Innovate UK, the UK Government’s national innovation agency, has initiated a bilateral endeavor aimed at tackling water security challenges both in South Africa and the UK.
Dubbed the ‘UK-South Africa Water Security Global Innovation Network,’ this initiative is led by Innovate UK's Global Alliance Africa project in South Africa. Its primary objective is to foster innovation within the water and wastewater sectors, with a specific focus on addressing issues related to water availability, quality, monitoring, management, and recycling.
The network aims to accomplish this by facilitating connections, providing support, and offering funding opportunities for collaborations among water industry innovators, enablers, policymakers, and investors in both markets.
The launch of the Global Innovation Network comes at a critical time as both South Africa and the UK grapple with pressing water security challenges:
In South Africa, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reported that nearly half of local water supply systems are contaminated with bacteria, and over two-thirds of wastewater treatment plants face risks of failure. Furthermore, almost half of clean water is lost due to leaks, driven by factors such as aging infrastructure and increased demand from a growing population. These challenges have led to severe water shortages and compromised water quality, as demonstrated by recent events in Johannesburg.
Similarly, despite its reputation for wet weather, the UK’s water sector faces comparable issues. Drought conditions have affected large parts of England and Wales in recent years, exacerbated by heatwaves across Europe. Moreover, the country’s aging pipe network contributes to significant water loss, with one-fifth of drinking water disappearing through undetected leaks. These challenges highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to ensure water security and supply in both regions.
Marisa Naidoo, Innovate UK Business Connect’s Country Lead for South Africa, emphasizes the importance of addressing water security, stating, “Water security extends to the heart of our societal well-being, economic development, and environmental sustainability. It is against this backdrop that we decided to launch the Global Innovation Network, recognizing that, while we may have very different contexts, there is an opportunity to share our collective knowledge and trial homegrown solutions in each other’s markets.”
The network will undertake various activities to achieve its goals, including facilitating access to collaborative research and development funding, establishing channels for knowledge exchange, organizing ecosystem immersion and expert tours between South Africa and the UK, and offering leadership programs to enhance innovation capacity and inclusive and sustainable decision-making.
These activities will focus on innovation in four core areas of application:
- Innovative Technology for Water Security: Introducing technologies capable of enabling real-time water monitoring and proactive management strategies.
- Smart Solutions for Wastewater: Developing innovations in water treatment and resource recovery to create cleaner waterways and circular economies.
- Data-driven Water Management: Utilizing data analytics to inform water resource risk analysis and decision-making.
- Empowering Women in the Water Sector: Strengthening the sector’s capacity for innovation and inclusive decision-making by empowering women in water-related roles.
By Siphiwe N.
