The diffusion of innovation remains a big challenge. This is as true for the dissemination of new policies as for technical innovation. Which are the technical innovations that have been rapidly adopted by water and sanitation practitioners and what are the lessons learned that can be applied to other, less successful innovations? What are the obstacles to the diffusion of innovation?

From the perspective of the innovation chief from a large utility, Dr. Sudhir Murthy illustrates how the adoption of innovations in a water utility need to consider the different innovation cycles of water technologies as well as the urgent utilities’ need to intensify processes while reducing energy and resources expenditures (concrete infrastructure, mechanical equipment, and smart devices) have, which have an important impact on how they are adopted and implemented in a water utility.

Dr. Sudhir Murthy is the CEO of NEWhub, a Cleantech firm that helps utilities and industry navigate their internal innovation process and to commercialize new technologies. He has also been recently appointed as one of two vice-presidents of IWA. He was also the Innovation Chief for DC Water, the water utility company in Washington DC, USA. responsible for developing, implementing, adopting, commercializing technologies, implementing near a billion dollars’ worth of technologies.