A Nigerian company called Geotek Water Solutions has won the Water Council’s latest Tech Challenge, the Milwaukee organization announced.
It’s the first African business to win the group’s Tech Challenge competition, which issues open-ended requests for technologies and other water industry solutions. The program aims to provide exposure for innovation in the industry while helping establish partnerships with more established water tech firms.
Katie Kollhoff Mouat, the group’s director of innovation programs, says the latest contest “uncovered promising innovations for some of the most pressing water challenges today — improving access to clean water and identifying lead pipes for replacement.”
After the fall contest received more than 50 technology submissions from 23 countries, Geotek Water Solutions claimed first place. It comes with a $10,000 prize.
The business has a process for extracting groundwater and treating it with a system powered by geothermal energy, resulting in 65% lower energy costs than conventional approaches, according to an overview from the Water Council.
Its system aims to “address the dual challenges of energy cost and water quality” in various settings, including industrial as well as agricultural and off-grid uses, the company’s website says. The technology includes a geothermal loop system, solar-electric components for pumping and distribution, and real-time monitoring including AI-based processing of sensor data.
It’s currently being used at Green Eden Farms in Jos, Nigeria, where the company is also located. After installing the geothermal water system, the greenhouse operation was able to cut its use of diesel fuel for irrigation by 70% and boost crop yields by 35%.
“This project demonstrates the power of integrating geothermal energy into agricultural water systems, and serves as a model for replication across Africa,” the company says.
Geotek Water Solutions also has an integrated mobile app that communities and other customers can use to monitor their water systems and report issues.
The runner-up, Service ID of Fitchburg, won $5,000 for an AI-based system that can identify lead pipes based on photos. It’s meant to replace field inspections for lead service line inventories, supporting water utilities in replacing these lead pipes, according to the company’s website.
See the release and see more on the Tech Challenge here, including past winners.
