A RECAP OF THE 2019 BOREHOLE USERS CONFERENCE

November 13, 2019

The Borehole Users Conference returned on November 7th covering all things borehole rehabilitation. The well-established event is essential to attend for anyone who uses, manages, owns or plans to develop a private water supply.


This year the conference delved into methods of improving yield, water quality and reducing risk. With such hot topics discussed we reformatted the conference allowing industry experts more time to share knowledge. In addition, we recognised a requirement to discuss the increasing burden of the 2018 amendment to the Private Water Supplies Regulations and established a dedicated workshop for EHOs.

The event held its buzz throughout the day as we welcomed returning and new exhibitors as well as the largest number of delegates to date. Hear all about the conference proceedings and our excellent line up of industry experts below:

Dr Georg Houben, our keynote speaker and Deputy head of the “Groundwater Resources” department at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources in Hannover, kicked the conference off to a great start discussing Water Well Rehabilitation.

Phil Merrin, previously of United Utilities, led on from Georg to offer a water company perspective of the proactive versus reactive maintenance and rehabilitation of boreholes.

Dr Phil Ham, Managing Director of Envireau Water shared his knowledge of what Borehole Rehabilitation means to real operators in practice.

Our first afternoon workshop ‘Practical Rehabilitation, the State of the Art’ continued the focus on borehole rehabilitation. James Whitford of European Geophysical Services enlightened delegates on the various techniques of borehole geophysics.

Professor Rick Brassington, Visiting Professor at Newcastle University, discussed the effectiveness of chemical cleaning within boreholes.

Michael Bushby, Borehole Engineering Services (Drilcorp), closed workshop one with a look into the advantages of restoring boreholes with high pressure jetting equipment.

Jamie Blackwell, the Director of Groundwater Solutions introduced workshop two ‘Private Water Supply Boreholes, What the EHO Needs to Know’ with an insight into what lies beneath our feet and how groundwater systems work.

Adam Neillings of Prosep Filter Systems Ltd discussed domestic and small supply water treatment options covering how they work, what they look like and how to identify them on site.

Paul Avis and Sara Watson from Eden District Council closed Workshop two with a comprehensible explanation of the Private Water Supplies Regulations in terms of risk assessments and sampling.

The day concluded with a plenary session and an update from Dr Georg Houben and Envireau Water’s Chairman, James Dodds, on progress with the development of a European Standard for Water Supply Borehole Design and Construction.


During refreshment breaks and lunch, delegates had the chance to browse our highly acclaimed trade exhibition covering drillers, pump and equipment suppliers, laboratory services, geophysics, monitoring equipment and more

WHAT DID THE DELEGATES HAVE TO SAY?


“Practical, relevant, informed – not to be missed!”


“A really useful conference covering a range of really relevant & useful topics, from a variety of perspectives. Will definitely attend again in the future.”


“A great opportunity for water professionals to discuss the topic of borehole rehabilitation and to network & learn from each other.”


“Fascinating look into a borehole, not sure if I have a rusty pump eating hole or an asset! Funds allowing, I am inspired to proceed.”


“Great to meet people of the industry and put faces to names!”


” Always very well structured so that all delegates have a useful and very informative day. Venue and presentations all top class.”


“As always very informative, well balanced and professionally organised.”


“First foray into borehole management was very successful!”


THE PRESENTATIONS



All the presentations are now available in the Envireau Knowledge section of our website.


Envireau Knowledge is hosted by Envireau Water. It provides a forum for sharing and allows you to access an invaluable range of information and analysis, and the best part is…it’s totally FREE.


