1. Ken Matthews Chair, Partnership Working Group 31 July 2013
Report of the Partnership Working Group on Improving Arrangements for National Urban Water R&D
Ken Matthews
Chair, Partnership Working Group
31 July 2013

2. Background - report back on work program
26 Sep First National Forum
Oct 2012 – July Partnership Working Group (PWG)
31 July Today’s 2nd National Forum
- report back on work program
- decide next steps

3. Outcomes of first Forum
Some perceived needs
Reduce fragmentation of the national R&D effort
Clarify national R&D goals and priorities
Improve dialogue among parties
Pursue opportunities for collaboration
Provide opportunities for Australian industry
Improve Australia’s processes for planning and delivering R&D
PWG Tasking
How to advance collaboration?
Clarify national urban water R&D goals
Practical suggestions to improve the R&D “system”
Report back

4. The Partnership Working Group (PWG)
Comprising the “four pillars” of urban water R&D:
Governments, utilities, industry, researchers
CEO or senior level
Independent chair
Wide consultation

5. The PWG Report Summary Overview Detailed supporting papers
Draft statement of Urban Water R&D Needs
Set of practical initiatives to improve the R&D “system”
Proposals for carrying forward the work

6. Clarifying national urban water R&D goals
First Major Task
Clarifying national urban water R&D goals

7. Australia’s Research Needs & Challenges in Urban Water
National Goal of Urban Water Management
Safe, secure, efficient and sustainable urban water services to Australian communities
Target Outcomes of the National Urban Water Research Effort
More liveable urban areas
Improved community engagement & enhanced customer value
Improved water system security and resilience
Improved institutional and governance arrangements and economic signals
Improved preparedness for climate change and extreme events
More effective utilisation of future technologies
Assured water quality
Improved waterway health
Better integration of urban water systems

8. But the PWG did more than list national R&D challenges…
…it also identified specific lines of research (projects) with best prospects for collaboration….
…and lead agents have already volunteered for the work

9. Criteria for short-listing the best opportunities for collaboration
Nationally relevant challenge (not isolated to one jurisdiction or sector)
More than one sector, organisation or jurisdiction is involved / interested
Has at least some existing resourcing (and therefore a natural lead agent/s)
An agreed priority by a number of beneficiaries (e.g. utilities, jurisdictions, private sector)

10. Three categories of potential projects
Category 1: Maximising value from past investments
- improving knowledge-sharing & adoption of past R&D
Category 2: Maximising current effort
- collaborating better on current R&D
Category 3: Gaps & emerging needs
- better planning & collaboration on future R&D

11. Category 1 projects (past investments): examples
Outcome area:
Improved water system security & resilience
National need:
To learn the lessons from rapid implementation of water infrastructure in recent crisis periods
Suggested lead:
WSAA and/or WaterAUSTRALIA 2
Assured water quality
To collate, curate and make available the knowledge gained from many years of water quality research
WQRA

12. Category 2 projects (current): examples1
Outcome area:
Improved water system security & resilience
National need:
To understand the performance & interactions of decentralised systems
Suggested lead:
CSIRO 2
Assured water quality
To develop a nationally-accepted validation framework for water treatment technologies
AWRCoE

13. Category 3 projects (emerging needs): examples1
Outcome area:
Improved community engagement and customer value
National need:
To develop and apply better methods for engaging with the community and customer
Suggested lead:
WSAA 2
Improved institutional and governance arrangements and economic signals
To design better ways to integrate water planning into urban planning
CRC Water Sensitive Cities

14. Second Major Task
Advice on any concrete, practical improvements to Australia’s R&D “system”

15. The PWG suggests 5 principles for enhanced collaboration
Participants share their urban water R&D priorities in an open and transparent way
Participants share their urban water data, information and knowledge generated by research
Participants evaluate the effectiveness of R&D and report evaluation outcomes
Participants share information on opportunities for collaboration and facilitate collaboration
Participants support industry development (economic) opportunities associated with the Australian urban water R&D effort

16. Principle 1: Share R&D priorities
All parties’ research plans to be made available through the portal
Membership of research planning / advising committees to be made available through the portal
All parties to collaborate in maintaining and periodically reviewing the national urban water R&D needs statement

17. Principle 2: Share research data & knowledge
A national urban water data collection to be developed and maintained by Australian National Data Service
A national urban water knowledge portal to be developed (steering committee already formed)
A review of IP to be carried out by a joint industry / researchers group

18. Principle 3: Evaluation
Good current practices for evaluation of urban water R&D to be shared and best practice guidelines to be developed

19. Principle 4: Facilitate collaboration
An annual urban water knowledge collaboration symposium to be conducted - in conjunction with OzWater - R&D users and providers in the same room at the same time

20. Principle 5: Support Industry Development
A WSAA / Water AUSTRALIA test-bedding demonstration process to be developed
Review of industry involvement in current projects. Key opportunities to be selected

21. The PWG: a unique process?
All parties (“the four pillars”)
Growing enthusiasm and volunteering
Not reliant on governments, but consistent with COAG
Not “owned” by any single party
Resourced in-kind, plus temporary $$ contributions by some
Self-help

22. Record of the PWG
A clearer picture of Australia’s needs and challenges in urban water R&D
A range of practical improvements to Australia’s processes for delivering urban water R&D
Establishment of self-help liaison machinery and a collaborative mindset
Successful engagement with industry
A menu of options for future projects

23. Guidance from today’s Forum
Reactions to the draft statement of ‘Australia’s Research Needs & Challenges in Urban Water’
Comments on the initiatives proposed to improve the processes for planning and delivering urban water R&D
Assessment of the success or otherwise of the process to date
Decisions on the future of the PWG and next steps

24. Future of the PWG: Proposal
The ad-hoc PWG to be formalised into a standing committee (secretariat) of the Forum
The PWG to finalise the forward work program in light of comments / guidance at today’s Forum
Forum to convene again in 2014 and 2015 to review progress by the PWG

25. Report of the Partnership Working Group on Improving Arrangements for National Urban Water R&D