The water sector doesn’t have an innovation problem — it has an implementation problem. Investment is at a record high and the pipeline is full, yet few proven solutions ever become standard practice. Drawing on the World Economic Forum’s new deployment report and over 70% adoption rates at the Trial Reservoirs Initiative, Jo Burgess argues that the next decade will be won on implementation — and that the discipline to design every trial as the first step of a deployment is what separates the winners from the stalls.

Many water technology trials stall at closeout. Here are three best practices to help participants evaluate results and agree on next steps.

Trial Reservoirs Initiative is de-risking water sector pilots through US partnerships that support underserved communities and solve critical water challenges.