Call for The International Water Association Project Innovation Awards 2026 is open now!!
Awarded biennially at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, the Project Innovation Awards recognize and promote excellence and innovation in water management, research and technology. The awards are presented at a prestigious event in front of an audience of water leaders from around the world.
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Water underpins every aspect of human and environmental existence. The severe water challenges facing the world today require an unprecedented global response. Innovation plays a central role in achieving IWA’s vision of a world in which water is managed wisely to satisfy the needs of human activities and ecosystems in an equitable and sustainable way.
There are six Project Innovation Award categories, with each category celebrating excellence in a specific field within the water sector. An esteemed panel of experts will assess submissions from each category.
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The winner in each category will receive a gold award, and the two runners-up will receive silver and bronze awards. Gold award winners will be considered for the IWA Grand Innovation Award.
- Market-changing Water Technology & Infrastructure: This award celebrates innovations in water and wastewater technologies and infrastructure, which embrace forward-thinking applications and solutions to advance clean and safe water goals.
- Breakthroughs in Research and Development: This award celebrates research that is challenging existing markets and addressing future needs to create new opportunities
- Governance, Institutions and Social Enterprise: This award celebrates social innovation, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurship and their contribution to sustainable water management.
- Performance Improvement and Operational Solutions: This award celebrates new and innovative approaches that improve performance, efficiency, resilience, and sustainability in water operations and maintenance.
- Exceptional Project Execution and Delivery: This award celebrates projects that developed and implemented creative practices during their execution, excellent client relationships beyond expectations.
- Smart Systems and the Digital Water Economy: This award celebrates digital solutions with the potential to reshape the water sector.
Winning entries across six categories will be announced and celebrated at the 2026 IWA Project Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place on 6 October 2026, alongside the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Glasgow, UK.
Location:
United KingdomBenefits
- Recognition at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2026
- Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded for each project category. The gold medal winners will automatically advance to the global awards round to compete for the IWA Grand Innovation Award.
- International exposure through the IWA global network
Eligibilities
- The PIAs are open to applications from individuals, companies, organizations, public bodies or any combination of the above.
- Applicants do not have to be members of IWA.
Application Process
- Apply online through the ‘Apply Now’ link
- Application should include the following
- Name and contact details of the entrants and/or organization submitting the application.
- Short summary of the project (maximum 450 words).
Application Deadline: March 27, 2026 (11 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
