SA2050: Water Remediation and Optimisation Using Nanobubble Technology – Partnership and trial opportunity

Opportunity for

• Producers and industry groups seeking non-chemical solutions to water quality, pathogen control, dissolved oxygen and irrigation optimisation.
• Trial partners across horticulture, rice, meat processing, aquaculture, and wastewater applications.
• Research and commercial partners interested in co-developing and scaling applications for Australian conditions.
   

Opportunity description

Industry challenge

Poor water quality is a hidden productivity handbrake across Australian agriculture. Irrigation water carrying pathogens like E. coli and pythium, harmful algae in on-farm dams and public waterways, biofilm-clogged irrigation lines, and low dissolved oxygen all cost producers yield and profitability. Traditional fixes rely on harsh chemicals such as copper sulphate or hydrogen peroxide, which carry residue, safety, and environmental concerns, or on expensive infrastructure like on-site oxygen tanks. 

Climate variability is adding pressure, with blue-green algae outbreaks closing waterways for months and costing regional economies millions in lost tourism and productivity. Wagga Wagga faced 12 years of recurring lake closures before intervention. The industry needs scalable, chemical-free water treatment options that improve dissolved oxygen for better crop outcomes, eliminate pathogens without residue risk, and clean irrigation infrastructure at lower cost. Solutions that deliver measurable improvements at the paddock and processing level, without adding complexity for producers, are increasingly critical for productivity, food safety, and drought resilience. 

Current opportunity

SA2050 is looking for trial partners, industry group collaborators, and commercial customers to deploy its nanobubble water remediation technology across Australian agriculture. We are particularly keen to engage with horticultural producers, rice growers, mushroom operations, meat processors, and livestock enterprises managing critical water quality challenges, whether that is pathogen control, algae outbreaks, irrigation line performance, or dissolved oxygen levels for improved yield. 

We are also open to conversations with technology providers, research groups, producer groups, and state agencies interested in co-facilitating pilots. A successful partnership would see the technology deployed at a working site, generating validated data on productivity, water quality, and cost outcomes that can be shared with the wider industry. 

For partners, the value is chemical-free treatment, reduced operating costs, improved product quality, and measurable productivity gains. SA2050 has the equipment, technical capability, and service model to run deployments end to end, and is well positioned to co-invest time and resources into pilots where there is a clear industry problem to solve. 

Opportunity background

SA2050 has pioneered nanobubble water remediation and optimisation in Australia, working in partnership with the University of Adelaide, Monash University, and UNSW. The core innovation is the use of nanobubbles combined with oxygen or ozone, delivering gas throughout the water column without loss to the surface and without leaving harmful chemical residue. The flagship deployment at Lake Albert with Wagga City Council resolved a 12-year blue-green algae problem after a successful 12-month trial, with Council now purchasing equipment and locking in a service agreement. 

SA2050 has also delivered results for SA Mushrooms, tackling high E. coli loads in incoming wastewater. The team of eight, headquartered in Adelaide and distribution in Melbourne, holds additional distribution reach into Europe through their London office and a growing portfolio of technology partnerships across the US and Australia. 

Potential other applications

Beyond core agriculture, the nanobubble platform has strong potential across adjacent industries where water quality is a critical input or risk. In meat processing, the technology could offer a chemical-free, lower-heat alternative for pathogen control on product and equipment, addressing long-standing industry interest in safer sanitisation. In aquaculture, improved dissolved oxygen levels can support fish health and stocking density without the cost of on-site oxygen infrastructure. 

Municipal and regional applications include drinking water treatment for livestock, algae management in urban waterways such as the River Torrens, and wastewater treatment for regional councils and food processors. Emerging Australian hemp and medicinal cannabis producers are another growing fit, given the sector's premium on water quality and chemical-free inputs, and given the technology's maturity in North American cannabis markets. The company is also actively exploring stacking opportunities with its Coats GroAloe biostimulant for growers facing combined water stress and drought pressure.