In January, we brought together Stream’s Advisory Group 2 (Technical) which comprises subject matter experts from 16 water companies and other industry stakeholders. Co-chaired by Icebreaker One and Pennon Group, this group advises and supports the project partners as they commence work on Stream’s Implementation Phase.
Meeting Aims
- Refresher on the Data Institution to surface any key questions that members have
- Aligning on new steps/actions for the Data Institution (potentially questions to take away for the next session)
- Aligning on governance/onboarding best practice for 2026
- It was noted that:
- The meeting focused on advancing Stream’s transition toward becoming a data institution, a key strategic goal for 2026.
- Funding from the Water Breakthrough Challenge will end by 2028, requiring Stream to develop a sustainable business model beyond member subscriptions, otherwise membership fees are likely to triple.
- A centralised hub for governance documents will be developed to improve integration and transparency.
- It was agreed that:
- Next steps include refining the business and operating model, creating clear messaging and an FAQ for executive buy-in, addressing financial sustainability, and engaging data champions within member organisations.
- It was discussed that:
- Becoming a recognised data institution by 2028 requires clarity on recognition criteria and positioning Stream as the industry go-to for water data.
- There are some key concerns, which include:
- Balancing commercialisation with maintaining open data principles.
- Aligning Stream’s governance with existing company processes and managing liability shifts.
- Our current technical capability for items such as automated data pipelines and broader data formats (e.g., audio/video) was identified as a potential limitation.
- There are some opportunities, which include:
- Leveraging Stream’s role to influence governance standards and become proactive rather than reactive.
- Positioning Stream as the trusted industry hub/advisory body during regulatory changes.
- Some risks were identified:
- Loss of regulatory pressure could reduce industry cooperation.
- There are long timelines to realise true value (e.g., Transport for London example took 10 years).