With climate pressures, increasing demand and changes to water policy continuing to impact sports facilities and green spaces across the UK, the series will provide practical guidance on securing sustainable water supplies and developing future-proof strategies.

The first session, The Changing Water Landscape – What Leisure Operators Need to Know, will explore key topics including water regulation, abstraction licensing, water company planning and the National Framework for Water Resources.

For grounds professionals responsible for maintaining natural turf surfaces, understanding the changing water landscape is becoming increasingly important. Access to reliable water supplies is critical to sustaining healthy, safe and playable sports pitches, making effective water management a growing priority across the sector.

Register for the webinar here: The Changing Water Landscape – What Leisure Operators Need to Know

Building Water Resilience
The opening webinar forms part of a wider six-part programme aimed at helping leisure operators understand their water requirements, assess risks and develop resilient long-term water management plans.

Future sessions will cover:

• Know Your Water – Understanding Your Current Supply and Future Risk
  Understanding site water consumption, establishing a baseline, reviewing licences, assessing mains water dependency and identifying future supply risks.
• Finding the Water – Developing Alternative and Resilient Water Sources
  Exploring surface water, rainwater harvesting, winter abstraction, boreholes, recycled water and collaborative opportunities with neighbouring landowners and infrastructure providers.
• Storing the Resource – Reservoirs, Storage and Capturing Excess Water
  Examining the development of storage projects, from feasibility and permissions through to construction and the wider environmental and operational benefits they can provide.
• Making Every Cubic Metre Count – Irrigation, Efficiency and Demand Management
  Focusing on irrigation efficiency, monitoring systems, operational performance and best practice for managing water use during periods of pressure.
• From Water Risk to Water Resilience – Building and Funding the Long-Term Plan
  Bringing together the lessons from the programme to create a practical water resilience strategy, prioritise investment and develop a roadmap for implementation.

Adopt the Charter
The webinar series is available to organisations that have adopted the Leisure Operator Water Charter, an initiative that supports the sector in improving water stewardship and preparing for future challenges.

The GMA became a Charter adopter to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable water management and to support its members in building greater resilience across sports and leisure facilities.

Facilities that have not yet adopted the Charter can review the commitment and begin the process by completing this form.

By engaging with the webinar programme and embracing the principles of the Charter, grounds professionals and leisure operators can take proactive steps to safeguard playing surfaces, improve sustainability and ensure their facilities remain fit for the future.