Future-ready utilities: the next chapter

We are pleased to present this year’s last edition of Smart Water Magazine Print Edition, dedicated to water utilities and the many forces shaping how they plan, invest, innovate, and collaborate.

This issue’s cover story features an in-depth interview with Natalie Foeng, Managing Director of Yarra Valley Water, who shares how Australia’s largest retail water utility is preparing for a future shaped by climate pressures, population growth and rising customer expectations. She reflects on modernisation, energy strategy and long-term community impact, offering a clear view of what leadership looks like in a changing sector.

The interview section brings together diverse voices shaping the sector’s evolution. Insights range from financing strategies for resilient utilities, shared by Jennifer Sara, Global Water, Climate, and Infrastructure Finance expert and former World Bank Global Director, to operational advances described by Nuno Medeiros at EPAL. Regional collaboration and capacity building come to the fore through the perspective of Khaldon Khashman of ACWUA, while Mallak Bani Mustafa of Southern Water illustrates how human-centred innovation can drive practical progress on the ground. Complementing these viewpoints, Markus Weidling and Sofia Lettenbichler of WE Data Europe draw on a recent pan-European study to show how metering and data access can transform both customer engagement and utility performance.

Across the feature section, several articles explore the evolving business and policy landscape of the water sector. ACCIONA examines the role of PPPs in expanding services and strengthening the resilience of utilities, while Almar Water Solutions outlines how its Australia–Asia Pacific platform blends global experience with local execution to address regional needs. SWPC details the strategies behind Saudi Arabia’s ongoing water transformation, and ICEX offers a global perspective on how multilateral financial mechanisms can help countries confront climate-driven disasters.

Several features take a close look at infrastructure, treatment and system performance. Badger Meter explores how its BlueEdge™ ecosystem helps utilities optimise drinking water treatment and strengthen visibility across distribution networks. Molecor highlights the durability and water-quality benefits of oriented PVC solutions for modern systems, while Ingeteam contributes insight into high-head pumping technologies designed to support demanding wastewater environments. WEG adds to this perspective by demonstrating how variable frequency drives can enhance efficiency across treatment and supply systems. Aqualia complements these contributions by showing how BIM and reality-capture tools elevate project design, coordination and lifecycle management.

Digital capabilities and smarter operational practices also feature prominently in this edition, highlighting how technology is reshaping the way networks are monitored, protected and maintained. Samotics shows how electrical-signal analysis can uncover hidden pump failures and strengthen reliability, while StormHarvester demonstrates the value of AI-enabled alerts in improving real-time operational response. ALCEA adds the security dimension with integrated physical and digital solutions that safeguard critical assets, and Hexagon provides a wider view of how unified data environments and streamlined digital workflows help organisations manage ageing infrastructure, meet regulatory expectations and support increasingly complex operations.

The section also includes perspectives that link local innovation to broader sector trends. We report on discussions from this year’s Bentley Systems YII event, dealing with infrastructure-focused AI and how unified data environments support engineering and operational teams facing increasing complexity. Jacobs shares the story of how the Ejby Mølle facility in Denmark became a global benchmark for energy-positive wastewater treatment. And we take an inside look at Metro Vancouver’s deep-tunnel water supply programme, an ambitious investment in seismic resilience and long-term water security.

Finally, the opinion section gathers expert perspectives from around the world, offering reflections on resilience, financing, sustainability and innovation. These contributions highlight the breadth and urgency of today’s challenges, while showcasing the creativity, collaboration and forward-thinking approaches emerging across the sector. Together, they provide a nuanced and compelling view of how water systems can evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.

Insights from leaders shaping the future of water utilities

In this edition of Smart Water Magazine, several professionals share their perspectives on how utilities can strengthen resilience, improve performance, and adapt to accelerating pressures. Their experiences span utility operations, global finance, regional collaboration, innovation management, and data-driven transformation — offering a multifaceted view of how the sector is evolving.

Natalie Foeng, Managing Director, Yarra Valley Water

As the cover story of this issue, Foeng reflects on how Australia’s largest retail water utility is preparing for rapid growth, climate variability, and rising customer expectations. She highlights the importance of long-term planning, renewable energy, and community partnership in shaping a utility model built for the decades ahead.

Jennifer Sara, Global Water, Climate, and Infrastructure Finance expert and Former World Bank Global Director

Drawing on her extensive international experience, Sara discusses the financial frameworks and investment approaches that can strengthen the resilience of water utilities. She emphasises the need for clear priorities, robust governance, and sustained financing to deliver reliable services in the face of climate and economic uncertainty.

Nuno Medeiros, Head of Asset Management, EPAL

From Lisbon, Medeiros explains how EPAL has advanced water-loss reduction, asset performance, and digital transformation. His perspective shows how methodical planning and strong technical foundations can elevate utility performance even under growing environmental pressures.

Khaldon Khashman, Secretary General, ACWUA

Representing the Arab region, Khashman underscores the importance of capacity building, knowledge exchange, and collaborative learning among utilities. He provides insight into the shared challenges faced across diverse geographies and how regional cooperation can accelerate progress toward stronger and more resilient water services.

Mallak Bani Mustafa, Innovation Project Manager, Southern Water

Bani Mustafa brings a human-centred lens to innovation. She outlines how co-creation, experimentation, and multidisciplinary teamwork are helping Southern Water translate new ideas into practical improvements that benefit both operators and customers.

Markus Weidling, CEO, WE Data Europe, and Sofia Lettenbichler, Managing Director, WE Data Europe

Weidling and Lettenbichler offer a Europe-wide perspective grounded in a new multi-country study. They detail how smart metering, transparent data, and supportive regulation can drive measurable efficiency gains, improve billing fairness, and give utilities the real-time insight needed to face a changing climate.

