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Water sector launches draft UK Innovation Strategy

by Karma Loveday

The UK’s first draft Water Innovation Strategy was launched last week, setting out a vision for transformational change across the water sector in anticipation of Ofwat’s £200m innovation fund.


Developed by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), Arup and 19 UK water companies, the draft strategy looks ahead to 2050 and provides a roadmap to make the step-change in collaborative innovation required to meet future challenges. There are seven key themes including delivering carbon neutrality, protecting and enhancing natural systems, providing services that society expects and values and delivering resilient infrastructure systems.


Central to delivery of the strategy is a proposal for a Centre of Excellence – “a central hub that will bring together the people, skills, testing facilities and data needed to make the UK a world leader in water innovation and provide a single gateway for partners interested in working with the sector”.


The launch starts a period of engagement with a broad range of organisations who could play a role in helping to shape and deliver a different future for water across the country. The consultation is open throughout the summer and will be finalised in September.


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