ADA Flood & Water Conference


The Conference is ADA’s largest annual event with over 200 delegates attending from across the UK’s flood and water level management sector.

The event promotes ADA’s vision for flood risk management authorities working in partnership together, delivering effective services through good governance and strategic planning. It is an annual opportunity for members, officers, exhibitors and sponsors to network, share good practice and gain solutions to local issues from a platform which brings flood and water level management to the heart of government.

ADA Flood & Water Conference 2025


The ADA Flood & Water Conference 2025 will take place at One Great George Street, Westminster, London on Tuesday 25 November 2025.

Kindly sponsored by Balfour Beatty and Wilkin Chapman Rollits the ADA Flood & Water Conference 2025 will once again host members and officers of flood risk and water management authorities from across the United Kingdom to hear from an emininent line-up of political and technical speakers for the sector to discuss the key policy topics of the moment.

Book your place via Eventbrite

Speakers 2025


Juan Valero de Palma

Juan Valero de Palma

President, Spanish Federation of Irrigation Communities

Lila Thompson

Lila Thompson

Chief Executive Officer, British Water

David Porter

David Porter

President Elect, Institution of Civil Engineers

Sebastian Catovsky

Sebastian Catovsky

Co-Director of Floods & Water, Defra

Conference Timings


The Conference will open at 11.00 for networking with delegates and the Exhibition of ADA’s Associate Members in the Great Hall. A buffet lunch will be served from 11.45 before the conference presentations commence at 12.45 in the Thomas Telford Theatre. The Conference will close at 16.00.

Discussion Forum

There will be time for delegates to pose topical questions to the speakers and panellists via the conference chair. Questions can be submitted in advance as part of the ticket booking process on Eventbrite, with the aim of consolidating key subjects for discussion and questioning and to maximise the value of this session. On the day delegates can post questions using Slido from your phone or other device.

Delegate registration


There are four ticket types available. All tickets provide full access to the ADA Annual Flood & Water Conference 2025, networking opportunities, exhibition and all conference sessions including buffet lunch, and refreshments during the day.

  1. Discounted Early Bird Ticket (£140+VAT) For delegates whose organisations are members of ADA, available for the first 75 tickets sold before 30 September 2025.
  2. ADA Member Ticket (£160+VAT) For delegates whose organisation are members of ADA. Check which organisations are members of ADA at www.ada.org.uk/our-members.
  3. Non Member Ticket (£240+VAT) For delelegates whose organisation are not a member or associate member of ADA.
  4. Student Ticket (Free) As part of ADA’s commitment to education and developing the next generation of flood risk and water level management professionals, a limited number of free student tickets will be offered out to students studying flood and water management at various universities throughout the UK. ADA retains discretion over the issue of these tickets.

Book your place via Eventbrite

Please note:

  • Prices are exclusive of VAT.
  • To book on behalf of others see the FAQ below.
  • Bookings are non-refundable but name changes are possible, please contact the ADA Office, details below.
  • Conference ticket bookings will close on Friday 22 November 2025.

Exhibition


The ever-popular Exhibition by ADA’s Associate Members will be hosted in the Great Hall at lunchtime (11.00 – 12.45) and during afternoon refreshments (14.00 – 14.40), providing plenty of opportunity for networking between delegates and suppliers to the sector.

Associate Members can book exhibition space here

Each exhibiting Associate Member will receive one free ticket for a named representative to attend the Conference.

Contact us


If you need assistance, have any questions regarding the ADA Flood & Water Conference 2025 or need to make a name change, please contact Laura Lamb on admin@ada.org.uk. Alternatively please call the ADA Office on 02476 992 889.

ADA AGM 2025

Please Note

The Association’s Annual General Meeting 2025 will be hosted online as a separate event on Tuesday 2 December 2025 for members to discuss the ADA’s business and governance.

Past Conferences


Speakers 2024


Emma Hardy MP

Emma Hardy MP

Minister for Water & Flooding, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs

Julie Foley

Julie Foley

Director of Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation, Environment Agency

Rachel Hallos

Rachel Hallos

Vice-President, National Farmers' Union

Professor Jim Hall FREng

Professor Jim Hall FREng

President, Institution of Civil Engineers

Michael Sly MBE

Michael Sly MBE

Chair, North Level District Internal Drainage Board

Speakers 2023


Julia King DBE

Julia King DBE

Chair of the Climate Change Committee’s Adaptation Committee

Emma Hardy MP

Emma Hardy MP

Shadow Minister for Environmental Quality & Resilience

Alan Lovell

Alan Lovell

Chair of the Environment Agency

Adriano Battilani

Adriano Battilani

Technical Expert at the Italian Association of Water Management Boards

Lisa Pinney MBE

Lisa Pinney MBE

Chief Executive at the Coal Authority

Ian Titherington

Ian Titherington

Senior Advisor on Sustainable Drainage for the Welsh Government

2022 Speakers


Luzette Kroon

Luzette Kroon

Dykgraaf (chairperson), Wetterskip Fryslân

William Harrington

William Harrington

Head of Waterway & Flood Water Management Team, Defra

2021 Speakers


Rebecca Pow MP

Rebecca Pow MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Defra

Dieter Helm

Dieter Helm

Economist

Lord De Ramsey

Lord De Ramsey

President, ADA

2020 Speakers


David Cooper

David Cooper

Deputy Director for Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy, Defra

Chris Stoate

Chris Stoate

Allerton Project Head of Research, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Toby Willison

Toby Willison

Executive Director of Operations, Environment Agency

2019 Speakers


Stuart Roberts

Stuart Roberts

Vice President, National Farmers' Union

Bryan Curtis

Bryan Curtis

Chair, Coastal Group Network

Robin Price

Robin Price

Interim Managing Director, Water Resources East (WRE)

2018 Speakers


Sue Hayman

Sue Hayman

Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Robert Hössen

Robert Hössen

Expert in crisis management, Veiligheidsregio Noord-Holland Noord (VRNHN)

John Curtin

John Curtin

Executive Director of Flood & Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency

David Cooper

David Cooper

Deputy Director for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management, Defra