The University of Sheffield is leading a £3.9million research project that aims to ensure the UK maintains a clean, sustainable water supply for the future.

The project, named TWENTY 65 (Tailored Water to Ensure sustainability beyond 2065), will help the UK water sector tackle key challenges, including population growth, ageing infrastructure and climate change. It is part of the £21million ‘Engineering Grand Challenges’ funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Dr Kamal Birdi and Dr Tina McGuiness from the Management School are involved in two of the project’s eight key themes – Collaboration for Innovation, and Mobilisation respectively.

The overall project involves six universities and 26 companies from across the UK water sector, and aims to ensure flexible and adaptive water systems, by developing multiple solutions and technologies that can be ‘tailored’ to suit specific circumstances.

Professor Joby Boxall, from the University of Sheffield’s Faculty of Engineering who will head the TWENTY 65 project, said: “Water supply is the foundation of society, but a service we are privileged to be able to take for granted in the UK. There is no single solution to the sustainable supply of safe, clean water for the future.

“Our vision is that by 2065, collaborative innovation has generated a water sector that is delivering sustainable tailored water solutions that positively impact on public health, the environment, the economy and society.

There is a realisation across the water sector that collaboration is essential for the future. Support for the project has already been pledged from over 50 partners, with more organisations potentially coming on board.

“This is a truly unique and exciting opportunity to take a long-term view of how we can develop and implement technology to deliver transformative change.”