The purpose of the £50,000 grant from water regulator, Ofwat, is to tackle a key bottleneck holding back the adoption of innovative products and materials in the water sector because of a lack of testing facilities.
A shortage in UK-based facilities capable of undertaking full Regulation 31 testing has been identified as a barrier to innovation.
Regulation 31 plays an important role in safeguarding drinking water quality by ensuring that materials and products used in contact with drinking water are safe before they are used in the water network.
Over the past three years the shortage in testing facilities has created long waiting times for new approvals and renewals, as well as cost uncertainty for suppliers – ultimately impacting which innovations water companies are able to use.
As part of the project, Ƶapp will work alongside partners at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Swansea University.
They will explore their proposed solution further and develop detailed delivery plans, the steps needed to bring new testing capacity online, and how their proposals will effectively integrate into the wider water sector landscape.
Professor Davey Jones, from Ƶapp’s School of Environmental and Natural Sciences said, “This funding is a brilliant opportunity for Wales to play a leading role in solving a challenge facing the entire UK water sector. Working with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Swansea University, we'll be drawing on real expertise here in Wales to help expand testing capacity, speed up the adoption of safe innovations, and protect drinking water quality for communities both here and right across the country."
Dr Jo Jolly, Director, Innovation, Ofwat, said, “This programme has been a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at the DWI to tackle a critical issue for the sector. By driving the creation of a range of testing facilities, with different operating and commercial models, we can ensure the market has access to the vital testing needed to approve new innovations for use.”
The challenge was developed in response to sector feedback that Regulation 31 testing capacity was creating delays and uncertainty for companies and innovators. By supporting new approaches to testing capacity, the programme aims to help the sector adopt proven innovations more quickly, while maintaining the high standards required to protect drinking water quality.
In total eight finalists have been selected through the first Implementation Enablers challenge run in collaboration with the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) to strengthen the UK’s Regulation 31 testing capacity.
The Implementation Enablers challenge is part of Ofwat’s Water Innovation Fund 'Water Innovation Implementation Programme', which is designed to help remove common barriers that prevent proven innovations from being adopted and scaled across the water sector.
The Water Innovation Implementation Programme is being delivered collaboratively by Ofwat and Isle Utilities, with support from Arup.
To find out more about the programme, visit