The Ofwat Innovation Fund has announced the ten innovations which have worked their way to the top in the Water Discovery Challenge. Having launched in January 2023, this challenge seeks new, impactful ideas for the water sector. The winners have been awarded a share of £4.5 million to demonstrate how bold solutions can help solve the biggest challenges facing our society’s water sector.

The winning technologies include the use of “lightning in a jar”, and a chemical process with only water and oxygen as byproducts, both under development as potential alternatives to chlorine in disinfecting drinking water. Such products have the potential to revolutionise water disinfection, removing the taste and smell of chlorine which is currently used in the process, as well as slashing the carbon footprint of the energy-intensive chemical.

Full list of winners and awards:

• ACQUIRE (Artificial intelligence and Case based reasoning to improve water QUality Incident Response) – led by Mounce Hydrosmart Ltd and partners (University of Sheffield and RBMTS Ltd) – £449,844.
• An innovative membrane technology for brackish and seawater desalination powered by low-grade waste heat – led by Waterwhelm and AtkinsRéalis – £449,831.
• Destruction of high impact greenhouse gases and generation of green electricity at wastewater treatment sites using fuel cell technology – led by the School of Chemistry at University of St. Andrews – £449,640.
• Fully Structural Spray in Place Pipe (SIPP) lining providing burst protection for high-risk sewage rising mains – led by Resimac Ltd partnered with Schur-BPH – £449,900.
• Innovative coagulant free phosphorus removal technology – led by Cranfield University – £450,000.
• Magnetic nanocomposites for DOC removal from drinking water – led by Lancaster University – £449,518.
• Nonthermal 3D plasma – a novel Advanced Oxidation Process for water treatment – led by ANAMAD Ltd with and partners (University of Southampton, Kingston University, and IEG) – £450,000.
• Renewable Energy Via Aqueous-phase Reforming (REVAR) – led by ICMEA-UK and partners (Aston University and Costain Group PLC) – £426,700.
• Freeox – replacement of chlorination using H2O2 synthesis; for the removal of pathogens and residual disinfection of potable water – led by Cardiff University and Origin Aqua – £450,000.
• senSiteUQ: Sensible Sensor Siting – led by digiLab Solutions Limited and Yorkshire Water – £436,286.