology

A conceptual methodology is described as below.

Carry out an in-depth literature review on how climate change is impacting the water industry and their assets.
Evaluate the business decisions of Anglian Water and understand to what degree they have included climate change impacts in their business decisions. Assess the data that they are using to incorporate climate change impacts in their business decisions and validate it. What the key knowledge gaps are and their associated challenges, barriers and interdependencies.
Qualitative research and interview methodology to be carried out on Anglian Water employees (operations staff and managers) to gain their experience on how climate change is impacting assets in the real word.
Analyse and interpret the found data, possibly identifying trends/patterns and key drivers. Where desirable, present the data in a meaningful format. Identify assets or assets groups that are under high risk of climate change.
List asset monitoring options

Industrial impact

Improve Anglian Water’s asset management plan and business decisions. Create baseline risk database in the hopes of improving asset performance and therefore serviceability.