WSAA, the Water Services Association of Australia, has released a paper outlining the association’s research strategy, covering the next five years.
The strategy was developed through extensive consultation with WSAA members, networks and committees, and endorsed by the WSAA Board.
The WSAA Research Strategy:
- Identifies the common priority research needs for WSAA and its members
- Details WSAA’s role in delivering these
- Recommends the most appropriate strategy for the investment of WSAA funds and resources for research
- Includes an implementation plan to deliver the strategy.
WSAA says that the extensive list of researchable questions will be regularly reviewed and reprioritised. This will assist in understanding relevant work already underway and focus effort for the coming year.
The benefits the strategy is hoped to provide are:
- Strategic alignment between WSAA’s 2030 Vision for the Australian urban water industry and WSAA’s research investments
- More efficient use of WSAA resources and member cash and resources through leverage and streamlining of processes for collaborative projects
- Avoided duplication of effort through better identification of existing research and of collaboration opportunities
- Delivery of research which meets the needs of WSAA members through a targeted and structured engagement plan for research organisations
- Access to world leading researchers, overseas utilities and other potential partners through capitalising on our research relationships
- Greater adoption of research outcomes through more use of WSAA networks, targeted technology transfer and identification of areas where research outcomes need more development to be usable
- Enhanced reputation of WSAA and its members both locally and internationally through encouraging and promoting member-led research and collaborative projects.
The full report can be viewed here.
