Water Wheel May/June 2020: Water And Innovation

Abstract

From TAGs to Riches: Technology acceleration through partnerships The average time for new technologies to become mainstream is 15-20 years – too long if they are to have the impact that is urgently needed. The high-profile water scarcity issues that began in 2014 have prompted a huge amount of activity and there are hundreds of people offering water treatment solutions to municipalities and government. It is impossible for the sector to assess all technologies in detail and differentiate the good tech from the repackaged old tech and the low-quality tech. There is a long-term skills shortage in the water sector and with so much technology out there it is difficult for staff to keep up. We can – and must - move faster by closing the communication gaps between technology developers and technology users and investors. Isle works closely with the water sector to introduce pre-assessed new technologies. Key to this are Technology Assessment Groups (TAGs), collaborative innovation forums for technology users.

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