An international partnership, named DOC2C's, between South West Water, PWN Technologies, De Watergroep, Lille University and Delft University of Technology has received a £2million funding boost.

South West Water will receive a share of this European funding to support research into innovative water treatment technologies over the next few years.

The DOC2C's partnership was awarded the grant by the Interreg 2 Seas programme, which promotes cross border cooperation between the coastal regions of France, England, Belgium and the Netherlands. The aim of the project is to significantly improve and accelerate innovation in drinking water treatment by collaboration within the 2 Seas (Channel and North Sea) region.

The project partners will work together to support the development of innovative technologies to improve the removal of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in drinking water treatment.

In 2013, South West Water began trialling the use of suspended ion exchange and ceramic microfiltration technology to remove DOC at a pilot facility at Crownhill Water Treatment Works. This state-of-the-art technology will be at the heart of the new Mayflower Water Treatment Works.

The funding will be used for further research at South West Water's College Water Treatment Works in Cornwall and elsewhere in the region.