The Water Technologies Demonstration Programme (WADER)

Name of the organisation:

The Water Research Commission (WRC).

Brief description of the matchmaking platform/service:

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), in collaboration with the WRC, established WADER to pull together applied research and development and pre-commercialisation stages of the water innovation continuum. Acting as an innovation intermediary, the Programme’s mission is to facilitate high-level, collaborative technology demonstrators from public and private sectors to maximise the potential of the water innovation value chain.

WADER promotes the early adoption of promising technologies and accelerate innovation in the water sector by showcasing technologies that have gone through a credible assessment process. Through a series of open calls for water technologies – which are in the emerging, pre-commercial or newly commercialised stages of diffusion – innovative water and sanitation technologies will be identified, evaluated and showcased to interested parties like municipalities and industry.

Benefits and services offered through this platform:

• Funding for independent technical evaluation of innovations
• Matchmaking with municipalities, innovation players, funding organizations and investors
• Access to information on arrange of technologies through the WADER website and a link to the WRC-WE&RF Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) Co-Hub platform accessible through the WADER website
• Technical advisory services

Processes to access and make use of this platform:

• WADER releases an annual accelerator call that is sent out to the WRC database, on social media, published on the WRC website and also the WADER website.
• Technology innovators are encouraged to send requests for technology advisory notes.

Terms, conditions and costs involved in applying to use this platform:

• Water technologies – which are in the emerging, pre-commercial or newly commercialised stages of diffusion
• Innovative water and sanitation technologies
• Not on offer is:
  • Certification of innovation products
  • Funding for R&D, ready for market technology and capital funding.

Eligibility criteria of applicants:

WADER looks at highly innovative technologies that practice in the following categories:

• Water-related alternative energy sources
• Alternative sources of water
• Non-Revenue Water
• Water Reuse (Industrial/Domestic Wastewater/Greywater/Mine Water)
• Innovative low energy technologies to store/or treat water at households and local scales.
• Innovative decentralised low energy sanitation systems.
• Smart Water Conservation Demand Management (WCDM) devices for commercial buildings and/or households.
• Smart apps to support behavioural change and practice for consumers and their municipalities.
• Smart technologies to manage water distribution and sewerage systems.
• Smart and IoT innovations for water supply e.g. devices, drones, sensors