Promising water solutions often struggle to move beyond the pilot stage. The barriers frequently lie in the conditions surrounding innovation: regulatory frameworks, financing mechanisms, institutional relationships and governance structures that determine whether solutions achieve lasting adoption.
Drawing on research underpinning Water-BOOST and lessons from cities including Barcelona, Singapore and Accra, this insight explores what enables water innovation to scale. It examines why coordination between actors matters, how procurement and long-term financing can create clearer pathways to implementation, and why learning across cities requires adaptation to local conditions. For policymakers, utilities, funders and city leaders, it offers a practical direction: strengthen the systems that support innovation so that promising technologies can deliver sustained, place-based impact.
