2026.08.13

We know that collaboration is crucial. But do we really know how it works when water supplies are put under pressure?

This is according to Karin Palmblad, Business Area Manager Resilience at Ramboll, who works with crisis exercises and supply chain preparedness linked to critical operations. On November 19, she will be participating in FORUM26 – The water industry's meeting place for Sweden's water and sanitation preparedness.

Why is FORUM26 needed right now?
– Because we have gone from talking about collaboration to actually needing to understand how it works in practice. Many actors realize that no one can do this alone. The public sector, authorities and business are dependent on each other, but we far too rarely test how the interaction works when the systems are really put under pressure.

What makes FORUM26 different?
– That we are testing real-life situations that can occur. We will work with realistic scenarios where participants together will have to handle situations that affect the entire water and sanitation system. This can involve everything from cyberattacks and sabotage to resource shortages, information influence and disruptions in supply chains. The goal is to make visible how decisions are made, how responsibility works and what happens when different systems meet.

What role does the business community play in this?
– A very important role. The business community is not just a supplier, but part of the operational preparedness. It is about expertise, technology, spare parts, cybersecurity, operations and resources that society depends on in a crisis. But for collaboration to work, we must understand each other's needs and conditions long before anything happens.

What do you hope participants take away from the day?
– I hope that you leave FORUM26 with a much clearer picture of how collaboration actually works under pressure. That you gain new perspectives on your own role, see what dependencies exist and gain concrete insights into what needs to be strengthened in your own operations. But also that you leave with relationships and contacts that can be crucial when it really matters.