BLOG: My First Satellite Forum: Insights on Wastewater and Potable Water Leakage Management

Attending the SUEZ/ASTERRA Satellite Forum for the first time was an incredible experience – informative, insightful, and enjoyable. The forum offered a fantastic opportunity to dive deep into critical discussions around wastewater and potable water leakage management, while also connecting with industry experts and like-minded peers.

Day 1: Wastewater Focus

The first day centered around wastewater management—an area close to my heart given my professional background. It was particularly exciting to hear about the various challenges faced by different organizations and how they prioritize network maintenance and risk management.

Nick Haskins kicked off the day with a welcoming speech, lightening the mood with humour about his "lack of a space PhD" that drew a few chuckles. I followed with a presentation on the Ofwat Innovation Fund, preceded by a light-hearted demonstration of my satellite-making skills. It was a pleasure to see so much engagement from the audience.

Steve Carlaw from Anglian Water took the stage with an insightful case study, sharing how they leverage points of interest (POIs) provided by satellite data. He also introduced The Hive, Anglian’s innovative data platform designed to shift from reactive to proactive network management. I’m excited to see how this will help streamline their operations.

Day two shifted focus to potable water. Once again, Nick Haskins welcomed us and shared his wealth of experience in the water industry, with over 30 years of expertise.

Jaryd van Daalen opened the day’s presentations with a humorous anecdote about the Isle of Man and its famous TT races. His small team has seen dramatic improvements in leak detection through the use of satellite POIs, which has nearly doubled their findings—many of which revealed multiple leaks. Jarryd also highlighted the invaluable support provided by Jason Griffin and his team in this process.

Once again, Luke, Lewis, and Mylo stole the show with another live demonstration—this time with tap water from the Space Centre itself! Luke shared how Mylo had helped Anglian Water verify previously quiet POIs, discovering nine new leaks in the process. It was another testament to the practical benefits of combining technology with innovative solutions like scent detection.

Chris Utton from Anglian Water provided a lively and insightful presentation on trunk main leakage, explaining how their focus has shifted due to the improvement of their general distribution network. He also shared stories of working with Luke’s team to verify POIs, delivering a blend of information and humour that kept the audience engaged.

Roy Zenou from ASTERRA gave a brief overview of upcoming updates to their dashboard, followed by lunch and another enjoyable exploration of the Space Centre’s exhibits.

Mike Davies provided an engaging and interactive session on Inflowmatix, using wooden coffee sticks to demonstrate the impact of pressure on systems—a clever and amusing analogy that resonated with everyone.

Finally, Adriano Camino from Brazil joined via video conference, despite the early hour in his time zone. Adriano gave a detailed account of the challenges Brazil faces, particularly the lack of regulatory oversight compared to the UK. His passionate explanation of the massive water loss challenges—two-thirds from leakage and one-third from commercial losses—offered valuable insight into the global nature of the issues we’re tackling. It was a pleasure to hear from him again, having met him earlier this year in Munich.

After two days of inspiring discussions, knowledge sharing, and networking, the forum came to a close. It was an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with old colleagues from Anglian Water and meet new professionals from across the industry. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event and the continued progress we’ll make together.

Emma Lean is a Sales Engineer at SUEZ, a global leader in environmental solutions. With a strong background in the wastewater industry, primarily with Anglian Water, Emma joined the SUEZ Leakage Team in 2024. She now specialises in satellite surveillance for wastewater and continues to expand her expertise in potable water leak detection techniques.