Accelerating Transformation to Tackle Water Pollution Risk for Anglian Water
We facilitated a 3-day strategic sprint to align stakeholders, build core assets, and rapidly mobilise a data and risk transformation programme.
Context
Confronting the Realities of Water Pollution Incidents
Anglian Water manages a complex infrastructure network, operating under intense environmental and financial scrutiny due to pollution incidents. With increasing regulatory and public pressure, the need for faster, more adaptive solutions — beyond slow-moving capital investment — became urgent.
The challenge: move from reactive fixes to a proactive, predictive strategy for managing pollution risks, optimising resources, and delivering measurable ROI.
Anglian Water engaged Studio Zao to jumpstart its transformation agenda, aiming to get from boardroom ambition to tangible action at pace. Our objective was to align business unit leaders across functions — asset intelligence, service delivery, optimisation, strategy, finance — on a shared roadmap for pollution risk management and rapidly co-create the assets required to operationalise it.
Approach
We convened a 3-day in-person “Lab” with senior stakeholders from across the business. This was not a conceptual workshop, but a curated, high-tempo environment designed to translate strategy into delivery:
Day 1: Aligned on frameworks, data assets, and ROI/value approach
Day 2: Co-designed an end-to-end intervention process for data-driven risk prevention, developing programme assets and deliverables
Day 3: Finalised all assets; agreed on governance, RACI, and communications plans to sustain momentum
Our facilitation focused on breaking silos, clarifying ownership, and accelerating decision-making.
Impact
Within three days, Anglian Water had gone from discussion to delivery:
A first version of a robust data model for pollution risk
An actionable process map for collaboration across teams
A governance structure and clear RACI for immediate rollout
A risk/value ROI framework, benefits tracker, and communications plan
Crucially, the assets were co-developed and co-owned by all relevant stakeholders, increasing both impact and implementation speed.
This Lab approach enabled Anglian Water to move from intent to action. Fast. The programme’s early momentum has set a benchmark for operationalising transformation in the industry: reducing wasted time and resources, and ensuring sustainable, proactive management of pollution risk.