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A consortium from across the water sector has set out its vision for a centre of excellence in innovation that it describes as providing “the catalyst for change” to shape the future of water in the UK.
The 2050 Water Innovation Strategy envisages a “virtually integrated innovation centre” as the best way forward.
The four principles for the strategy, which the centre of excellence would embody, are to open access to collaboration; leverage data and new ways of working; make space for innovation culture; and be led by environmental, societal and economic purpose.
The strategy describes the centre as serving as a focal point for water innovation which, with no geographic boundaries, would provide open and equal access to all. This virtual entity would be “relatively cost effective” compared to a physical centre.
The centre could provide access to skills and capability such as test and demonstration facilities; academic expertise and research programmes; business and start-up support; and strategic advice such as a regulatory one-stop shop.
It would promote collaboration and knowledge sharing by providing a single gateway for innovators; promote access to project and funding opportunities, and develop platforms for sharing knowledge and best practice.
Ofwat previously suggested a centre of excellence forming part of its £200 million Innovation Fund launched as part of PR19 to encourage collaborative innovative thinking within the sector to overcome some of the common challenges being faced.
The regulator has worked closely with 19 water companies, UKWIR and Arup on the strategy for innovation and develop the idea for a centre.
The strategy calls the perfect storm of the climate crisis, ecological emergency and a pandemic an “opportune moment to shape the future of water” through collective action.
The vision for 2050 includes providing services customers and society expect and value; ensuring clean safe water for all; protecting and enhancing the natural world including halving freshwater abstraction by 2050 and achieving zero uncontrolled sewer discharges; delivering resilient infrastructure systems; achieving carbon neutrality; taking a whole life approach to responsible consumption and production; and enabling a diverse future-ready workforce.
It calls on stakeholders to work together, with government and policy makers to support innovation.
The next phase in the innovation strategy is to define:
- who would be involved in the governance, financing and deliver of the centre;
- what aspects of the centre will need prioritisation and speedy delivery;
- when it will be set up and outline a programme for immediate, medium- and long-term aspects to add to it;
- how the centre will be financed, governed and delivered as well as how the risks would be shared and successes monitored.
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