Boost Adoption of Innovation

Innovation is the process of developing or adopting new concepts and ideas, and successfully implementing them. It is crucial to distinguish between creativity, which involves generating ideas, and innovation, which focuses on applying these ideas. Embracing innovation is challenging and requires a change in thinking at all levels.

The water sector, in particular, tends to be risk-averse, leading to a slower adoption of innovative technologies. Several barriers hinder innovation, including:

• Poor selection of technology
• Lack of clear understanding of the value a technology brings
• Lack of executive sponsorship
• Absence of processes to foster innovation
• Rejection of new and unknown ideas
• Insufficient capital, which is a significant barrier for start-ups. Notably, 38% of tech startups that failed between 2018 and 2022 cited insufficient funding as a key reason for their failure.

Addressing these barriers is essential for fostering innovation in the water sector and ensuring sustainable and efficient water management practices.

During the recent International Water Association Water Congress and Exhibition 2024 in Toronto (#WWCE2024), I co-chaired a workshop with my colleague Elvira Serra, PhD focused on ‘Boosting the Adoption of Innovation in the Water Sector’. Our workshop emphasized the importance of advocating for a circular economy in water management.

We were joined by a high-calibre panel, and the questions they addressed sparked significant engagement and lively discussions during the roundtables.

Question: How can we transition from an extractive to a renewable, circular water sector?

Panellist: Yang Villa , Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Yang Villa began by posing the question, “Why do we have to innovate?” This served as an excellent starting point, highlighting that while governments urge innovation, they often do not provide clear guidance on how to achieve it. Villa emphasized the need for innovation to be economically viable, acknowledging that this might initially present more challenges.

Key considerations for innovation include understanding the drivers, barriers, and enablers. Villa suggested that once these factors are comprehended, the transition to innovation should proceed at the right pace and in the right direction. He outlined a few steps for this transition:

1. Developing a roadmap for the transition.
2. Ensuring that innovation is easy to implement.
3. Cultivating an innovation culture through the process.

A key takeaway from Villa’s discussion was the importance of simplicity in the context of a circular economy, particularly in wastewater treatment. His advice: “When talking about circular economy - talk about wastewater treatment - go simpler.”

Question: How do we engage stakeholders effectively to accelerate the adoption of circular innovations in the water sector?

Panellist: Berta Macheve , 世界银行

Berta Macheve initiated the discussion with a crucial insight: “Funding might not be a problem; the problem might be transparency.” She emphasized that the water sector must recognize the limitations of public financing, and that progress requires change. By mobilizing the private sector, larger amounts of funding can be accessed, which is the direction the World Bank is pursuing.

Macheve stressed the importance of meeting with utilities to understand their current status and to acknowledge their varying perceptions of private funding. She concluded with a key message: “Sustainability is key – this message needs to be made very clear and very understandable.”

Question: How do we strengthen local partnerships to drive circular economy initiatives?

Panellist: Ruben Fernandes , águas e Energia do Porto

Ruben Fernandes focused on the utility level, emphasizing that local partnerships are essential for creating circularity and establishing a value chain. He highlighted the importance of integrating stakeholders from the beginning, even at the project development stage. Given that utilities, including águas do Porto, tend to be risk-averse, Fernandes suggested that the best initial approach is to implement a pilot project.

The implementation of a pilot project can be crucial for identifying and addressing new questions, such as:

• How to deliver water to new customers?
• What new business cases can be developed for new infrastructure?
• What is the potential new revenue?

Fernandes concluded with a key message:?Start with a pilot project.

Question: How can we ensure equitable access to circular water solutions across diverse communities in African countries?

Panellist: Helen Omolanke Taiwo, LAGOS WATER CORPORATION

Lanke Taiwo provided insights from an African perspective, with a specific focus on Lagos. He emphasized the importance of addressing the diverse needs of different communities without excluding anyone. This inclusivity is crucial for ensuring sustainable access to water.

Taiwo highlighted that community engagement and involvement are key to understanding the specific needs of various populations. It is particularly important to involve women and the less privileged at all stages of the process. Effective and inclusive communication strategies are essential for achieving this goal.

A key takeaway from Taiwo’s discussion was the importance of inclusive community engagement.

Question: How can we align water innovation efforts with circular economy principles in Latin American and Caribbean?

Panellist: Dr Silvia L. SARAVIA MATUS (PhD MSc BSc Economics) , ECLAC

Dr. Silvia L. Saravia Matus provided an overview of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, highlighting the uneven distribution of water resources. She pointed out several operational challenges, such as the high percentage of non-revenue water (NRW), which stands at 60%. While some countries in the region have made significant advances in adopting circular economy principles (e.g., the La Farfana wastewater treatment plant in Chile), this progress is not uniform across the region.

One notable opportunity is the reuse of methane to generate electricity at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, public sector agents need to be more informed about existing innovations and how to support their implementation. Dr. Saravia Matus emphasized the importance of connecting the best practitioners with government decision-makers to facilitate this process.

A key takeaway from her discussion was the need to?connect the innovators and best practitioners with the decision-makers.

Question: How can universities collaborate with industry, investors, and policymakers to accelerate water start-ups’ growth?

Panellist: Juan Antonio Baeza , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Juan Antonio Baeza provided an overview of the various mechanisms through which the university interacts and collaborates with the industry. He highlighted that the university engages with the industry by supervising master’s students and producing PhDs focused on industry-related topics. Public calls, such as the VIVALDI H2020 project , often facilitate these collaborations by bringing together research institutions, universities, and industries.

These collaborative projects are crucial for knowledge transfer, increasing the technology readiness level, and verifying new technologies through the EVT (Evaluation and Verification Testing) process to demonstrate their superiority over existing solutions.

A key takeaway from Baeza’s discussion was the importance of developing new collaborative projects with key stakeholders.

"Great panel, great participation and lots of discussions that are not ending here! Some of the key messages included: use a language everyone understands ..., be clear and transparent ...,, engage with the public and private sectors ..., start with a pilot project ...,, ensure an inclusive community engagement ...,, connect the innovators and best practitioners with the decision makers. " Blanca Antizar

Other questions addressed at the roundtables included: How can innovation help solve or overcome the challenges to achieving circular economy in urban water systems? How do we balance innovation with inclusiveness? What financial mechanisms can incentivize investment in water innovation? How do we balance short-term costs with long-term benefits? How can we foster cross-sector collaboration to promote innovation in the water sector? What strategies can enhance transboundary cooperation for water solutions? What role can Indigenous knowledge play in shaping circular water practices globally? How do we foster international collaboration to advance circular economy principles in the water sector? What collaborative platforms can facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer for circular water solutions in LAC? How do we prioritize circular water innovations in LAC and globally? What are the critical stages in the journey from university research to commercialization for water start-ups? How can universities foster entrepreneurship and incubate water-related start-ups?

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