Article

MTD Sessions: The future of the event water sector – UK

The event water sector stands at a crossroads in several distinct areas: sustainability, water quality, and customer demands.

– By Will Janes –

As of 2023, there is already a considerable demand to show sustainability across all elements of the event sector. Water is no exception to this. The increased demand for MTD to provide water meters at festivals and sporting events is a clear indicator for this change. Transitioning from no sustainability initiatives to fully green is a gradual process, but measuring an event’s water usage is an essential first step on this path.

MTD aims to achieve complete sustainability in water use. This means not exceeding the water availability at an event site and not harming or depleting the local area’s water resources. We envision that in ten years, water tankering will no longer be a service option, and all water used on-site will be recycled and reused. This goal hinges on the success of the Silver Line unit currently under testing, along with future developments.

Legislation is likely to fuel these developments. Persistent droughts and hosepipe bans are already common in parts of the UK. Additionally, we’ve observed mains water supply to event sites being restricted. It seems probable that domestic and event water usage will be subject to quotas—imagine a limit of 2 liters per person per day. At such a juncture, accurate water measurement will become indispensable, alongside systems that avoid wastage and enable the reuse of water for sanitation facilities. MTD possesses the tools and technology to support these needs and is committed to enhancing our systems to stay ahead of the curve.

Water quality has become a pressing concern for our water suppliers, affecting the quality of water in our rivers and seas. With legal accountability for water quality set to rise on the agendas of licensing authorities, events must stay ahead of these evolving standards. In the next decade, on-the-spot and instant water testing will become standard practice. As we grow to understand temporary water systems better, the importance of water management planning and response to water quality issues will increase. Companies that can offer equipment like UV filters and demonstrate the best practices will thrive in the public event sector.

The UK’s events industry is among the most advanced globally, featuring some of the finest suppliers and a consumer base always in search of new experiences. To sustain attendance, events will increasingly cater to a slightly older, more affluent demographic, as evidenced by the surge in the ‘Glamping’ market over the past ten years. This shift is also propelling the need for high-quality sanitation facilities, with a move away from standard plastic chemical toilets to premium units. Similarly, sustainability efforts will likely lead to the replacement of full-flush toilets (using 5–6 liters per flush) with water-saving vacuum toilets (0.5 liters per flush).

Over the coming decade, attendees will increasingly seek access to drinking water, mirroring the decline in alcohol consumption. There will be a concerted effort to decrease the use of bottled water, with individual reusable bottles becoming the standard.

MTD’s system aligns perfectly with these trends, offering various end-user points and boasting a design that’s flexible and adaptable to any event site configuration.