Data and analytics specialist Aiimi announced that it has secured a place on Stream, an innovative water industry data-sharing framework, led by Northumbrian Water. The Stream project—an outcome of Ofwat’s Water Breakthrough Challenge, run in partnership with innovation foundation Nesta—is a cross-sector data-sharing initiative with a vision to unlock the potential of water data to benefit customers, society, and the environment.
Participating organisations in Stream include 11 of the UK’s 17 major water companies, as well as four additional organisations, including Aiimi, whom have collectively been awarded £880,000 for the project by Ofwat. A further £110,000 has been committed to the project by the participating water companies, bringing the total funding for the initial stage to £990,000.
The ultimate aim of Stream is to make any water industry data, that does not pose commercial, ethical or security risks to stakeholders, open and available through a data platform. This will enable water industry organisations and third-party innovators to use the data to address key water sector challenges, such as:
- Preventing environmental incidents.
- Reducing absolute carbon emissions associated with water extraction, use, and treatment.
- Bringing down the cost of water, particularly for the most vulnerable customers.
- Catalysing innovation and new ways of working across the sector.
Access to the data will also go beyond the water industry, enabling data specialists and organisations across industries, including the public and private sectors, to innovate solutions that meet wider societal challenges, such as those related to agriculture, natural resources, infrastructure, and public health.
As a technology partner, Aiimi will develop and support use cases developed across Stream and advise on the technology roadmap that will enable the delivery of compelling and practical data solutions, as well as the Stream platform.
Tom O’Farrell, Chief Customer Officer, Aiimi, says: “Having worked with Northumbrian Water, and across the water industry for many years, Aiimi has a deep understanding of the data challenges facing the sector. As part of Stream, and in partnership with Northumbrian, we will harness our unique data science and analytics expertise, as well as industry-leading technology, to deliver solutions that make the most of the data-sharing potential enabled by this inspiring collaborative project. Access to data is essential for innovation across industries and we look forward to working with our Stream partners and wider organisations to deliver value for the water industry and beyond.”
