£40m Innovate UK–Ofwat challenge targets water innovation

Innovate UK has partnered with water regulator Ofwat to deliver the £40 million Water Innovation Cross-Sector Challenge, aimed at accelerating sustainable growth and resilience across the UK’s water system.

The initiative – part of Ofwat’s £400 million Innovation Fund – will fund collaborative projects tackling shared environmental challenges, including water scarcity, pollution reduction, and efficient resource use. The new Cross-Sector Water Innovation Network (CSWIN) will connect businesses, researchers, and supply chain partners to share ideas and access funding.

Dr Jo Jolly, Ofwat’s director for environment and innovation, said: “Collaboration is vital if we are to find solutions to the challenges we all face and to do so in ways that mean communities and our environment can prosper.”

Relevance to the concrete sector
Concrete production relies heavily on water, both in mixing and curing, and faces increasing pressure to reduce consumption and discharge. The challenge presents opportunities for ready-mix producers, precast manufacturers, and civil contractors to partner on technologies for water recycling, closed-loop batching systems, and permeable infrastructure design.

By fostering innovation between construction, water, and technology sectors, the programme supports the UK’s net-zero and circular economy goals, encouraging the concrete industry to integrate water efficiency and resilience into future infrastructure delivery.