Environmental improvements dominate Ofwat’s innovation fund winners

Projects to improve river health and reduce greenhouse gasses from wastewater treatment have been awarded a share of £36 million in the Ofwat Water Breakthrough Challenge.

Nine entries received funding to develop and deliver at-scale innovations as part of the competition launched at PR19 by the regulator to encourage collaborative thinking to answer sector-wide challenges.

The winners were:

• Catchment Systems Thinking Cooperative – led by United Utilities with the Rivers Trust, 12 water and sewerage companies, academia and environmental charities. Awarded £7.1 million to change how data is gathered and shared on the water environment, especially on river health. The project will create a robust evidence base for tackling environmental challenges.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) of Things Enabling Autonomous Waste Catchments – led by Seven Trent with South West, Southern, Thames, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Northumbrian, Microsoft, BT, the National Cyber Security Centre and the University of Exeter. Around £2 million awarded to pilot the use of AI to monitor a waste catchment area in real time to minimise the risk of flooding and sewage pollution by developing integrated novel ways to prevent spills.
• Flexible local water supply schemes pilot – led by Bristol Water with Binnies, RWE, Castle Water and the University West of England. More than £620,000 awarded to pilot drought planning while using a localised third-party water supply and treatment. The project aims to “reinvent the water retail market as we know it” while overcoming current market blockers to deliver drought resistance and allow retailers to incentivise business customers to save water.
• Transforming the energy balance of wastewater treatment – led by Thames with Welsh Water, South West, United Utilities, Scottish, Yorkshire and Northumbrian with the University of South Wales. More than £6 million was awarded to decarbonise wastewater treatment by reducing nitrogen oxide emissions and recovering beneficial resources including phosphorus and nitrogen. It will explore solutions to reduce the energy required to treat wastewater.
• Triple Carbon Reduction – led by Anglian with Severn Trent, Scottish Water, Northern Ireland Water and United Utilities, Oxymem, Element Energy, Jacobs, Cranfield University, University of East Anglia and Brunel University. This project was awarded £3.5 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and electricity use in used water treatment and provide a new renewable energy source through green hydrogen production.
• Alternative approaches to phosphorus removal on rural wastewater treatment works – led by United Utilities with Southern, Thames, University of Portsmouth, Power & Water, Kolina, Evergreen and Hydro Industries. This project explores holistic approaches to alternative phosphorus removal to reduce metal coagulants and associated carbon.
• Water neutrality at NAV sites – led by Affinity Water with Albion Water, Skewb, Propelair. This work was awarded £2.9 million to minimise water demand and offset consumption with new technologies to neutralise water use of new builds at new appointment and variation (NAV) sites. Devices installed in customers’ homes including efficiency, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling to minimise the impact of new developments on the area’s overall water use. Affinity said the project will allow water companies to trial water neutrality at scale.
• The Fair Water project – led by Northumbrian with National Energy Action, Northern Gas Networks, Newcastle University and Procter & Gamble. Almost £3.8 million was awarded to this scheme to test and develop more effective and sustainable water and energy solutions for homes. It will look for tailored solutions for low-incomes, elderly and vulnerable households to reduce carbon through energy and water efficiency.
• Safe Smart Systems – led by Anglian with South West, Portsmouth, Affinity, Jacobs, Skanska, Airbus, Microsoft and Imperial College with the University of Sheffield. The project received £7.5 million to use AI and mathematical optimisation to improve long-term operational resilience in the face of climate change and rapid population growth. This will include predicting and managing leakage, interruptions, and pressure issues.

John Russell, senior director at Ofwat said: “From Airbus and Microsoft to ZSL and the River Trust, the Water Breakthrough Challenge has led to the formation of exciting partnerships with water companies to improve services for customers and improve the environmental footprint of the sector. Each of the winners will contribute to the resilience, sustainability and effectiveness of the water sector in the years to come for the benefit of customers across the country.”

The competition was run by Nesta Challenges, Arup and Isle Utilities with an independent panel of judges choosing the winning entries. It follows the Innovation in Water Challenge earlier this year, also funded through the £200 million Innovation Fund that will run to 2025.

A second Water Breakthrough Challenge will open for entries on 11 October 2021 to provide funding for further innovative water sector initiatives.  Up to £35 million will be shared between entries that deliver benefits for water customers, society and the environment.