Engineering student, Amrie Singh, has been appointed as the new Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) Water Futures Ambassador, following the final event of Wavin’s Water Futures Challenge.
The competition, created by plumbing and drainage solutions provider Wavin in partnership with the Institute of Civil Engineers, set out to find innovative solutions to tackle the UK’s growing water crisis. The brief challenged engineering students and junior engineers to submit radical ideas connected to the built environment’s most pressing water-related issues. These issues focused on the four pillars of Wavin’s purpose of building healthy, sustainable environments. The categories covered safe and efficient water supply, better sanitation and hygiene, climate resilient cities, and better building performance.
Dozens of entries were narrowed down to a shortlist of one per category, with each receiving £1,000 towards their studies and career progression. The four finalists were invited to ICE’s headquarters in central London to present their ideas to a panel of judges, for the chance to become the ICE’s first ever Water Futures Ambassador and win a further £1,000 towards their career goals.
After careful deliberation, the judges announced that engineer Amrie, who studies at the University of Leeds, was the winner for her entry: ‘Can my pipe handle it?’. Her concept looked at how to approach flood modelling where no detailed hydraulic model of the piped system is available.
Speaking about her win, Amrie Singh said: “It’s critical that we have as much knowledge as possible about where our urban areas are most at risk of flooding, which is why I am absolutely delighted to have won the Water Futures Challenge.
“I will be using my prize money to share my idea more widely, visiting conferences around the world to look at how it can be used on a wider scale. Being able to showcase my idea and listen to feedback from the judges as part of the Water Futures Challenge has been invaluable.”
As the ICE Water Futures Ambassador, Amrie will join the ICE Flooding Community Advisory Board, which meets regularly through the year. This provides a unique opportunity to sit on a top table in the industry and discuss major water issues and solutions, while networking with other professionals driving engineering forward. Amrie will also be invited to attend ICE Knowledge Live Events and write blogs for the ICE website, acting as an integral part of the organisation’s Knowledge Community.
Martin Lambley, Head Judge for the Water Futures Challenge and Wavin Product Manager – North West Europe, UK, and Ireland, commented: “All the finalists did exceedingly well in presenting their ideas confidently and it’s wonderful to see that our industry is in good hands with the next generation. We chose Amrie as the winner because she was able to demonstrate the real-life and scalable potential of her concept, with a clear benefit to the future of the UK’s water infrastructure.”
Fellow judge, Jo Parker who is Chair of the Water and Sanitation Community Advisory Board at ICE, as well as Vice President Engineering of the Institute of Water, added: “At a time when our industry is in urgent need of finding innovative solutions to solve our water crisis, it was reassuring the see the range of ideas that were presented. I’m sure the finalists will remember this experience for years to come and use it as a foundation to build on their ideas.”
For more information about the event and the Water Futures Challenge, visit:
