Our Future Drainage 2025 event brought together local authorities, the Environment Agency, government and industry specialists to explore how collaboration, data and shared expertise can help the sector adapt to the realities of climate change.
Speakers and delegates discussed how drainage management must evolve in response to more extreme weather - from using data to guide proactive maintenance, to aligning national and local priorities for flood resilience.
Ellie Coleby (pictured), Flood Team Leader at Suffolk County Council, captured the spirit of the day:
“Events like this are vital for breaking down silos. The only way we can adapt to changing climate and funding pressures is by finding new opportunities to work together.”
Her comments echoed one of the day’s strongest themes: that connection between teams, datasets and departments is key to improving resilience.
John Lamb, Chair of the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Adaptation, Biodiversity and Climate Board, opened the event by calling for “a community of practice” — professionals across the sector working collectively to prioritise resources, use data intelligently, and strengthen resilience across local networks.
Presentations from Emily See (LGTAG), Doug Maxted and Graeme Forward (KaarbonTech), Andrew Brett (Staffordshire County Council) and Ben Lukey (Environment Agency) explored how new approaches to data, modelling and asset visibility are shaping the future of flood management.
Reflecting on the event, Mark Entwistle, our Founder and Chairman, said:
“Future Drainage was designed to give the sector space to connect ideas with real-world delivery. What came through was an honest and constructive exchange, full of examples of what’s already working and how we can build on it together.”
Presentation recordings from the day are being released weekly across our LinkedIn Page, sharing insights from speakers and delegates throughout November and December.
Future Drainage 2025 reaffirmed the sector’s collective drive to build more resilient communities through shared learning, open data and collaboration across all levels of local government.
Discover how KaarbonTech helps authorities turn data into more resilient, connected communities — get in touch with us.