Tag: Ofwat

Launch of new £25 million Water Efficiency Lab will drive innovation and cut water use across England and Wales

Stuart Mitchell

The inaugural Water Efficiency Lab (‘WEL 1’) – a £25 million challenge-led competition to unlock and scale innovations that reduce water use across England and Wales is to be launched. The first year of the competition, offering £5 million in total funding and up to £1.5 million for individual projects, is inviting innovators to develop new technologies, data-driven tools and solutions that enable people and businesses to understand their water use and take steps to reduce it. Demand for water is already at record levels. England faces a projected 5…

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Satellites, Robots, Drones and AI win Ofwat’s fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge

Stuart Mitchell

A ‘drone- and lab-in-a-box’ that provides near-real-time, on-site results and lab-grade analysis of coastal bathing water quality is one of the winners receiving funding from the Ofwat Innovation Fund. This project is one of 16 solutions being awarded a share of £42 million today in the water regulator’s latest innovation competition – the fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge . Each solution is committed to fostering innovative approaches to water and waste management. The Smart Skies, Healthy Waters project is using automated drones, robotics and cutting-edge sampling techniques to significantly improve coastal…

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Ofwat approves £104bn upgrade to accelerate delivery of cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers

Stuart Mitchell

Substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment are set to be delivered through a £104bn upgrade for the water sector, Ofwat announced in December. David Black, Ofwat Chief Executive, said: “Today marks a significant moment. It provides water companies with an opportunity to regain customers’ trust by using this £104bn upgrade to turn around their environmental record and improve services to customers. “Water companies now need to rise to this challenge, customers will rightly expect them to show they can deliver significant improvement over time to justify the increase…

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Ofwat approves £104bn upgrade to accelerate delivery of cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers

Stuart Mitchell

Substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment are set to be delivered through a £104bn upgrade for the water sector, Ofwat announced  on 19 December. David Black, Ofwat Chief Executive, said: “Today marks a significant moment. It provides water companies with an opportunity to regain customers’ trust by using this £104bn upgrade to turn around their environmental record and improve services to customers. “Water companies now need to rise to this challenge, customers will rightly expect them to show they can deliver significant improvement over time to justify the…

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Ofwat’s Innovation Fund seeks bold and ambitious entries to Water Breakthrough Challenge 4

Stuart Mitchell

Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water sector in England and Wales, is calling on water companies with bold and innovative projects to solve some of the water sector’s biggest challenges to apply to win the fourth Water Breakthrough Challenge. To date, Ofwat’s £200 million Innovation Fund has awarded more than £105 million to projects across England and Wales that are pioneering solutions to improve the water sector’s environmental impact – from the transition to net zero to tackling leaks and spills – and to transform services for consumers. Since…

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