19th Conference of the UK Water Network on Drinking Water Production from Source to Tap | 2026

Our annual conference of the UK Water Network took place at Cranfield University on Wednesday 24 June 2026.

This conference was the nineteenth in an annual series focusing on drinking water production from source to tap. Attendees of the conference hade the excellent opportunity to get the latest information on water treatment and supply, and interact on the topic with scientists and researchers from water utilities and leading global academic institutions.

Event Programme

Once again we welcomed exceptional speakers to discuss water treatment technologies, water monitoring, distribution system, water quality and catchment management.

• Ron Hofmann, Professor, University of Toronto, Canada. Reimagining GAC for Conventional Drinking Water Treatment (Keynote)
• Bojan Tamburic, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Deputy Director of the UNSW Water Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Australia. Managing nuisance and harmful algae in drinking water reservoirs: insights from Australia.
• Jonathan Manley, Process Scientist, Water Science Team, Scottish Water, UK. Using zeta potential to tackle the DBP challenge in Scotland.
• Alice Elder, Water Quality manager for Policy and Strategy and Imogen Chastell, Catchment Scientist, Affinity Water, UK. Blackford Water Treatment Works – Behind the Headlines. (Slides Not Available).
• Matthew Jones, Public Health Manager and Jörgen Jönsson, Water Quality Manger and Strategic Carbon Manager, Wessex Water, UK. PFAS at Wessex Water.
• Rory Downham, Research Fellow, University of Warwick, UK. Investigation into the electrochemical degradation of PFBS and 6:2 FTAB (‘forever chemicals’): insights for water treatment processing.
• Priya Dharwadkar, Research Fellow, Cranfield University, UK. PFAS destruction in drinking water waste streams.
• Claire Franklin, Water Quality Manager, Leep Utilities, UK. Lead – what is all the fuss about? (Keynote)
• Edward D. John, Research Associate, The University of Sheffield, UK. Pipe Asset Health: The Role of Fatigue Loading and Corrosion in the Evolution of Leaks and Bursts.

Our session dedicated to early career researchers, consisting of 5 minute flash presentations, did not disapoint with a best presentation prize sponsored by the IWA UK Committee awarded to Sayyad Muhammad Ali Rizvi, Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, UK for his presentation on the role of micro-nanobubbles in dissolved air flotation for the removal of micropollutants in drinking water treatment.

Sponsor

The 19th conference of the UK Water Network wass ponsored by Puragen

Advanced Activated Carbon Solutions for Comprehensive Water Treatment.

Puragen delivers advanced activated carbon technologies for the purification of wastewater, drinking water, process water, and urban water systems — ensuring the efficient and sustainable removal of hazardous contaminants including PFAS.

Puragen provides complete, end-to-end solutions, integrating high-performance FiltraPure® activated carbons with AquaSorber® mobile filtration systems to ensure compliance, safety, and reliability across diverse water treatment processes.

Puragen collaborates closely with its customers to design and implement tailored purification strategies, from carbon selection and system design to installation, change-out, and reactivation.

Supported by our R&D and regeneration facility, Puragen leads innovation in circular water treatment technologies, helping operators meet today’s most demanding water quality and sustainability challenges..