Water Industry Awards 2026 Win for Water Direct

Water Direct is proud to have been named winners in the Digitalisation Project of the Year category at the Water Industry Awards 2026, recognising the development of the first application within the Water Direct Connect platform.

The award recognises a sector-first digital solution that helps water companies manage bottled water doorstep deliveries during supply interruptions, particularly for Priority Services Register (PSR) customers. By replacing fragmented manual processes with a single, integrated workflow, the platform provides real-time operational visibility, digital proof of delivery and a complete audit trail, helping incident teams respond more effectively while ensuring customers receive the support they need.

Commenting on the submission, the judges said: “This submission addressed a clear and important operational weakness in the sector: the fragmented and often manual management of Priority Services Register deliveries during supply interruptions. Its live tracking, proof of delivery and real-time reporting improved transparency and support for vulnerable customers. Its successful deployment in live utility settings gives confidence that this is a practical and credible sector-first solution.”

Transforming incident response

For many years, bottled water deliveries during supply interruptions have relied on disconnected spreadsheets, emails and phone calls between utilities, contractors and delivery teams. While these processes have supported incident response, they can limit visibility, slow decision-making and make reporting more challenging during large-scale events.