Innovation and Research

Ongoing innovation and research are vital to advancing how water professionals safeguard public health, protect the environment, and strengthen communities through better, safer water. Innovation and research are the foundation of continuous improvement across policy and practice; AWWA has long recognized their importance through its publications and awards, including the prestigious A.P. Black Research Award, which honors individuals whose work has significantly advanced water science.

This month's Journal AWWA features an interview with Karl Linden, the 2025 A.P. Black Research Award winner and a recognized innovator whose work, like that of previous A.P. Black award winners, exemplifies the best of our field—trailblazers whose research has shaped how we understand and manage safe drinking water. Their contributions remind us that the challenges we face today require not only technical expertise but also vision, leadership, and connection to the communities we serve.

One of the best places to witness the vanguard of innovation in the water industry is at AWWA's Water Quality Technology Conference (WQTC), a showcase each November for researchers to present their latest findings and discuss emerging issues with colleagues from around the world. Scientists, students, engineers, and utility leaders make up the research teams that gather at WQTC to share new insights and spark collaboration to further promote safe drinking water.

AWWA Water Science (AWS), our dedicated research journal, continues its mission of publishing peer-reviewed articles on the physical, chemical, biological, and ecological processes that affect drinking water quality and quantity. You’ll also find monthly Research Highlights in Journal AWWA, offering abstracts and links to full AWS articles—making it easy to stay informed of the very latest developments.

Promoting research in AWWA's journals and at its conferences inspires creative solutions that meet evolving water challenges. But true innovation is not just a change—it must also be an improvement, and continuous improvement is a core value of the water industry. Whether through incremental advances or disruptive technologies, it takes the concerted efforts of all water professionals to foster and imbed an improvement mindset.

The water industry has many conventional ways of doing things, so its leaders need to encourage staff to ask questions, remove institutional barriers, and develop incentives to be original thinkers within their organizations. And it is our collective responsibility to create a forward-thinking environment that questions the processes and approaches that are taken for granted as standard practice today. Further progress depends on you, so please share your ideas, experiences, and innovations with the broader water industry. To submit or inquire, email me at [email protected].