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ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE (FRESH)WATER MANAGEMENT: THE ROLE & CONTRIBUTION OF CONSULTANTS

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE (FRESH)WATER MANAGEMENT: THE ROLE & CONTRIBUTION OF CONSULTANTS. COLIN FENN Managing Director, HR Wallingford Ltd Chair, CIWEM Water Resources Panel. CONSULTANTS: A VERY MIXED BUNCH. ECONOMICS CONSULTANTS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS

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ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE (FRESH)WATER MANAGEMENT: THE ROLE & CONTRIBUTION OF CONSULTANTS

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  1. ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE (FRESH)WATER MANAGEMENT:THE ROLE & CONTRIBUTION OF CONSULTANTS COLIN FENN Managing Director, HR Wallingford Ltd Chair, CIWEM Water Resources Panel

  2. CONSULTANTS: A VERY MIXED BUNCH ECONOMICS CONSULTANTS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS (& Management Consultants) Specialists Oligopolists SMEs ………………………………….…….. FTSE350s Stakeholder Consultation

  3. CONSULTANTS: ALWAYS EXPERT Warren’s Rule: To spot the expert, pick the one who predicts the job will take the longest and cost the most(Murphy’s Law Book 2, A Bloch, 1980)

  4. CONSULTANTS: BUT WHAT DO THEY DO? • Butt of 1000 jokes • But indispensable, as providers of required services: • Manpower nb - Consultants hate body-shopping staff • Ideas, concepts, methodologies • Analysis • Designs • Advice (Solutions) • Products (software, systems, technologies) • Managed Services, Outsourced Services, PFI Providers • FY0203 fees, Engineering Consultants: Top 50 = £4.36Bn; Top 10 in Water = £1bn from Water work alone

  5. CONSULTANTS: WHAT HAVE THEY EVER DONE FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT?

  6. URBEM - Urban River Basin Enhancement Methods CONSULTANTS: AND NOW? eg1 URBEM • Tools to help decision makers assess and prioritise rivers for enhancement Economic regeneration Ecology Recreation and Amenity Water quality Aesthetics

  7. URBEM - Urban River Basin Enhancement Methods …. By identifying where investment will achieve the greatest benefit Potential for Enhancement 100 90 80 70 60 Current % of potential 50 Postscheme 40 30 20 10 0 Ecology Amenity Aesthetics Regeneration Water quality … assisting the Agency to prioritise WFD driven restoration, nationally & locally

  8. SMURF - a GIS-based tool for determining Sustainable Management solutions for Urban Rivers & their Floodplains CONSULTANTS: AND NOW? eg2 SMURF

  9. SMURF - a GIS-based tool for determining Sustainable Management solutions for Urban Rivers & their Floodplains SMURF System Agency Council MapInfo ArcView ArcGIS Agency / Severn Trent SMURF Severn Trent MapInfo WIMS River model Sewer model WISKI

  10. SMURF - a GIS-based tool for determining Sustainable Management solutions for Urban Rivers & their Floodplains

  11. RASP - a decision support system for Risk Assessment of Flood & Coastal Defence for Strategic Planning CONSULTANTS: AND NOW? eg3 RASP HR Wallingford, University of Bristol, Halcrow, John Chatterton and Associates Environment Agency (Risk and Uncertainty Theme / Strategic Planning) / Conwy BC

  12. Expected annual probability of flood inundation to a depth of 0m RASP - a decision support system for Risk Assessment of Flood & Coastal Defence for Strategic Planning HLM

  13. Dissemination tools Web-based, paper-based, media, face-to-face etc all using common information Common analysis methodologies Headline risk metrics Extracted from NFCDD risk terms (ensuring latest and most detail information used) Detailed Level Intermediate Level • Decision specific guidance and techniques • Each bespoked tool will require tailoring to the specific decisions being made, drawing in particular approaches in addition to the core analysis methodology. For example: • The type and significance of different receptors may differ between decisions • The approach to determining loading conditions (e.g CFMP guidance). • The detail required on defence condition (e.g condition assessment within PAMS.) • The type of event of interest - single events (e.g of interest in flood warning) to annual averages(for interest in economic appraisal) • Decision specific tools • A series of decision specific tools developed using common data and underpinning analysis methods • NaFRA (Policy tools) • MDSF (CFMP/SMP Strategy tools) • PAMS (O+M tools) • Flood forecasting and warning • Regulation • etc NFCDD Common risk metrics (probability of inundation curves, economic damages, no. of properties exposed to a given flood frequency etc) High Level Data improvements NFCDD Receptor terms (e.g. properties - FOCUS/AP, SVFI etc) NFCDD Source and pathway terms (e.g. loads, EFOs, defence data etc Data improvements RASP - a decision support system for Risk Assessment of Flood & Coastal Defence for Strategic Planning

  14. CONSULTANTS: AND NOW? eg4 WATER FOR LIFE • Johannesburg 2002: • water matters (1 of the 5 essentials for sustainable development) • goal = 0.5 those now without water & sanitation by 2015 • estimated funds needed = $US 20 bn/yr= 10% of global aid to water;c.f. actual % to water = 5%c.f. % UK aid to water = 2~3% • Funding needs to be effective - actions need to be taken up = uptake; not just a graveyard of research reports • Need to work with local communities to progress uptake (demand-led) • Funding needs …. to continue; priority needs to be given to water

  15. CONSULTANTS: AND NOW? eg4 WATER FOR LIFE • “... Water is needed for human consumption and also for agriculture. We need therefore to concentrate on sharing expertise, using aid to speed up investment in sustainable systems, and encouraging regulatory arrangements that deliver equitable services…” Clare Short, Guardian 23/08/2003 WHAT CAN WE PROVIDE, WORKING WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ? • Experience in virtually every part of the world, working in multi-disciplinary teams with local professionals. • Detailed knowledge of infrastructure, environment, governance and constraints. • Skills on the ground, in delivering projects which improve lives and environment. • Value-for-money.

  16. CONSULTANTS: NOTE: THEY’RE BOTTOM DWELLERS • Consultants work at the end of the Food Chain ... • do what Clients pay for • not always that which ought to be done • influencers, but not decision-makers • significant achievements, contributions ….. • but untapped potential, capability (despite partnering) • … and at the front-end of projects/programmes • where uncertainties are greatest • where gains/(losses) can be most • … but invariably not as soon could be / should be

  17. CONSULTANTS: WHAT MORE COULD THEY DO ....? • INTEGRATORS • TRAIL BLAZERS • ADVOCATES

  18. CONSULTANTS: GETTING MORE FROM THEM • CONTINUITY OF ENGAGEMENT • Turn off, turn down & they’ll switch resources elsewhere • Skills shortage? Level what’s there better • EARLY ENGAGEMENT • Get your advice in early - better solutions, lower Full Life Costs (cf doing as little as possible as late as possible) • TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT • Insurance is expensive, qualified (xN cover; no cherry-picking) • Liability stipulations in contracts often excessive • Unlimited is uninsurable, inappropriate & ineffective • £5m is …. OK, for big schemes; ridiculous for small jobs • OGC guidance should be understood & applied by Govt procurement Depts! PROPER PARTNERING value, not rate; outcomes not inputs; in at strategy stage, not just hired hands; in for the long run, with preference

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