Chris Matthews, Head of Sustainability at United Utilities and vice chair of Greater Manchester Natural Capital Group, has highlighted the important role that water plays in nature recovery and climate change.

Speaking at the NCG’s recent virtual Natural Capital Conference, told 400-plus delegates about the work United Utilities is doing and the importance of collaboration to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, from too much water, too little and water of the right quality.

Attendees from the public, private and third sectors represented interests ranging from highways and infrastructure, health and social care, planning, development and regeneration, nature based solutions and green finance.

Describing some of the initiatives United Utilities is delivering to provide such benefits, he highlighted two in particular - Wastewater Dynamic Network Management and the company’s Catchment Systems Thinking (CaST).

Chris Matthews said:

“Wastewater Dynamic Network Management is going to use technology to collect real time data which will help us take a pre-emptive approach to wastewater network problems, so that customers won’t have to tell us when a problem occurs. We will already know of potential flood risk so we can prevent sewer flooding in peoples’ homes and reduce pollution incidents across the beautiful North West.”

“United Utilities’ innovative CaST approach looks at a river catchment as an entire system rather than a series of isolated issues.

“CaST takes us beyond our catchment land, looking at the wider environment, incorporating natural capital decision to consider what is best for the environment, customers and communities by integrating risks and driving multiple natural capital benefits.“

United Utilities recently created a £300,000 CaST Fund from which charities and community groups were able to seek funding to connect people to nature and to find ways to develop natural capital markets . It will help to unlock additional external funding to support environmental improvements in the North West of England.

The conference also heard how collectively society needs to come together to act differently in order to become more resilient. For example, how to limit the amount of surface water entering the combined sewer system, by embedding SUDs into the planning system to not only help slow the flow, but create places for nature.

Or, when it comes to reducing water use, the role building regulations standards can play to ensure all new homes are built with fittings and appliances that meet a minimum water efficiency label rating.