IDRA And The Water Center At The University Of Pennsylvania Sign Collaboration Agreement To Advance Water Sector Leadership, Research, And Careers

Partnership connects IDRA’s global desalination and reuse network with the University of Pennsylvania’s flagship water research center, spanning mentorship, capstone research, careers programming, and reciprocal membership.

The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) and The Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania have signed a one-year collaboration agreement to formalize a partnership between two of the sector’s most active platforms for research, workforce development, and water industry leadership.

The agreement, effective 1 April 2026 through 31 March 2027, was signed by IDRA Secretary General Shannon McCarthy and Water Center at Penn Executive Director Howard Neukrug, P.E. It reflects a shared recognition that the water sector’s biggest challenges, from scaling non-conventional water resources to building the workforce needed to deliver on them, require closer collaboration between global industry networks and leading academic institutions.

The partnership will focus on joint programming across research, student and early-career engagement, industry convenings, and reciprocal participation in each organization's flagship events, including the 2026 IDRA World Congress in Riyadh. Specific initiatives will be developed and announced by the two organizations over the coming year.

“This partnership connects two communities that, together, can do more than either could alone: translate cutting-edge research into real-world application, open doors for the next generation of water leaders, and strengthen the policy and workforce foundations that the sector’s current growth phase demands. I look forward to what we will build together over the coming year,” said Shannon McCarthy, Secretary General of IDRA.

“The global water sector is in a period of rapid change, and the water security challenges we are working to solve in building a future water workforce are challenges that cross borders,” said Howard Neukrug, P.E., Executive Director of The Water Center at Penn. “Partnering with IDRA gives our researchers, professors, students, and Corporate Roundtable members a direct line into the global desalination and reuse community, and gives IDRA’s members a gateway into the research and leadership work we are leading here at Penn. This is the kind of collaboration that moves our sector forward.”

Connecting global industry with leading academic research
The Water Center at Penn operates as a hub for applied water research, policy engagement, and leadership development in the United States, with a particular focus on utility transformation, equity, and the future of the water workforce. IDRA represents the global desalination and water reuse sector, with members across more than 60 countries spanning utilities, technology providers, financial institutions, research organizations, and governments.

The partnership builds on IDRA’s broader strategy of deepening relationships with leading academic institutions and policy bodies as the sector enters what industry analysts have described as its fastest growth phase on record. Installed desalination capacity has grown significantly since 2020, and water reuse capacity continues to scale rapidly as regulators in the US, EU, Middle East, and beyond move to formalize potable and non-potable reuse frameworks.

The two organizations will review and evaluate the collaboration at the end of the one-year term, with the opportunity to strengthen and enhance the partnership moving forward.

About The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA)
The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) is the leading global non-profit association dedicated to advancing the science, technology, and application of desalination and water reuse. With members across more than 60 countries, IDRA connects utilities, technology providers, researchers, financial institutions, and governments through its World Congress, publications, Academy, and advocacy programs. The 2026 IDRA World Congress, Driving Water Sustainability Through Innovation, will be held 1-5 November 2026 in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and hosted by the Saudi Water Authority.

For more information, visit idrawater.org.

About The Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania
Our work can be categorized into four core themes of Water Equity, Building Community Climate Resilience, Water Leadership, and Water Innovation. We achieve this through research, policy analysis, technical assistance and leadership training, network building, and convening conversations around important water topics. By leveraging our expertise and partnering with others across our thematic and project areas, we are able to better analyze our project outcomes and build upon and model existing research in these areas.

The Water Center at Penn is a community focused research center working to find integrated solutions to the challenges facing water systems and watersheds. We strive to be a trusted, reliable partner whose work accelerates water equity.

For more information, visit www.watercenter.sas.upenn.edu