2026.10.18
Voices about FORUM26: Maria Eriksson, Huber Technology Nordic
”We need to share our experiences and know what knowledge each other has before the crisis occurs.”
For Maria Eriksson, knowledge exchange is an important part of the work on Sweden's water supply and sanitation preparedness. At Huber Technology Nordic, she is responsible for the safe access product range, with a focus on physical protection, personal safety and hygiene at water supply and sanitation facilities. She is also secretary of the Swedish Water Industry's focus group on Safety and Preparedness and participates in the panel at FORUM26.
Why do more actors need to train together?
– When we work on preparedness within our own organization, it is easy to miss the big picture. At FORUM26, authorities, municipalities, water and sanitation companies and suppliers can discuss the same scenarios and learn from each other's perspectives. This will make it clearer what we can do together and what resources are available. This gives us better conditions to coordinate our efforts and take advantage of each other's knowledge when a crisis occurs.
What can you as a supplier contribute?
– We suppliers have a wide range of experience that needs to be used in emergency preparedness work. In my work, I visit many facilities and see how different businesses solve similar issues. That experience can be valuable to others. With respect for confidentiality, I can share knowledge about solutions and risks without telling where I have seen them. All actors have something to contribute, but we need to understand each other's roles and knowledge to put the puzzle together before the crisis occurs.
Why must knowledge exchange be proactive?
– We need to be one step ahead. It's about both preventing risks and building a network before something happens. What help is available? Who can I contact? When we know each other's knowledge and roles, we have better conditions to act and feel secure in our decisions. That's how we strengthen Sweden's water and sanitation preparedness.
What are you looking forward to at FORUM26?
– To share my experiences, but also to gain new perspectives. I work primarily with the physical protection of facilities. Through the realistic, fictional crisis scenarios, I get to follow how an event can develop and see how the different phases are connected. I look forward to getting a bigger picture of the whole. No one solves these issues alone, so for me it is important to be in the same room as other actors so that we have the opportunity to truly understand each other.
Do you work with safety or emergency preparedness within the water supply system? Sign up for FORUM26 on November 19 in Stockholm. The number of places is limited – register before November 9.