Utility Week Forum 2026 will bring water company leaders, regulators, policymakers and environmental organisations together to examine the challenges facing UK utilities over the next decade.
The two-day conference will take place on 25 and 26 November 2026 at Convene, 133 Houndsditch, London. Water-focused sessions will cover regulatory reform, infrastructure investment, public trust, water supplies, pollution and planning for AMP9.
Water regulation reform leads first-day agenda
The first day will include a dedicated stream examining how the water sector is adapting to regulatory change. Representatives from Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate are due to discuss their roles during the transition to a new regulatory structure.
Chris Walters, interim chief executive of Ofwat, will join Environment Agency water director Helen Wakeham and Drinking Water Inspectorate chief inspector Dr Marcus Rink OBE for a session on regulatory coordination. The discussion will consider how the organisations intend to support water companies, customers and the wider industry while reforms progress.
The programme comes as England prepares for a significant restructuring of water regulation. H2O Global News has previously reported on proposals for a single water regulator combining economic, environmental and drinking-water oversight.
Investment and affordability under examination
A separate panel will examine how future water investment should be funded and how a new regulator could build public support while customer bills continue to rise. Participants include Water UK chief executive David Henderson, CCW chief executive Mike Keil, Pennon Group chief strategy and regulatory affairs officer Sarah Heald and WICS chief executive David Satti.
The wider opening programme will consider whether water and energy can support UK economic growth and how utilities can make the case for major capital programmes. Sian Thomas, director of strategic asset management at Anglian Water Services, and Jon Chappell, Water UK’s deputy director for water and PR24 delivery, are among the scheduled speakers.
Investment planning is becoming increasingly important as water companies prepare projects extending beyond the current AMP8 period. Recent H2O Global News coverage has highlighted preparations for capital delivery programmes spanning AMP9, AMP10 and AMP11.
Public trust forms dedicated conference stream
The first afternoon will feature a water stream focused on rebuilding public confidence in the sector. Discussions will consider how communities can be involved in infrastructure planning and how companies can show customers what they will receive from investment programmes.
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of The Rivers Trust, will join representatives from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Yorkshire Water for a session on community engagement. A subsequent discussion will consider whether operational technology, customer reporting tools and artificial intelligence can improve transparency and incident response.
The subject follows growing scrutiny of water company performance, sewage pollution and sector governance. A recent UK Water Partnership white paper called for coordinated action to improve river health and rebuild public trust in water management.
Second day focuses on infrastructure delivery
The second day will turn to capital delivery, infrastructure resilience and long-term planning. Senior representatives from Scottish Water, Thames Tideway, Ofwat and infrastructure organisations will discuss project delivery, supply-chain capacity and coordination between utilities.
A dedicated water stream will examine how the UK can deliver infrastructure that supports future generations. Sessions will consider international approaches to infrastructure delivery, water supplies for new housing and the emerging AMP9 project pipeline.
Paul Hickey, managing director of Ofwat’s Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development, will take part in a discussion on securing water for new homes. Pennon Group’s Carolyn Cadman and Ofwat interim executive director Helen Campbell will later examine AMP9 priorities and the lessons emerging from AMP8.
Water pollution and climate resilience on programme
The final water stream will focus on pollution, environmental protection and affordability. Southern Water director of environment and innovation Nick Mills will discuss how environmental objectives can be delivered within existing financial and regulatory frameworks.
A panel featuring representatives from the National Trust, Wessex Water and Kent County Council will consider responsibility for water quality and water quantity. Topics will include rainwater management, source control and the need to make water and wastewater systems more resilient to climate change.
The conference is expected to attract more than 200 people from utilities and their supply chains, with over 45 speakers participating across the wider water and energy programme. The complete timetable is available on the Utility Week Forum 2026 agenda.
Frequently asked questions
Utility Week Forum 2026 will take place on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 November 2026.
The conference will be held at Convene, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7DB.
The water programme covers regulatory reform, infrastructure investment, affordability, public trust, water supplies, pollution, climate resilience and planning for AMP9.
Scheduled participants include representatives from Ofwat, the Environment Agency, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Water UK, CCW, Scottish Water, Thames Tideway, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, Southern Water and The Rivers Trust.
The full two-day programme is available on the official Utility Week Forum 2026 website.
