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 2010 Projects
Overview of the Foundation's Research Programs
Planning Workshops
The Foundation strives to understand subscribers’ research requirements and to target research that meets those needs. The Foundation’s basic planning philosophy is that research has value only if meaningful results are delivered to subscribers and other stakeholders in a manner that meets their needs. Numerous federal, state and local agencies, institutes and organizations, in the U.S. and abroad, contribute to the advancement of drinking water knowledge through research. However, it is the Foundation’s unique role to respond to the shared research needs of drinking water utilities across a broad range of topics.
The Foundation has established the following key objectives for the research program in order to effectively carry out the program and deliver high value to subscribers:
- Ensure that every project is relevant and responsive to subscribers
- Provide timely response to subscriber needs
- Ensure credible, scientifically sound research results
- Leverage subscriber investment through collaboration
- Achieve appropriate balance among critical research needs
- Topics of importance to subscribers
- Basic and applied research
- Industry-wide and specialized/regional needs
These objectives are closely aligned with the Foundation’s mission and vision, and represent the most fundamental and important drivers for the research program.
Each year, volunteer committees and the Board of Trustees work with staff to develop an approved agenda of projects that meets these objectives. The agenda is developed through specific planning activities conducted under each of the Foundation’s research programs. The process is facilitated by topic-based planning workshops which define the state of the science and identify knowledge gaps requiring further study.
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