Share

By Rachael Plant June 5, 2025
Across the globe, plastic pollution is becoming an increasingly crucial topic, with an estimated 400 million tonnes being produced every year world wide. While the focus is often on visible plastic (including bottles, bags, and packaging), a growing body of research is turning its attention to the invisible threat of microplastics and emerging contaminants, which are increasingly finding their way into water sources, food chains and even the air we breathe.  What are microplastics? Microplastics are a growing threat to the health of our planet. Despite being barely visible, these tiny plastic particles account for roughly 8% of global plastic waste, a number that is set to increase in the coming years.
By Rachael Plant May 28, 2025
We officially unveiled our newest office location in April last year! Known as a hub of Hydrogeology, our Shrewsbury office sits in the heart of the town and is a testament to our growth and a strategic move to better serve our clients in the West Midlands and Wales. We're excited to introduce you to our skilled experts! Tamsin Morey: Having joined in 2003, Principal Water Resources Specialist Tamsin has over 20 years consulting experience, with her role focusing primarily on water resource management and high level regulator negotiation. Tamsin manages projects primarily within the agricultural and food & drink industries, with expertise ranging from catchment-scale water resource assessments to the delivery of detailed site-specific solutions to solve specific client issues.
By Rachael Plant May 21, 2025
Welcome to our Melbourne office in Derbyshire! Connecting you to both Derby and Leicester, this charming market town is surrounded by beautiful countryside and a multitude of boutique shops and delicious bakeries! We're excited to introduce you to our talented professionals! Lauren Moore: A Chartered Manager (Fellow) with an MSc in Management and Leadership, Lauren joined Envireau Water in 2018 and now leads business operations across the company’s four offices, playing a central role in shaping and delivering the company's strategic direction. Lauren’s expertise spans project and change management, business innovation, digital transformation and marketing, with a strong focus on improving operational efficiency and supporting sustainable growth.
Show More
By Rachael Plant June 5, 2025
Across the globe, plastic pollution is becoming an increasingly crucial topic, with an estimated 400 million tonnes being produced every year world wide. While the focus is often on visible plastic (including bottles, bags, and packaging), a growing body of research is turning its attention to the invisible threat of microplastics and emerging contaminants, which are increasingly finding their way into water sources, food chains and even the air we breathe.  What are microplastics? Microplastics are a growing threat to the health of our planet. Despite being barely visible, these tiny plastic particles account for roughly 8% of global plastic waste, a number that is set to increase in the coming years.
By Rachael Plant May 28, 2025
We officially unveiled our newest office location in April last year! Known as a hub of Hydrogeology, our Shrewsbury office sits in the heart of the town and is a testament to our growth and a strategic move to better serve our clients in the West Midlands and Wales. We're excited to introduce you to our skilled experts! Tamsin Morey: Having joined in 2003, Principal Water Resources Specialist Tamsin has over 20 years consulting experience, with her role focusing primarily on water resource management and high level regulator negotiation. Tamsin manages projects primarily within the agricultural and food & drink industries, with expertise ranging from catchment-scale water resource assessments to the delivery of detailed site-specific solutions to solve specific client issues.
By Rachael Plant May 21, 2025
Welcome to our Melbourne office in Derbyshire! Connecting you to both Derby and Leicester, this charming market town is surrounded by beautiful countryside and a multitude of boutique shops and delicious bakeries! We're excited to introduce you to our talented professionals! Lauren Moore: A Chartered Manager (Fellow) with an MSc in Management and Leadership, Lauren joined Envireau Water in 2018 and now leads business operations across the company’s four offices, playing a central role in shaping and delivering the company's strategic direction. Lauren’s expertise spans project and change management, business innovation, digital transformation and marketing, with a strong focus on improving operational efficiency and supporting sustainable growth.
By Rachael Plant May 20, 2025
As much as we all love the sunshine and have been embracing the recent warmer weather spell across the UK, the prolonged dry conditions are now raising concerns that England may be at risk of a potential drought this summer. Following an exceptionally sunny and dry April, which experienced just over 56% of usual rainfall, the start of May was also the warmest on record, surpassing the previous high set in 1990. With water resources already strained, it is more important than ever that proactive measures are promptly adopted to mitigate this risk, promote water conservation and avoid the potential for future restrictions. We asked Principal Water Resources Specialist, Tamsin Morey , for her thoughts on the matter... Tamsin, what dangers are we already seeing in the UK?
Show More