Water Bankruptcy: Using Innovation to change consumer habits before it’s too late

20 May 2026
Innovation Lounge

Water is an undervalued resource in the UK and ensuring a sustainable water future can’t rely on building infrastructure alone. Customers need to change their habits. 
Join this creative session to breakdown the challenges and explore innovative ways to engage consumers meaningfully to bridge the ”say-do” gap to truly help change behaviours for the long term. Our expert panellists will exchange insights of behaviour change research, the role of AI and practical applications on what’s working and what’s not and how we can shift perceptions of water and its value. 
This session will cover: 

  • The key barriers and gaps to innovation in behaviour change 
  • The role of AI and data science – how personal can we go? 
  • How do we ensure inclusive and ethical design of interventions 

Facilitator
Mumin Islam, Trustee - Waterwise

Panel
Kirsty Laing, Associate Director - Explain Research
Armenak Antinyan, Head of Behavioural Economics - Thames Water
Professor Benjamin Gardner, School of Psychology - University of Surrey

Chairperson
Mumin Islam
Mumin Islam, Trustee - Waterwise
Speakers
Kirsty Laing
Kirsty Laing, Associate Director - Explain Research
Armenak Antinyan
Armenak Antinyan, Head of Behavioural Economics - Thames Water
Professor Benjamin Gardner
Professor Benjamin Gardner, School of Psychology - University of Surrey