Call for applications for literature reviews for Technology Development for Advancing Sanitation Innovation (TDASI) project

The International Water Association (IWA) has launched the Technology Development for Advancing Sanitation Innovation (TDASI) project. As a first step under TDASI, IWA invites applications from researchers, academics, industry professionals, and interdisciplinary teams with relevant expertise to undertake literature reviews.

The reviews will contribute to the evidence base that will shape the next generation of sanitation solutions. They will focus on selected topics addressing critical sanitation technology gaps, such as areas where knowledge is limited, where new technologies show promise, or where fresh thinking is needed to move the field forward.

The deadline for applications is 22 May 2026. Each applicant may only apply for one topic.

The review topics are as follows:

• Advanced filtration and membrane-based sanitation technologies
• Cavitation processes for sludge pre-treatment
• Digital, automated, and information-driven sanitation
• Electrochemical processes for decentralised sanitation
• Energy-resilient systems for off-grid sanitation
• Low-energy cold plasma for decentralised wastewater treatment
• Low-grade electrical gradients for enhanced bioactivity in sanitation systems
• Microbiome engineering and biochemical complexity
• Microwave-based treatment or pre-treatment at household scale
• Soft robotics for jam-free maceration

The literature reviews will assess feasibility, risks, and knowledge gaps in sanitation areas where information is limited or where new technologies show promise. The focus should be on analysing potential cost drivers and energy requirements, and on generating hypotheses for potential applications. These review topics are intentionally designed to encourage innovative thinking beyond incremental improvements or conventional wastewater treatment approaches, including exploration of “near-future” or speculative ideas and bold “what-if” scenarios that challenge current assumptions.

As part of the application, as well as providing details of prior experience and background knowledge, applicants are expected to articulate a concise review proposal describing the intended scope and focus of the work, the proposed methodological approach, anticipated outputs, and a feasible timeline for completion. Applicants should also provide an overall budget (in USD), accompanied by a justified breakdown that reflects the estimated level of effort, personnel inputs, and any associated costs required to deliver the review.

Successful applicants will receive funding of up to USD 20,000 to complete their review within an expected timeframe of 6–8 weeks. Final outputs should be suitable for publication and will be included in an open-access special series by IWA Publishing at the end of the project period.

Apply here.

Selected Terms & Conditions:

Submission rules

• Applicants may submit one application. Each application should be for only one of the review topics listed.
• Separate individuals or groups within the same organisation may apply for other review topics listed.
• A maximum of two applications per organisation will be taken forward for evaluation.
• Where more than two applications are received from the same organisation, IWA reserves the right to select which applications will be taken forward but will do so based on their technical quality and the evaluation criteria.
• IWA reserves the right to reject incomplete or non-compliant applications without evaluation.

Selection process

• Applications will be peer-reviewed by the project expert panel (expected to comprise 7 members).
• Applications will be evaluated based on technical quality, relevance to TDASI objectives, feasibility, team expertise, and cost realism.
• IWA shall be responsible for final selection of successful applicants.

Please see the online application form for full Terms and Conditions.