Wim's Water Wisdom - April 2026

The water industry does not need more models. It needsmore application.

[Wim's Water Wisdom - AM-Team's monthly opinion piece - April 2026]

On the value of models in the water industry

I started my water industry career in modelling and I can still vividly remember how long it took me to understand the value and capabilities of models. I was developing them but wondering why. While being a treatment plant modelling researcher, myself and everyone around me was focusing on the models, but few were focusing on their applications. I only realised later that there’s a big difference between developing models and applying those models to solve actual problems. If you read the conclusions of my PhD dissertation, you’ll notice that I was listing down a couple of application opportunities. Yes indeed, at the very end of my PhD I started understanding the real potential of models. While my research project ended and it was too late make it happen, we could still turn the theory into practice a few years later in our business.

While the technical/scientific focus on the models has made them truly remarkable, it hasn’t developed that much of a market around them. This has led to an asymmetry between the maturity of the models and the maturity of the adopting market. A gap between the experts understanding the models and the problem owners seeking for practical solutions.

Within AM-Team, we often refer to it as the TRL-MRL connection: technology readiness level (TRL) defines the maturity and capabilities of a technology. Market readiness level (MRL) defines the readiness of a market to adopt that technology. When it comes to models, I believe the TRL has been disproportionally high compared to the MRL. Lots of fantastic models, but too little application in the last couple of decades.

What resonates with academics does not resonate withpractitioners

We started ourbusiness 9 years ago to change exactly that. To make sure the water industrycan benefit from the superpowers models can provide. To get there, twoingredients are crucial:

1. Awareness around model applications: the water industry understands what models can do and how they can solve their problems.
2. Actual application of models: there should be companies pushing for the application of models and making sure the value gets delivered.

If you govisiting our LinkedIn page, blogs or webinar recordings, you’ll notice thateven though we are a tech business centred around models, we will structurallycommunicate around the application and adoption. We will avoid at all cost totalk about complex equations, which is relieving for practitioners. I stillremember how proud I was during my PhD to present complex formula. Today I amproud when customers experience value.

This focus onawareness and application has gradually transformed non-believers into usersand even fans of models. Today, we are working with water companies that werenot ready to be a customer 9 years ago.

It is time to prioritize model application

I have explainedin an earlier blog how certain pressures on the water industry very well connect withcapabilities of models, shaping an unprecedented business case. The need forand value of model application has never been higher than in this digital era.We have seen MRL growing and it has gotten a significant boost due to the recentAI revolution, stimulating water utilities to go faster and take more boldsteps.

The key priorityfor the coming years will be in connecting the high TRL with the emerging MRL:the application of models at scale. We really need to satisfy that long-awaitedMRL by prioritizing model application over model development[1]. Whoeverwill be able to connect tools with needs beyond the hype will be succeeding. Toselect the right tools, one needs technical depth and a practical mindset. Toidentify the needs, one needs customer and industry understanding. And thesuccessful connection happens through a good business model.

It is interesting howin the last 2 years hype has been transforming into a mature discussion arounddigital water. The market landscape is shaping up. With AM-Team we certainlywant to continue playing our role in translating models into true societal andbusiness value.

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[1] Don’t get me wrong. Withprioritizing, I do not at all mean we should stop developing models. We justcan’t postpone any longer large scale deployment. We have to escape theparalysis by overanalysis.

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