Thames Water wins share in Ofwat’s latest Water Breakthrough Challenge

• Ofwat’s fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge has awarded more than £42 million to 16 innovation projects which aim to solve major challenges in the water sector.
• Thames Water’s winning project will use robotic underwater technology to improve the water treatment process. 
• Over 10 years, the Ofwat Innovation Fund is investing £600 million in innovative projects and technologies to benefit the environment, our communities, and customers. 

An innovative solution by Thames Water that would use robotic underwater technology to modernise the water treatment process, is one of the winners of a £42million innovation competition by Ofwat, the economic water regulator.

Thames Water is leading the SandSCAPE (Science and Novel Devices for Sustainable Cleaning and Productivity Enhancement) project in collaboration with Affinity Water, South West Water and Northumbrian Water Group. The £1.9million project will test new robotic underwater technologies designed to simplify and speed up the cleaning and maintenance of slow sand filtration methods used in the water treatment process. 

Slow sand filtration is a nature based chemical free process for purifying water by removing contaminants through biological and physical processes using fine sand. 

Martin Padley, Water Operations Director at Thames Water said, "The Sandscape project will deliver significant benefits to both our customers and the environment. By modernising our existing slow sand filter assets with innovative robotic technology, we are securing a more resilient and efficient water treatment process for the long term. This will translate to a consistently high-quality water supply for our customers, while the reduced reliance on chemicals and energy directly supports our net zero ambitions and minimises our environmental footprint. Sandscape is a testament to our commitment to sustainable and forward-thinking water management."

David Black, CEO of Ofwat said, “Water underpins our society and economy, and the water sector faces a range of challenges requiring urgent solutions. The Ofwat Innovation Fund was established five years ago to incentivise the water sector to collaborate with partners across industry, charities, and academia to accelerate the pace of transformation and create lasting benefits for customers and the environment.  The level of ambition of this year’s winners is remarkable. We are supporting these projects to prove their impact so that they can be scaled, not only here in England and Wales, but exported around the world as a driver of economic growth”. 

The Ofwat Innovation Fund is a key pillar in Ofwat’s mission to drive innovation that ensures the water sector is ready for the challenges of the future and results in better outcomes for customers and the environment. It is delivered by innovation prize experts Challenge Works (part of the Nesta group), in partnership with Arup and Isle Utilities.  

To find out more about all 16 of the winners of the fifth Water Breakthrough Challenge or to discover previous winners, visit waterinnovation.challenges.org