Accelerating Research & Innovation through Strengthening Collaboration & Change Catalysts

Water and wastewater utilities face mounting pressures to deliver safe, affordable, and reliable services amid intensifying challenges: affordability and rate sensitivity, supply chain disruptions, changing workforce dynamics, and rising operational costs. Addressing these challenges is beyond the capacity of any one organization and will only be achieved through innovation and collaborative efforts across the sector. These intersecting drivers are prompting utilities worldwide to re-examine their business models, community roles, and approaches to innovation, including establishing Research & Innovation (R&I) Programs (WRF 4907). Since 2015, a network of water, wastewater, and public sector organizations has developed practical resources and frameworks to support R&I in the water sector (WRF 4642, WRF 4907, TWTI-21-01). In a previous research effort, this network identified utilization of resources outside of the organization as the most broadly and effectively adopted innovation management discipline (WRF Project 4642). These partnerships can take multiple forms including collaborations with vendors, consultants, universities, and peer utilities, among others. Utility-to-Utility collaboration, which provides access to broader networks of expertise and skillsets, expanded resources, and opportunities to limit risk, is consistently rated as one of the most valuable partnerships by utility innovation leaders. However, only 25% of such collaborations meet expectations, limiting the sector's ability to share insights, pool resources, and accelerate impactful change (WRF Project 4907). Additionally, resource availability is consistently selected as a top internal inhibitor to innovation, with only 43% of utilities reported having a process for providing resources for innovation (WRF Project 4642). These internal challenges are only compounded by external pressures, which can further inhibit R&I program success. The most recent collaborative effort of this group, Accelerating Research and Innovation through Collaboration and Emerging Catalysts, is being conducted by approximately 40 utilities from around the world including the US, Canada, Brazil, and Australia, and is advised by a technical advisory panel of leading industry organization including The Water Tower Institute, the Water Research Foundation, the American Water Works Association, the American Metropolitan Water Association, and the Water Environment Federation. This ongoing project examines how utilities may improve the value of direct peer-to-peer collaborations and sharing of innovation insights, deploy creative tactics for resourcing their R&I efforts, and effectively leverage emerging market drivers, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital technologies to accelerate innovation program impact. This session will present attendees with a toolkit to address these challenges, developed through a comprehensive, cross-sector analysis. This toolkit synthesizes public and private best practices and sector case studies into tailored tactics for addressing utility core interests. Attendees will leave the session with proven approaches to enhance R&I outcomes through stronger collaborations, resourcing, and leveraging digital tools, empowering them to transform innovation from a siloed activity into a sector-wide engine for progress.