Niche Innovation in Centralized Water Regimes : A Multi-Level Perspective on Decentralized Water Treatment in Sweden and Italy

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how decentralized water treatment (DWT) innovations interact with the centralized water regimes of Sweden and Italy using the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) as an analytical framework. Focusing on DABCE AB’s Off-Grid Water Treatment System (OWTS), the study investigates how decentralized technologies attempt to enter established sociotechnical systems, how regime actors perceive these innovations, and how external pressures such as climate change, aging infrastructure, and resilience concerns influence opportunities for transition. The research is based on a qualitative comparative case study using semi-structured interviews with actors from utilities, authorities, research institutes, and technology companies in both countries. The findings show that the Swedish and Italian water sectors are characterized by strong institutional, infrastructural, and regulatory lock-in mechanisms that reinforce centralized governance and favor incremental innovation over radical transformation. While decentralized systems are recognized as potentially valuable in specific contexts, such as remote areas, emergency situations, or resilience applications, they are generally perceived as complementary rather than transformative alternatives. The study concludes that future developments in the water sector are more likely to result in hybrid configurations combining centralized and decentralized solutions than in a disruptive transition toward full decentralization.