R&I programmes
Discover our collaborative R&I programmes
We partner with industry leaders on a range of research and innovation programmes.
WRc’s Portfolio
WRc’s Portfolio is our long-running collaborative research programme.
It enables companies to fund research jointly that is focused on specific industry needs. Project ideas are proposed by WRc experts based on contact with clients across the water and waste industries. The ethos of sharing insight, working together and moving the industry forward is common across every WRc Portfolio project.
View our research portfolio
Ofwat Water Innovation Fund and Water Efficiency Lab
The Water Innovation Fund is a £600 million, ten-year initiative (2020–2030) run by Ofwat, the economic regulator for water and wastewater services in England and Wales. It aims to grow the water sector’s capacity to innovate, tackle major challenges such as climate change and leakage and deliver value for customers and the environment.
The Water Efficiency Lab (WEL) is a £25 million, five-year, challenge-led funding stream run by Ofwat. It is designed to fund new technologies, processes and approaches that drastically reduce water demand in homes and businesses across England and Wales. The WEL is part of Ofwat’s broader £100 million Water Efficiency Fund.
WRc has been closely involved with the Water Innovation Fund and WEL since their inception. We have worked with a wide range of partners and water companies to deliver over ten projects to date, including the Catalist, Transform and Discovery projects.
We welcome opportunities to collaborate with water companies and the supply chain.
Visit the Water Innovation Fund
Do you have a challenge that requires innovative thinking?
Collaborate with WRc experts on innovative research projects.
Speak to the team