A new data visualization tool has been developed to create interactive engagement with technology trends in the water sector.
Developed under the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) – a joint initiative between the Water Environment Federation and the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF) – the survey and visualization tool helps utilities better understand innovative technology deployment across the water sector.
While the visualization tool is primarily focused on displaying U.S. technology adoption, it offers insight into trends that the Canadian water sector may find insightful. Derived from the initial results of a survey intended to identify the current and future trends for water technology, the tool is now available online.
Interface of the data visualization tool.
Led and coordinated by WE&RF, the survey currently includes more than 100 respondents representing the entire water sector—wastewater, stormwater, drinking water, desalination, and water reuse facilities—in North America and abroad. The visualization tool uses the accumulated data to illustrate two key elements: the percentage of facility respondents that have or are planning to deploy a technology at a given point in time and how quickly a groundbreaking, then leading edge technology evolves into standard practice.
General access to the visualization tool allows users a look at aggregated data and permits them to analyze it based upon facility type, size, location, and technology. Members of the LIFT Utility Working Group (comprised of WE&RF utility subscribers) will be able to drill down deeper and see detailed survey results including utility specific information to help facilitate peer-to-peer networking.
The survey will remain open to utilities throughout 2017 and the visualization tool will be updated regularly to reflect newly collected data. WE&RF plans to reissue the survey within the next two to three years to monitor and assess the continued uptake of water innovation over time.
To explore the tool and learn more about LIFT, visit http://www.werf.org/lift/VisualizationTool.
