Efficient water management discussed at the utility services conference

Safe drinking water supply. Efficient water management. Utility services through time. Value of water. All these and more were the topics discussed at the utility services conference which took place in Podčetrtek on 19 and 20 September. Petrol, one of the initiators of the conference, was on hand to present its energy and environmental solutions. They provided details of how they are helping towns and cities to ensure safe and reliable supplies of drinking water, how they view the water cycle and the sectors in which they can provide help through innovative solutions. One theme touched upon at the conference was that of information security and critical infrastructure.  

Since time immemorial, water has connected people and been an existential precondition for social development. This 9th utility services conference focused on the impact of the development of utilities activities on contemporary society. Water management cannot be limited, and it is this area that demonstrates how interdependent we are.

Petrol’s deeper mission and its promise is to improve the quality of life of all stakeholders. Good cooperation between the public sector and industry is of key importance to the development of society. Numerous examples of good practice were discussed and presented at the conference. Petrol outlined how it has transformed itself and adapted its business models through time and in response to current development trends. Efficient water management and energy use are key to maintaining quality of life as well the existence of our planet.  

Another major focus of the conference was the reliability of water supply, a key service that users are entitled to expect. Water sources are under increasing pressure from the growth in urban areas. In tandem with climate change, this presents a serious challenge – a challenge made all the more urgent by the ageing of water-supply infrastructure and the high water losses for which it is responsible. Integrated approaches to the management and optimisation of resources, at the infrastructural as well as operational levels, are required. It is vital that these challenges are addressed today and that water, a natural resource, is managed in an efficient way.

The careful management of drinking and waste water is becoming the highest priority of society, and the legislation is becoming ever-stricter in response. Our understanding of waste water is changing. Today, we are beginning to use the term “used water”, which is an important step towards sustainable management and the transition to a circular economy. At Petrol, we believe that we can have an important positive effect on the quality and sustainability of water resources by treating water properly.

The world we inhabit today is marked by digital transformation and connection – and by the interdependence of people, enterprises and nature. We have to manage resources, create and develop together. If we wish to preserve the planet for those who come after us, we must come together to address the current challenges and make the most of what we have.