Aquatrust, a water hygiene and air quality specialist based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, has been named a finalist in The Dext Innovation Award at The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026.
The UK business helps organisations manage risk and stay compliant with regulations such as ACOP L8, the Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice on Legionella control, through Legionella risk assessments, monitoring and system management.
The finalist place, announced in July 2026, recognises the company’s decision to build its own remote monitoring technology rather than settle for off-the-shelf devices. Winners across The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awardswill be revealed at Grosvenor House, London, on 10 November 2026.
Why remote monitoring
Aquatrust operates in a heavily regulated sector where clients depend on partners that can deliver consistent, auditable compliance. Under HSE guidance in ACOP L8, duty holders must identify and assess sources of Legionella risk, put a control scheme in place and keep records of precautions. As expectations around reporting and accountability have risen, the company says, so has the need for better data, clearer insight and more efficient ways of managing water systems at scale.
The rethink began after the business passed from father to son and several directors completed the government-backed Help to Grow programme, prompting a fresh look at where the industry was heading. At the same time, according to the business, one of its largest customers was expanding rapidly across the UK, and it became clear that a traditional service model, with engineers driving from the North to sites nationwide, was not sustainable. That experience pushed Aquatrust towards remote monitoring, an approach it says the sector has yet to fully embrace.
A sensor of its own
The firm initially trialled third-party devices but found they fell short, particularly on more complex water systems, so it chose to develop its own solution. Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Leeds Beckett University, Aquatrust reports it has reached the final stages of developing a proprietary Legionella monitoring sensor, with the intellectual property held in-house. Leeds Beckett University announced the 32-month partnership in July 2023, describing a collaboration with its water quality, robotics and artificial intelligence academics, part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK, with Aquatrust then employing around 40 staff.
Alongside the hardware, the company is building an AI-led platform intended not only to manage compliance but to identify patterns, predict trends and help prevent issues before they escalate. Fully integrated with Aquatrust’s own systems, it is designed to give clients a single, end-to-end approach to Legionella control.
Positioned for proactive compliance
Aquatrust points to achievements including maintaining high standards within a demanding regulatory framework, investing in innovation through academic collaboration, and developing proprietary technology that challenges how water hygiene services are traditionally delivered. Together, the business believes, this puts it in a strong position to lead the shift towards smarter, more proactive compliance. It now awaits the judges’ verdict alongside its fellow finalists in The Dext Innovation Award 2026 category.
