www.water-alternatives.org Volume 12 | Issue 2 Lennartsson, M.; McConville, J.; Kvarnström, E.; Hagman, M. and Kjerstadius, H. 2019. Investments in innovative, urban sanitation – Decision-making processes in Sweden. Water Alternatives 12(2): 588-608 Investments in Innovative Urban Sanitation – Decision-Making Processes in Sweden Maria Lennartsson Research and Development Coordinator, City of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden;
[email protected] Jennifer McConville Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden;
[email protected] Elisabeth Kvarnström RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden;
[email protected] Marinette Hagman Northwestern Skånes Water and Wastewater Municipal Company, Helsingborg, Sweden;
[email protected] Hamse Kjerstadius Northwestern Skånes Water and Wastewater Municipal Company, Helsingborg, Sweden;
[email protected] ABSTRACT: This paper studies decision-making processes in relation to the implementation of innovative source- separating wastewater systems in the development area of Helsingborg called H+, and the non-implementation of the same in Stockholm Royal Seaport. Two analytical perspectives were used to identify critical organisational functions, drivers for change and the anchoring of these decisions within policy: (i) a sustainability transitions framework, and (ii) a policy trickle-down study assessing policy-concept uptake by stakeholders. Critical functions supporting implementation of source-separating systems in H+ were: common vision, leadership, cross-sectoral cooperation, and an innovative approach both within the utility and in the city administration in Helsingborg. In Stockholm, with regard to source-separating wastewater systems, there was a lack of common vision and of cross- sectoral cooperation and leadership. This was also evident in the lack of uptake by stakeholders of the policies for source separation.