STREAM alumnus Dr Ben Ward is an Institute of Water "Rising Star"

Congratulations to STREAM alumnus Dr Ben Ward for his outstanding achievement in being identified as an Institute of Water “Rising Star”.

Ben completed his STREAM EngD in Infrastructure Asset Management, sponsored by AECOM. He has since worked for AECOM as an Associate Director, before joining South West Water in April 2017 as their Drinking Water Asset Manager.

The “Rising Stars” initiative recognises eight individuals in the UK water utility sector with the potential and drive to succeed within the water industry. The programme provides a collection of unique opportunities to develop the skills needed for professional excellence within the water sector. In his message to the water industry, Ben talked about data analytics:

The water industry is evolving… It is rising to the challenge of managing aging infrastructure, meeting improved environmental/water quality standards and providing a better and more resilient service to customer – despite an affordability challenge which is putting pressure on companies to reduce customer bills.

Data analytics coupled with mobile, sensory and automated technologies is making it possible for us to better understand and manage asset performance. We have successfully proven the ability to manage nearly all aspects of performance in real-time, and in some cases, even predict or prevent events from happening. I believe therefore, that if we want to continue meeting these challenges, we need to expand the deployment of such technologies across our asset base and support technology companies in the accelerated development of their new ideas.