by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
“Engineering the Future”, an alliance of engineering organizations, is calling on consultants, utility companies, academics, government agencies and non-governmental organizations to submit evidence to an inquiry into global water security.
Water security presents a growing threat in many parts of the world, with the International Water Management Institute estimating additional water demand of around 30 percent by 2030. Along with the demand for food and energy, this huge increase in the demand for water is a consequence of increasing standards of living and a global population set to pass 8 billion by 2030.
But also in the developed world water could become an issue, especially in the way our water-based sewage systems robs us of clean water because we all so nicely flush it down the toilet, literally. Other ways must be found to deal with human waste rather than flushing it down the drain using clean water.
The Institution of Civil Engineers, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), have come together to undertake the inquiry at the request of Professor John Beddington, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the Government Office for Science.
A range of water related issues will be addressed during the process of the inquiry including drought, domestic supply, irrigation for agriculture, treatment of drinking water flooding and waste management. A report will be published in April next year aimed to highlight to Government, industry and the public, both the challenges we face globally and the approaches that could be adopted.
A steering group chaired by Professor Peter Guthrie from Cambridge University has been established to run the inquiry. Mike Woolgar (Atkins), Michael Norton (Halcrow), Mike Haigh (Mott MacDonald) and Prof Roger Falconer (Cardiff University) are also members of the expert group.
Professor Guthrie, said: “It is important that the strategic issues surrounding global water security are highlighted. Only then can the solutions be better explored. To bring a broad scope to the inquiry and ensure our report is well informed, we are issuing a call for evidence to a broad range of experts and stakeholders”
Engineering the Future is a banner under which organizations from the professional engineering community are working together to promote the contribution of engineering to the UK’s economy, and the well-being of society. Within the group are the Institution of Civil Engineers, Royal Academy of Engineering, Engineering Technology Board, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institute of Physics, Engineering Council UK.
Evidentiary hearings taking place on 25th January, for further information contact gwsevidence@ice.org.uk
© 2010
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