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Actor Roles and Networks in Implementing Urban Water Innovation : A Study of Onsite Water Reuse in the San Francisco Bay Area

Wagner, Tzipora R. ; Nelson, Kara L. ; Binz, Christian LU and Hacker, Miriam E. (2023) In Environmental Science and Technology 57(15). p.6205-6215
Abstract

As climate change and rapid urbanization stress our aging water infrastructure, cities are under increasing pressure to develop more flexible, resilient, and modular water management systems. In response, onsite water reuse practices have been adopted by several cities globally. In addition to technological innovation, these novel water treatment systems also require new stakeholder collaborations, relationships, and processes to support them. There are, however, few models for stakeholder arrangements that support and encourage the adoption and success of such infrastructure. In this paper, we use interviews with stakeholders involved in onsite water reuse projects in the San Francisco Bay Area to create a social network map that... (More)

As climate change and rapid urbanization stress our aging water infrastructure, cities are under increasing pressure to develop more flexible, resilient, and modular water management systems. In response, onsite water reuse practices have been adopted by several cities globally. In addition to technological innovation, these novel water treatment systems also require new stakeholder collaborations, relationships, and processes to support them. There are, however, few models for stakeholder arrangements that support and encourage the adoption and success of such infrastructure. In this paper, we use interviews with stakeholders involved in onsite water reuse projects in the San Francisco Bay Area to create a social network map that describes the interactions between stakeholders at large and during specific phases of project implementation. Using qualitative content analysis of expert interviews and social network analysis, we identify four actor roles that are key to the functioning of this novel water infrastructure paradigm─specialists, continuity providers, program champions, and conveners─and discuss the importance of each role through the course of project implementation. These findings can be helpful for policy interventions and outreach efforts by other cities and communities looking to implement onsite water systems.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
actor roles, alternative water system, decentralized, implementation, innovation, institutional arrangements, SNA, social network analysis, stakeholders, technology adoption, water infrastructure
in
Environmental Science and Technology
volume
57
issue
15
pages
11 pages
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:37011143
  • scopus:85151883874
ISSN
0013-936X
DOI
10.1021/acs.est.2c05231
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cd4fe09c-8fb3-43d6-8323-1efba05d96c9
date added to LUP
2023-07-21 14:27:20
date last changed
2024-04-19 23:54:06
@article{cd4fe09c-8fb3-43d6-8323-1efba05d96c9,
  abstract     = {{<p>As climate change and rapid urbanization stress our aging water infrastructure, cities are under increasing pressure to develop more flexible, resilient, and modular water management systems. In response, onsite water reuse practices have been adopted by several cities globally. In addition to technological innovation, these novel water treatment systems also require new stakeholder collaborations, relationships, and processes to support them. There are, however, few models for stakeholder arrangements that support and encourage the adoption and success of such infrastructure. In this paper, we use interviews with stakeholders involved in onsite water reuse projects in the San Francisco Bay Area to create a social network map that describes the interactions between stakeholders at large and during specific phases of project implementation. Using qualitative content analysis of expert interviews and social network analysis, we identify four actor roles that are key to the functioning of this novel water infrastructure paradigm─specialists, continuity providers, program champions, and conveners─and discuss the importance of each role through the course of project implementation. These findings can be helpful for policy interventions and outreach efforts by other cities and communities looking to implement onsite water systems.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wagner, Tzipora R. and Nelson, Kara L. and Binz, Christian and Hacker, Miriam E.}},
  issn         = {{0013-936X}},
  keywords     = {{actor roles; alternative water system; decentralized; implementation; innovation; institutional arrangements; SNA; social network analysis; stakeholders; technology adoption; water infrastructure}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{15}},
  pages        = {{6205--6215}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Environmental Science and Technology}},
  title        = {{Actor Roles and Networks in Implementing Urban Water Innovation : A Study of Onsite Water Reuse in the San Francisco Bay Area}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05231}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/acs.est.2c05231}},
  volume       = {{57}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}