Call for Solutions: Sustainable Water Production in Remote Locations

The Royal Navy and US Navy are faced with a critical challenge – ensuring a sustainable supply of potable water in austere locations, particularly on San Clemente Island (SCI), without relying on external electricity or significant infrastructure. Currently, SCI receives 400,000 gallons of water by barge each week from the mainland, a logistical operation that incurs significant costs and risks.

To address this issue, London Tech Bridge is spearheading an industry engagement event scheduled for December 6, 2023, focusing on "Portable Water Production in Austere Environments." The challenge is to integrate sustainable and novel technology to produce substantial quantities of potable water in remote locations, such as forward-deployed bases or disaster-stricken areas
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The solution must be self-sustaining, generating any necessary electricity on-site from renewable sources. It should produce potable water from seawater, wastewater streams, and air, emphasising long-lasting, low-maintenance, deployable, and simple-to-construct solutions that adhere to safety procedures. Additionally, the environmental impact of the proposed solutions will be closely examined.

The urgency of this challenge is underscored by the daily water demand on SCI, which hovers between 80,000 and 100,000 gallons. Forward operating bases face similar issues, necessitating complex logistics to transport adequate water supplies. Any technology that can produce water directly at these locations will not only alleviate risks but also reduce resource consumption.

London Tech Bridge is seeking solutions for water production challenges from various industries at different Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 6-9). If you have a technology or product that can address this challenge, you are welcome to submit a brief summary of your proposal by November 17, 2023, to Marc Christino (mchristino(at)bmnt.com) and Lt. Craig Laverty (craig.laverty101(at)mod.gov.uk)