10 July, Singapore - The Leading Utilities of the World (LUOW) network inaugurated four new members during Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2018. With the newest inauguration event, the LUOW network now includes 32 members in total, all of which represent the gold standard of utility innovation and performance.

The four new utilities accepted for LUOW membership were:

•    Queensland Urban Utilities, Australia (represented by Louise Dudley, CEO)

•    Houston Water, USA (represented by Yvonne Forrest, Director)

•    Water Supplies Department, HKSARG (represented by Chau Sai Wai, Deputy Director)

•    Phoenix Water Services, USA (represented by Kathryn Sorensen, Director)

The four new member utilities were approved and accepted into the network by the LUOW Advisory Board, which in Singapore included additional honorary Advisory Board members from among the current network: Budapest Waterworks, represented by the CEO Csaba Haranghy; York Region Environmental Services, represented by the Commissioner Erin Mahoney and the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, represented by the Commissioner Kishia Powell.

In order to join LUOW network, representatives from each of the utilities are required to present three of their innovation successes which are considered to be outstanding on a global scale, out of 14 potential innovation areas of the network.

In Singapore, some of the most notable innovations included Queensland Urban Utilities’ ‘Poo Car,’ which was not only Australia’s first vehicle which runs using electricity derived from sewage, but also a significant leverage point for stakeholder engagement.

Meanwhile, Houston Water developed the Houston Technology Demonstration Hub which connects operational, technical and economic innovation to foster pervasive water-related innovation and urban prosperity.

The actions of Phoenix Water Services have reduced water consumption rates by an impressive 30% in the last two decades, saving 1.9 trillion litres of water.

Similarly, the Hong Kong Water Supplies Department managed to reduce per capita electricity consumption for fresh and raw water by 14% over the last 12 years, creating triple bottom line benefits for the utility and the community.

These examples add to the substantial variety of utility innovations already exhibited by the network’s membership, which include initiatives ranging from responses to drought, floods and water quality, to stellar financial management, business development, and productivity measures.

Reflecting on her utility’s new membership of LUOW, CEO Louise Dudley of Queensland Urban Utilities stated: “As an organisation committed to fostering innovative ideas, Queensland Urban Utilities is thrilled to join the Leading Utilities of the World network. We are looking forward to sharing knowledge and ideas with other pioneering utilities to help drive performance excellence across the sector.”

Hong Kong’s Mr. Chau Sai Wai said: “Water Supplies Department (WSD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is honoured to be part of this notable international water utilities network pursuing excellence. Receiving this recognition is a strong testament of our hard work and dedication to innovation which is embraced by all staff in our department.

All along, WSD aims at striving for the best quality service in water supplies in Hong Kong. We face similar challenges as in many water utilities in the world. The Leading Utilities of the World network provides connections to the sharing of the best practices and state-of-the-art technologies of the leading water utilities. We can definitely gain immense benefits from their successful experience and innovative ideas and we would also like to share ours with the water industry.”

The LUOW session at SIWW also saw two LUOW members, PUB Singapore and Budapest Waterworks, sign a Memorandum of Understanding, which illustrated the high level of cooperation among the current LUOW laureates.

With the addition of Queensland Urban Utilities, the LUOW network now includes three Australian utilities as members and represents over thirty of world’s gold standard utilities in total.

The LUOW network will next come together at the American Water Summit in Philadelphia, on 24-26 October 2018. The Summit will feature the next inauguration ceremony, where five utilities will present their successes in the network’s innovation areas and be accepted for LUOW membership.

Find out more about the Leading Utilities of the World Network and its activities here: www.leadingutilities.org.

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Notes to Editors:

Leading Utilities of the World (LUOW) is a network of the world's most forward-thinking water and wastewater utilities, as defined by the network’s 14 distinct innovation areas. Its members represent the Gold Standard of utility innovation and performance throughout the developed world’s water sector.

LUOW is an initiative of the Global Water Leaders Group, a non-profit organisation of water utility leaders, aiming to create a better story for water worldwide.

The LUOW network will next come together at the American Water Summit in Philadelphia on 24 – 26 October 2018. Find out more about the summit agenda here: www.americanwatersummit.com.

Contact the Leading Utilities of the World here

For enquiries regarding the Global Water Leaders Group, contact the Secretary General, Samantha Yates at sy@globalwaterleaders.org.

For enquiries regarding corporate membership in the LUOW network, contact Abigail Edwards of the Leading Utilities of the World team at a.smith@leadingutilities.org.

Press contact: Ana Budimir (a.budimir@leadingutilities.org), Water Leaders Ltd, Suite C, Kingsmead House, Oxpens Road, Oxford OX1 1XX, UK. Tel: +44 1865 204208 www.leadingutilities.org/.