The treatment of wastewater is essential to maintaining public health. The UK has a natural monopoly of privatised water companies, tasked with the supply and treatment of both wastewater and drinking water. Ofwat, the water regulator, has put a push on innovation being a priority for all water companies in the UK, releasing in 2020 a £200 million fund to 'support innovation initiatives which deliver significant benefits for customers, society and the environment'.