Collective research for drinking water utilities focuses, as Waterwijs, more sharply on impact

During the preparations for the new multi-annual programme of the joint drinking water research, it appeared that the original Dutch name, ‘Bedrijfstakonderzoek’ or BTO, was far from resonating in everyone’s mind. ‘A great pity, because there is still lots of work to be done,’ says Anne Mathilde Hummelen. ‘And the knowledge that we jointly develop also needs to find its way to practice as fast as possible. Not only at the drinking water utilities, but also more widely, because the challenges are big and complex, and need to be tackled together with a variety of different parties. In this context it doesn’t help if you’re invisible.’

Waterwijs

This is why, in 2024, the drinking water sector’s collective research programme began operating under a new, more appealing name: Waterwijs. For Hummelen the new name reflects the co-responsibility that KWR and the drinking water sector feel for the world that surrounds us. ‘Drinking water in the Netherlands is of top quality, but we can’t take this for granted. To maintain the standard, you need knowledge, a long-term vision and collaboration. To achieve this, we can stand on the shoulders, and build upon the wisdom, of our predecessors.’

Impact along several tracks

For Jolijn van Engelenburg the new name’s pay-off best expresses what Waterwijs wants to achieve: ‘Impact through drinking water research’. ‘What we most want to do is to convey our comprehensive knowledge about drinking water more extensively,’ she says. ‘Not only within the water sector, but throughout society. It is actually this notion of looking beyond the water utilities that I find so very inspiring.’ The concept of impact can of course be interpreted in a variety of ways. Hummelen explains: ‘The drinking water research needs to work in an impact-oriented manner if it is to be of value added for the drinking water sector through the application of Waterwijs knowledge at and for drinking water utilities, for strategy and policy, and to strengthen the scientific knowledge base in the area of drinking water. For this reason, we have laid out several impact tracks for Waterwijs. One track for instance leads to practical application within the water utilities; along another track we create societal impact over the longer term, since our knowledge contributes to a continuously high-level functioning drinking water sector, which provides a solid pillar for public health and the economy.’

Impact model as guide

KWR and the drinking water utilities have developed an impact model for the new Waterwijs collaboration agreement. This tool assists in clarifying the problems the drinking water sector faces, what their causes are, how the parties wish to tackle them, what objective they wish to attain in doing so, and what research activities are required to achieve the desired impact. These elements are all brought together in the Waterwijs research programme, which gives shape to a growing knowledge base, the collaboration, futures studies and decision-making support.  Hummelen: ‘Thanks to this structure, we no longer work within Waterwijs from one project to the next, but we proceed with more directed steps from problem definition through to the impact over the long term. With the impact model as an underlaying element, we can maintain a clearer idea of the bigger picture and of our objectives.’ Van Engelenburg adds: ‘Working with impact begins with what one wants to achieve, and therein lies significant value added. Mission, vision and impact define the way of thinking within Waterwijs.’

Co-makership

Co-makership was and remains an important component of the research programme: the set of problems that Waterwijs addresses is complex and requires collaboration. Van Engelenburg: ‘We have already effectively dealt with a lot of things through co-makership, including the application of research in the drinking water sector’s operations. Take, for example, the Drinking Water Operational Codes (in Dutch) which are jointly developed by KWR and the drinking water utilities. In this case knowledge flows directly from Waterwijs to application, and, conversely, knowledge questions arising from the operational codes end up on the Waterwijs agenda. Similarly, the biennial Waterwijs Practice Award places the actual practical application of Waterwijs knowledge in the spotlight.’

Waterwijs-onderzoeksprogramma 2024-2029

Waterwijs is an extensive research programme comprising a number of components (see figure). The thematic research programme within Waterwijs focusses on eight themes of importance to the water utilities. Four of these themes are closely connected to the utilities’ primary process: Sources, Water Systems and Nature; Treatment; Distribution; and Customer. Three themes support the primary process: Hydroinformatics, Biological Safety, and Chemical Safety. The eighth theme, Area-oriented planning and Transitions, focuses on the (external) collaborations with the local environment and stakeholders. This theme was started in 2024. There is in addition the adjoining Water in the Circular Economy (WiCE) research programme, which is dedicated to the transition to a sustainable, circular economy, with a focus on water – it is discussed later on in this Year Review. In this programme, KWR and the water utilities work together with other partners outside of the drinking water sector.

Widely accepted concept 

Hummelen and Van Engelenburg have great confidence in this impact-oriented approach. They are hopeful that the Waterwijs research programme will grow to achieve wide acceptance. ‘Everyone has to know that Waterwijs is where you need to go for knowledge about drinking water,’ says Hummelen. ‘Including those outside our sector’, confirms Van Engelenburg. ‘Drinking water issues are interwoven with society as a whole, and knowledge about drinking water therefore also needs to be known and used outside the drinking water sector.’

You can read more about the Waterwijs research programme in Waterwijs magazine (Dutch).