What is/was your role in CENTAUR®?
Since joining EMS, James has driven the transition from innovation into commercial delivery, working across our water company clients to build an understanding of the CENTAUR® system, how to model it and how to demonstrate benefit in comparison with traditional solutions.
What key areas of your expertise were relevant to this project?
James has worked in urban drainage for 25 years focussing on wastewater network strategy, flood mitigation and storm overflow management. With a background in sewerage modelling and an extensive network across the sector, he works with clients, consultants and contractors to develop understanding, realise opportunity and integrate CENTAUR® into business as usual thought processes.
James is also currently the Chair of CIWEMs Urban Drainage Group, which enables a strategic voice promoting CENTAUR® across the sector.
What challenges did you help address during the project?
Coming from a modelling background into EMS, James identified the need to build wider understanding of the solution, how it operates and how rapidly it can be tested as a solution within that modelling environment. He has subsequently worked with multiple stakeholders to build understanding and experience to enable CENTAUR® to be thought of and promoted as a solution to environmental challenges.
What is your most significant achievement or proudest moment from this project?
Receiving a copy of the Severn Trent Water Design Manual which had a section on specifying CENTAUR® as a solution and contributing to the Standard Operating Procedure for modelling CENTAUR® which sits alongside it.
What did you find most rewarding about working on this project?
A fantastic team and a collaborative environment. We’re all willing to help out across all aspects of the project and it has been a great journey to get to where we are now. I am sure this will continue into AMP8!
What do you think this project’s influence will be?
The opportunity to drive quick wins to environmental challenges is going to be significant. Combining CENTAUR® with wider catchment solutions as part of an adaptive pathway will ensure that we not only sweat the assets that are in the ground now, but continue to optimise performance as the catchment evolves over time.
