In August 2011 international water research organisations, Australian water utilities and three Australian universities came together through a collaborative research agreement, and committed overall funding of $16 million (including $4 million cash) over five years to find ways of finding a solution to the problem of failure in critical pipes.
The partners in this research project include Sydney Water Corporation, Water Research Foundation of the USA, UK Water Industry Research Ltd, Water Corporation (WA), City West Water, Melbourne Water, South Australia Water Corporation, South East Water Ltd and Hunter Water Corporation. Monash University leads the research supported by University of Technology Sydney and the University of Newcastle. Other collaborators include Water Environment Research Foundation and Dr Balvant Rajani of Rajani Consultants Inc.