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We are recognised for research that supports clever, cost-effective and resource-efficient water and sanitation systems.

More than ever before, communities expect water supply systems to perform efficiently and be resilient to drought and disruptions. They also expect to enjoy urban landscapes with green open spaces that help to keep the concrete jungle cool. We support our clients by providing assistance and guidance in understanding the opportunities, risks and potential business models to meet challenges in the urban water sector. 

We adopt a systems approach to our work that incorporates considerations of circular economy and the interlinkages between water-energy-waste.

Our research partnerships align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6 and improve the accessibility, equity and security of water and wastewater services in urban centres across the world.

Expertise areas

  • Integrated water systems

    Collaborating directly with state government policy-makers, local government, water utility planners and far-sighted developers to implement sustainable urban water and Integrated Water Management (IWM).

  • Smart buildings and digital water

    Leading research into the emerging digital technologies that target end-uses to create improvements in both sustainability outcomes and user experiences. 

  • Circular economy: water, energy and waste

    Reimagining urban water, waste and energy systems and creating regenerative infrastructures that capture synergies and deliver benefits for all.

  • Water efficiency and demand analysis

    Developing water efficiency and demand management strategies, improving demand forecasting, and creating end-use analysis models to assist water utilities and state governments to develop their water efficiency programs.

  • Decision-making under uncertainty

    Supporting water utilities, governments and businesses to deal with uncertainty and impacts of climate change, and implement long-term planning to ensure cities and towns maintain water security.

  • Water and wastewater planning for low- and medium-income countries

    Improving urban water and sanitation systems and building capacity in low- and medium-income contexts.

Research news and projects

  • Varsha Sivagurunathan:

    Scenario planning essentially is about planning for alternative futures. This is especially helpful in times of increasing uncertainty in the water sector. We are finding that there are more floods and droughts and other climatic events that are affecting the way we operate. And scenario planning is essentially a tool that we can use to help prepare for those sorts of uncertain events and explore alternative futures.

    So, this Forum that was titled Representing Future Scenarios, their presentation and application essentially looked at bringing together a range of different stakeholders. We had representatives from the state government, utilities, and academia. They all met, and we had a lot of engaging discussions about scenarios in the water industry. They used their knowledge, insight, and expertise to discuss how to present scenarios, how to represent them, and how to use them. It was really exciting.

    Some of the questions that were explored were things around what actually makes good scenarios and what are some challenges that you face when you end up trying to create those good scenarios. 

    James Macken:

    To start with the challenges, it's a complex and messy process. It's designed to be that by nature, meant to be uncomfortable to push our thinking beyond business as usual. So, in that sense, it's not for everyone, and it takes a bit of time to get into the right headspace and to be able to have the discussions needed to think about the future in different ways.

    Rachael Wakefield-Rann:

    There are many, but I think two are worth emphasising. The first is ensuring adequate participation from the right people. A lot of the time when we develop scenarios, we include people that we think are going to have relevant experience without capturing the full diversity of people that those kinds of visions or the future planning is going to affect. So, figuring out how to get the right people in the room, people from diverse backgrounds and people who might not be incentivised in any kind of conventional way, which is a huge challenge, I think, at the moment and often excludes people who are time poor or of course people who don’t speak English as a first language or may have difficulty with technology or may not be able to access transport, factors like that.

    The second key factor is scalability I think, connecting visions that might be affecting a city or an entire landscape and ensuring that our thinking goes from that scale down into the home and back out again. How you actually translate things that might happen at a micro scale up through the miso and to kind of the macro level of understanding of what's happening.

    Craig Ma:

    When I think about how we can most effectively use scenarios, there are a few things that might help that process along. The first is something I call bookending. So, depending on the scenario, if you can bookend it with a narrative or a description that is quite tangible and plausible and relatable to others, then that's a really good frame to start with. The second thing I would add to the mix is if we can at least timestamp the scenario, give it a sense of urgency or give others an ability to understand how much time do we have to better understand what the scenario might mean for them is also a very useful tool.

    And perhaps the final thing would be if we can more effectively link the scenario back to our risk practices, then that really helps people understand the implications of the type of scenario we're talking about. 

    Ann-Marie Rohlfs:

    Scenarios are used most effectively when they're interactive, when they're brought to life. So, that might be through making them visual, making them interactive, and having participants come and discuss them.

    Varsha Sivagurunathan:

    So, the Forum concluded with a discussion around the future of futuring in the water sector. Some of the key points and themes that emerged from all of our discussions during the day were about the role of stakeholders. Who should be involved in the process? How do we engage with different stakeholders in a meaningful way to create really good scenarios? The discussions from the day will be useful for policymakers and water planners as we start this journey of planning for uncertain futures in the water industry.

  • Water
    Collaboration for a secure water future

    Representatives from the Australian water sector join forces to plan for a sustainable water future.

  • PROJECT | 2022-2023

    Water efficiency program outlines for Melbourne water businesses

    Improving water efficiency is in many cases the most cost-effective integrated water management option available.

    Faucet spitting water
  • IMPACT STORY

    Demand management beats dams and desalination during drought

    We took a unique approach to managing supply and demand during Australia’s worst drought.

    Dry ground with a low pond in the distance
  • A person's hand turning off a water tap
    The future of water smart homes in Greater Sydney

    How will SMART tech transform Sydney's water practices?

  • IMPACT STORY

    Bathrooms of the Future: Assessing the scope of smart water tech

    As smart TVs, smart refrigerators and other intuitive IoT appliances pop up around homes, the bathroom is the next frontier. We look at the impact these devices can have on water usage. 

    Bathroom

Team

  • Program lead - Water futures

    Modelling and assessment for sustainable urban water.

  • Professor of Water Futures

    Adaptive planning for integrated and efficient water supply and sanitation services.

  • Professor and Director, ISF

    Urban water policy and integrated resource planning.

  • Research Director

    Demand forecasts and efficiency options for cities and regions.

  • Research Principal

    Conservation behaviours and technologies, governance, policy analysis.

  • Senior Research Consultant

    Water demand analytics and models supporting water policy.

  • Research Principal

    Data analysis and model development.

  • Research Consultant

    Urban water research and planning support.

  • Research Prinicpal

    Circular economy analysis and policy.

  • Senior Research Consultant

    Digital water futures and customer water efficiency.

  • Adjunct Emeritus Professor

    Future-oriented city and water planning, policy and assessment.

  • Research Principal

    Specialises in sustainable urban water planning and decision-making frameworks for water policies in the national and international context.

  • Research Assistant

    Brings a process engineering perspective to water management with particular insight into wastewater treatment.

  • Senior Research Consultant

Let's collaborate

Whether you have a problem that needs support or an idea for change, our innovative and solutions-focused approach can help you achieve your goals.

Contact Simon Fane on Simon.Fane@uts.edu.au for more information.

Headshot of Simon Fane

Contact us

t: +61 2 9514 4950
e: isf@uts.edu.au

Level 10, UTS Building 10
235 Jones Street
Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
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