News story: Treating organic-rich water for home supply: apply for funding

Scottish Water, supported by the Can Do Innovation Challenge Fund, has up to £450,000 to invest in projects that explore ways of turning high-organic surface waters into drinking water that meets regulations.

Sustainable and safe provision of water

Scotland has more than 10,000 water supplies that serve only one home and another 20,000 that serve populations of fewer than 50 people.

Its rivers often have high or variable levels of organic matter, and there is no effective point-of-use water treatment on the market capable of treating it.

Reliable point-of-use treatment systems are essential for long-term sustainability and provision of wholesome drinking water.

Funding for the competition is under SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative).

Systems must be simple to operate and maintain

Scottish Water is seeking ideas for water treatment systems that could supply rural, dispersed and remote island communities and also work for private supplies.

Solutions must be easy for the general public to maintain and operate. They must also:

• meet quality standards
• be affordable
• recycle rain and grey water
• provide a complete treatment from source to tap
• be automated

Up to £150,000 is available to fund feasibility studies in a first phase. Up to £300,000 is available to develop the most promising ideas in a second phase.

Competition information

• the competition opens on 12 February 2018, and the deadline for registration is at midday on 18 April 2018
• it is open to any organisation that can demonstrate a route to market for its idea
• we expect phase 1 contracts to be worth up to £30,000 and last up to 6 months
• we expect phase 2 contracts to be worth up to £150,000 and last up to 12 months
• successful projects will attract 100% funded development contracts
• a briefing event will be held in Edinburgh