West Yorkshire business joins forces with university to revolutionise water monitoring

Aquatrust are a water hygiene and treatment business employing around 40 staff, based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. They will work with academic experts in water quality, robotics, and artificial intelligence at Leeds Beckett on a 32-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme, part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK.

Aquatrust are experts in the field of water hygiene, water treatment, water regulations and Legionella control. They currently provide on the ground services to local authorities, housing associations, the care sector, schools, and the private sector across the UK. Reducing Legionella is the responsibility of every building owner and manager and Aquatrust are a key part of the process that mitigates risk against this potentially fatal form of pneumonia.

Dr Martin Pritchard, Reader in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing and project lead, said: “Aquatrust are a visionary business who want to revolutionise the current industry practice of on-site measurement services to clients.

“Through the KTP, we will create a novel remote management capability to enable Aquatrust to remotely monitor conditions to prevent the formation of Legionella in water pipework systems – but with the opportunity to expand into other monitoring areas. Using their own bespoke hardware monitor devices and integrated software, they will be able to report and analyse results and proactively mitigate risk for clients. This remote solution will be more cost-effective, less labour intensive, and far better for the environment.”

As part of the KTP, new skills and capabilities will be introduced into Aquatrust, including hardware and software development and transitioning colleagues from on-site monitoring roles to more consultancy-led opportunities.

Dr David Love, Course Director for Electronics and Robotics Engineering in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing, said: “Importantly, all current Aquatrust staff will be retained and will be upskilled. Supporting life-long learning is at the heart of what we do at Leeds Beckett University and this is a great example of a local company investing in the long-term skills of its staff as new technologies change the way an established business works."

The KTP aims to create a new, more sustainable business model for Aquatrust, where they become a solutions provider as well as a service provider, developing their own in-house products and services.