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Bluephage has received the first prize of €12,000 in equity fare cash and a special prize of €30,000 to test proposals with the Italian company CIIP, based on Bluephage’s capabilities to contribute to the problem of water scarcity.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology, EIT, is leading a multidisciplinary, multi-year program to alleviate water scarcity in southern Europe.The program’s main objective is to facilitate the transition to a water-saving economy across southern Europe and contribute, in the long term, to reducing water consumption, waste, and soil pollution in the territory.

Through the Water Scarcity Program, several partners have joined together in a cross-cutting activity to address the real challenges around water scarcity by raising awareness on this issue, fostering innovation related to efficient water management, and construction and knowledge transfer to implement a water-saving culture in Southern Europe.

To achieve this goal, the Water Scarcity Program organizes several actions such as the Innowise Scale Infrastructure Competition in which Bluephage has participated, and in which a problem holder is put in contact with solution providers to respond to the real needs of end-users around water management.

The problem holder was CIIP, an Italian water cycle company that manages water and wastewater services for 59 Italian municipalities.

The challenge CIIP presented to all solution providers was to offer a solution to the water supply problem in the Apennine territory, where it is becoming increasingly scarce, and the situation is worsening due to earthquakes. This means that a very touristic population in summer has to be supplied with water from wells with microbiological problems.

The proposal presented by Bluephage offers an all-in-one, ready-to-use microbiological water testing kits to detect pathogens in record time and helped them implement water safety plans and sanitary safety plans. It is, therefore, a partnership to provide an advice and supply products through the Bluephage distributor in Italy (Analytical Control De Mori)

Antonio García – Hortal, Innovation Leader at EIT Digital and jury member, acknowledged that they found Bluephage’s idea very innovative and easy to apply to the water management process to improve water quality control and have a quick response when a microbiological problem occurs.

The special prize, endowed with 30,000 euros, was chosen directly by the problem holder, CIIP, taking into account the solution that best suits the resolution of the challenge and that is in line with the area of improvement work they are currently working on.