Innovation driving resilience and performance

From advanced materials and high-efficiency pumping to AI-enabled monitoring, BIM design, integrated security, and infrastructure-scale resilience planning, this issue’s features highlight the diverse tools and strategies shaping the future of water management. Together, they show how innovation, engineering and long-term vision are strengthening reliability, improving service delivery, and preparing systems for a changing climate.

Badger Meter – Optimising drinking water treatment with BlueEdge™

Badger Meter presents how its BlueEdge™ digital ecosystem enhances visibility and control across drinking water treatment and distribution. Turning data into actionable insight helps operators refine performance and safeguard water quality more effectively.

ACCIONA – PPPs advancing resilient, sustainable utilities

ACCIONA explores how public-private partnerships expand service coverage and modernise infrastructure in complex markets. The company shows how these models can strengthen financial sustainability and help utilities plan with long-term resilience in mind.

Almar Water Solutions – Building a regional platform in Australia–Asia Pacific

Almar Water Solutions describes how its regional platform blends global expertise with local capability to deliver utility-scale solutions. This approach ensures that regional challenges are met with fit-for-purpose strategies supported by strong operational foundations.

SWPC – Shaping a sustainable water future through partnerships

Saudi Arabia’s SWPC outlines its strategy for developing resilient infrastructure supported by national talent and an expanding PPP pipeline. By aligning public priorities with private-sector expertise, it aims to reinforce service reliability and accelerate sector-wide transformation.

Molecor – Oriented PVC for reliable water infrastructure

Molecor showcases how oriented PVC provides durability, safety and efficiency for modern water networks. Its solutions aim to reduce losses, extend asset life and support utilities facing ageing infrastructure and increasing demand.

ICEX – Financing resilience in climate-exposed regions

ICEX examines how international financial tools support countries in addressing climate-exacerbated natural disasters. By unlocking blended and multilateral financing, these mechanisms help accelerate essential infrastructure upgrades.

Ingeteam – High-head pumping solutions for major wastewater systems

Ingeteam highlights high-head submersible pumping systems designed for the demanding conditions of large wastewater facilities. These technologies offer reliable performance under pressure, supporting long-term system stability and operational continuity.

WEG – Efficiency gains through smart drive technology

WEG presents the value of variable frequency drives in improving energy efficiency and operational control. By optimising pump and motor performance, these systems help utilities reduce costs while maintaining consistent service levels.

Aqualia – BIM and reality capture transforming water management

Aqualia demonstrates how BIM and reality-capture tools enhance treatment-plant design and streamline construction workflows. The approach creates a clearer, data-rich environment for long-term asset planning and operational management.

Samotics – Electrical-signal monitoring for pump reliability

Samotics explains how electrical-signal analysis enables early detection of hidden faults across pumping systems. This visibility reduces unplanned outages and strengthens network resilience by allowing timely, targeted maintenance.

StormHarvester – AI alerts improving pump-station performance

StormHarvester shows how AI-enabled alerting transformed Southern Water’s shift from reactive to proactive pump-station operations. The system improves accuracy, reduces nuisance alarms and helps staff focus on issues that truly require attention.

ALCEA – Integrated security for safer water networks

ALCEA details how integrated physical and digital security strengthens protection across critical water assets. Its approach helps utilities simplify compliance, improve incident response and build trust through safer operations.

Hexagon – Digital workflows for modern utility operations

Hexagon shows how digitised workflows and unified operations systems help organisations manage ageing infrastructure and regulatory requirements. The integrated approach enables staff to work more efficiently while maintaining service continuity and compliance.

Bentley Systems – Infrastructure AI for complex water networks

Reporting from Bentley Systems’ YII event, this article outlines how infrastructure-driven AI and unified data environments support engineering teams under increasing complexity. The discussions showed how these technologies reduce manual tasks, improve modelling accuracy and reinforce data-driven decisions across assets.

Jacobs – Odense’s path to energy-positive wastewater treatment

Jacobs recounts the collaboration behind Denmark’s energy-positive Ejby Mølle Water Resource Recovery Facility. The project demonstrates how modelling, innovation and phased investment can turn a legacy plant into a clean-energy contributor.

Metro Vancouver – Deep-tunnel resilience for future water security

An inside view of Metro Vancouver’s deep-tunnel programme, one of Canada’s most ambitious infrastructure investments. Designed for seismic strength and long-term capacity, the tunnels will help secure drinking water for generations.

Opinion: perspectives on transformation and resilience

This edition of Smart Water Magazine brings together ten thought leaders, from investors and utility partners to technology experts, economists and policy voices, who share their perspectives on the forces shaping the future of water. Their articles span themes such as financing and investment, digital intelligence, reuse, cybersecurity, industrial efficiency, regional transformation and long-term planning. Collectively, their insights highlight both the urgency of today’s challenges and the creativity emerging across the sector, offering a broad spectrum of expertise to help guide water organisations through rapid change and rising pressures.

• Aleem Remtula, Managing Director, Private Equity and Infrastructure Investments, WaterEquity
• Apurv Johari, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, Itron
• Austin Alexander, Vice President of AI Solutions and Impact, Xylem
• Bruno Pigott, Executive Director, The WateReuse Association
• Carlos Cosín, CEO, Almar Water Solutions
• Georges Almeida, Partner, Roland Berger
• Michael Bjorn, Vice President & Head of Danfoss HighPressure Pumps, Danfoss
• Sarah Taylor, Senior Environmental Economist, WRc Group
• Sasha Pailet Koff, Managing Director, Cyber Readiness Institute
• Traci Minamide, Program Manager, CDM Smith