Innovation areas

Innovations which are multi-faceted or which comprehensively impact the utility's operations in a substantial and positive way.

Innovations which develop previously unutilised value, potentially outside the usual scope of operations.

Innovations in fundamental financial operations within the utility, in tariff structures and/or in long-term capital procurement which promote social equity, intergenerational equity, and organisational prosperity.

Innovations in measuring, assessing, predicting, and managing environmental, weather, climate-related and/or man-made risk in order to create resilience for the local community. Disaster recovery is intinsically linked to risk manangement in terms of preparation interventions. In addtion, disaster recovery should also be demonstrated by solid example/s of speedy, low-impact recovery from natural and/or man-made disasters.

Innovations in short-term human resources development such as creative personnel training methods, and/or long-term initiatives for intergenerational knowledge transfer, strategic re-skilling and/or capture and communication of organisational memory.

Innovations in smart and/or digital platforms which create improvements in any strategic or operational area of a water/wastewater utility.

Innovations which mitigate concentrated water over-supply in a specific area or areas, including building short term resilience to extreme events and/or planned long-term responses to climate change and variability.

Innovations in wastewater treatment systems, improving usable biomass output, and/or developing creative methods of obtaining quality measurements for wastewater reuse to support public health goals, odour control, landfill reductions, and the overall environmental sustainability of the local and surrounding areas.

Innovations in construction, maintenance, monitoring and overall asset management of water and wastewater networks. Changes in the way networks are operated and departures from traditional network operating models to create new efficiencies are also included.

Innovations which create a step-change reduction in energy consumption, or create/enhance new sources of energy, such as waste-to-energy products, which create cost savings and/or additional revenues for the utility.

Innovations which create access to previously unutilised water resources, or protect existing resources in an evironmentally, socially and financially sustainable way.

Innovations which promote the conservation of water, including building short term resilience to extreme events and/or planned long-term responses to climate change and variability.

Innovations in drinking water treatment systems, improving potable water quality, developing creative methods of obtaining quality measurements.

Innovations in construction, maintenance, monitoring and overall asset management of water and wastewater networks. Changes in the way networks are operated and departures from traditional network operating models to create new efficiencies are also included.