United Utilities signs up three firms from its innovation scheme

United Utilities has awarded contracts to three of four companies graduating from the latest run of its idea-development Innovation Lab programme.

United Utilities head of innovation, Kieran Brocklebank, said: “Three of our alumni on board to work with us on a longer term basis. We’re also continuing our trials with a fourth supplier. They now have potential to grow their business and work with us for many years to come, and of course, their ideas will benefit others in the water sector.”

The successful companies were:

Altitude Thinking with its autonomous, remotely operated vehicles for collecting water quality samples and data from hard-to-reach locations;

SmartValve with its an app for managing and monitoring manual valve operations too reduce transient pressure and so reducing the numbers of bursts, leaks and water discolouration events;

ClearWater Sensors with its battery-powered submersible chemical sensors which can be used for long-term monitoring of water chemistry in real time; and

Previsico which is continuing trials of its new way to assess surface water flooding risk so sewer-cleaning teams can be mobilised faster.

United Utilities runs its iInnovation Lab in conjunction with investment firm, L Marks.