Our industry rarely quantifies the microbial communities that drive wastewater treatment works (WWTW) performance, beyond subjective microscopy of a few filamentous organisms. Yet each plant contains vast and diverse microbial populations underpinning treatment stability and efficiency. Making Microbes Matter, an Ofwat Innovation Fund project, puts these communities at the forefront of modern operational intelligence. United Utilities have partnered with Newcastle University to deliver this first-of-its-kind project, characterising the “biological infrastructure” across multiple wastewater treatment technologies. The core method is metagenomics; DNA sequencing of whole samples to determine microbial composition and functional capability. Although established in academia, metagenomics has not been widely adopted by industry. From February 2026, a year long sampling campaign across 11 WWTWs will integrate metagenomic and process data to improve nitrification capacity, operational expenditure, and treatment resilience. Alongside emissions monitoring, the project will advance understanding of microbial sources of nitrous oxide from wastewater treatment. A wider survey of 40 additional WWTWs will begin mapping the industry’s biogeography. Operators, laboratory teams, and process engineers will undertake sampling and receive training in metagenomic methods, supporting wider adoption of molecular approaches across UK WaSCs. This presentation will share early project findings and insights from previous United Utilities work in operational metagenomics.