There’s been a call from the water sector for a more coordinated and cohesive approach to research and policy decisions.

This comes after more than 200 scientists, researchers and water professionals took part in the development of a Water Research Roadmap aimed at ensuring a more effective, joined-up approach to research and development.

The new roadmap, launched by Water New Zealand, identifies 12 national research priorities.

“With nearly 50-billion dollars of investment required in the water sector in the next ten years, we need to ensure that we are spending those investment dollars wisely,” says Water New Zealand chief executive Gillian Blythe.

She says current gaps in coordination across the sector will prevent optimal outcomes.

“We’ve found too many cases of researchers working in isolation rather than through a shared coordination framework.

“This has resulted in difficulties identifying overall progress as well as the ability to spot overlaps and opportunities to work together.”

She says research and science are underfunded and there is a need to better align research with national science reforms.

The roadmap identifies how water research can deliver the greatest environmental, economic and social benefit.

“We know that good quality targeted research can deliver between five and ten fold in investment gains based on international evidence."

The roadmap supports and builds on the government’s strategy of ensuring funding research is linked to economic return.

“We want to build on the strategy and ensure that science and research support better decisions around climate adaptation, infrastructure resilience and sustainable resource use.”

The 200 scientists and sector leaders that took part in the development of the research roadmap identified water quality and public health, climate change and environmental impacts and workforce capability as being the three most important focus areas.

It set out these focus areas under three themes - water resilience, water governance and water intelligence - that support national priorities.

Water Resilience - Risk and Resilience, Climate Change and Environmental Impacts, Infrastructure and Asset Management, Workforce and Capability

Water Governance - Iwi Partnerships and Co-Governance, Public Perception and Communication, Public Behaviour and Risk Response, Governance and Decision-Making.

Water Intelligence - Water Quality and Public Health, Contaminants and Treatment Innovations, Planning and Performance, Data, Modelling and Economic Tools.

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