SDS TO PRESENT AWARD-WINNING SMART TECHNOLOGY AT IWA WORLD WATER CONGRESS 2026

SDS will showcase an innovative approach to tackling the UK’s, and indeed the world’s, growing water security challenges in a presentation to be delivered by Dr Neil Sewell, Director of New Technology Systems, at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Glasgow in October 2026.

“Award Winning Smart Technology Delivers Silver Bullet Solution To Water Security” highlights how intelligent water management technology can provide a single solution to two of the UK’s most pressing challenges: flooding and water scarcity.

The presentation will explore how SDS’s award-winning smart technologies, Intellistorm® and SYMBiotIC™, are transforming the way rainwater can be captured, managed and reused to improve resilience across homes, communities and the wider built environment.

Tackling the UK’s Flood and Drought Challenge

The UK faces an increasingly complex water challenge, with both too much and too little water creating significant economic, environmental and social pressures.

Surface water flooding remains the largest contributor to flooding in England, with the physical impact on UK property and infrastructure estimated to cost £2.4 billions annually. At the same time, climate change and increasing demand from a growing population are expected to create significant pressure on future water supplies, with projections indicating a potential daily shortfall of more than 5 billion litres of public drinking water by 2050.

Neil’s presentation will demonstrate how smart technology can help address this conundrum by managing rainfall more effectively — capturing water when it is abundant and making it available when it is needed.

Smart Technology for Water Resilience

The presentation will focus on how SDS’s proprietary technologies integrate real-time weather intelligence, automation and connected monitoring to deliver a more responsive approach to sustainable water management.

Intellistorm® uses live weather data and automated controls to optimise rainwater harvesting and attenuation capacity, dynamically adjusting available storage based on predicted rainfall. This enables water to be retained during dry periods while creating storage capacity ahead of major rainfall events, helping to reduce localised surface water flooding.

SYMBiotIC™ extends these capabilities through Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled monitoring and control, providing enhanced visibility, operational insight and efficiency.

The technologies were recognised by winning the highly prestigious New Civil Engineer Annual Award for “Impact in Water and Environment – Contractor” in July 2025, celebrating their contribution to sustainable infrastructure innovation.

A Scalable Solution for Existing and Future Development

A key theme of the presentation will be the importance of deploying smart water solutions at scale, including:

• Retrofitting existing homes and buildings with intelligent rainwater management systems;
• Establishing smart water infrastructure as a standard feature of new housing developments;
• Delivering community and development-level solutions to improve resilience.

SDS will demonstrate that smart-enabled rainwater harvesting can significantly reduce demand for potable water by providing an alternative supply for non-drinking uses, including toilet flushing, vehicle washing and garden irrigation.

Such technology also helps reduce pressure on drainage networks by limiting excessive stormwater discharge into sewers and the local catchment, reducing the risk of infrastructure overload and combined sewer overflow events during periods of intense rainfall.

Proven Results

Through extensive development, proof-of-concept trials and deployment across hundreds of domestic and non-residential installations, SDS’s technology has demonstrated significant performance improvements.

A single smart-enabled rainwater harvesting unit can provide the same attenuation capability as approximately 85 traditional passive water butts, while requiring substantially less physical space.

Supporting the Future of UK Water Management

This presentation comes at a time when the UK water sector is undergoing significant transformation. The Independent Water Commission’s landmark 2025 report called for a fundamental reset of the sector, highlighting the need for innovation, investment and new approaches capable of meeting future water demands.

The IWA World Water Congress provides a global platform for water professionals, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to share solutions that address the world’s most urgent water challenges.

SDS will highlight how UK-developed innovation can help deliver practical solutions for water security, climate adaptation and sustainable infrastructure worldwide.