TWENTY65: Tailored water solutions for positive impact

• increasing population
• ageing infrastructure
• the need to better protect the natural environment all under conditions of uncertain climate change

The application of traditional technology-based solutions alone is not the way forward. We will use 'tailored solutions' to address these challenges by combining measures to suit specific circumstances and constraints. Such solutions will achieve flexible and adaptive water systems.

The project will undertake research in eight technical themes. Each theme will pose disruptive questions, show the potential for, and lead transformation.

But, we will not view these themes in isolation. The project will consider them together. Taking a systems view, we can combine them into 'silver baskets' of broader tailored solutions. Such solutions are able to work synergistically for existing and new infrastructure to achieve transformative impact.

Tailoring water solutions does not mean lower quality water services for different sectors in society. Rather, it means fair, bespoke solutions appropriate to variations in the natural environment, population distribution, and legacy infrastructure. In this way, the project will address the needs of water for all.

Our work is in Theme 8 which aims to understand the long-term drivers of change. This includes their impacts and interactions. It presents opportunities for the development of tailored solutions to water provision.

We are developing an initial modelling toolkit to consider and test new approaches, technologies, and data from the wider Twenty65 programme. We will design the toolkit in collaboration with end-users to enable solutions considered and assess it an integrated way with the future water scenarios already developed.