Michael Rouse CBE is a Distinguished Research Associate at the University of Oxford and former Chief Inspector of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, an independent regulatory authority that oversees drinking water quality in England and Wales.

Michael Rouse has extensive knowledge and experience of water governance and regulation, including all aspects of audit and enforcement, and the governance issues related to both public sector management and privatisation. He has wide knowledge of water technical and operational matters, based on his applied research and development background at the Water Research Centre, where he spent 9 years as Managing Director. In 2000 he was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for his professional services in the water sector.

Michael Rouse served as Vice-Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council (a pre-cursor to the Strategic Council) prior to his election as Vice-President of IWA in 2001. The following year at the World Water Congress in Melbourne, Michael Rouse was elected President of IWA and in 2014 was appointed Distinguished Fellow.