Northumbrian is looking for ways to bring water to customers in emergency situation or in case of supply interruptions that does not rely on single-use plastics.
The company is inviting creators, designers and innovators to pitch their ideas to solve water challenges via Northumbrian’s new Amplify site, with funding offered to develop the most promising ideas.
The ideas-sharing platform has been launched to spark suggestions from around the world to find answers to what Northumbrian described as “big real-life challenges”.
The first it will examine is reducing single-use plastics, specifically eliminating the use of plastic bottles when providing water during supply interruptions or emergency situations.
Head of innovation, Angela MacOscar, said: “Over the years we’ve heard from lots of SMEs and inventors who say they struggle to get their ideas off the ground or in front of big companies like Northumbrian Water. This is the perfect opportunity.
“I’m calling on all SMEs, inventors, creative thinkers and innovators to get registered for amplify and get involved, now is your chance to help us change the world.”
Users of Amplify can suggest ideas, pitch products, ask questions and interact with other online innovators.
Each of the challenges will have a sponsor from within Northumbrian who will monitor responses and engage with users to pick up and develop the promising ideas.
Anyone can register and take part in the challenges and there will be funding and financial backing available for the most promising solutions.
This year the company ran its third Innovation Festival and plans to further expand the concept with its 2020 event, which will invite participants from the US and Australia to keep innovation running 24 hours while the festive sleeps.
“We’ve seen the benefits of breaking the rules, doing things differently and innovating outside of the box…we even have our own festival dedicated entirely to innovation, so we know our stuff,” MacOscar said.
“That’s why we’re so excited about Amplify. The newest tool that will allow us to connect with every innovator and creative mind from across the world and to work together to solve BIG problems.”
Reducing single-use plastics across the industry is one of the sector’s Public Interest Commitments, coordinated by Water UK and sponsored by Colin Skellet at Wessex Water and Mel Karam at Bristol Water.
Skellet recently told Utility Week all companies have been surveyed on their plastic usage; most have begun installing refill water points in cities to cut plastics, and supply chains are being examined to find ways to lower reliance on single-use plastics.