IWA and AWS sign Memorandum of Understanding to advance global water stewardship

The International Water Association (IWA) and the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) have formalised a new partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration to improve water management and promote water stewardship worldwide.

IWA’s mission is to connect and support water professionals globally, advancing innovative and sustainable approaches to water and wastewater management. Through its international network, publications, specialist groups, and events, IWA provides a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity development, and leadership across the sector.

AWS is a global membership collaboration of businesses, NGOs, and public sector institutions dedicated to advancing responsible water use through the AWS International Water Stewardship Standard. The Standard provides a universal framework that drives, recognises, and rewards good water stewardship practices that benefit local communities, the environment, and economies.

Recognising their complementary missions and shared commitment to advancing sustainable water management, IWA and AWS are partnering to expand cooperation and enable joint action. The MoU outlines intentions to:

• Promote and strengthen water stewardship practices globally

• Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange across both organisations’ networks

• Create opportunities for joint activities, events, and capacity-building initiatives

• Support utilities, cities, and industries to improve water management at both system and watershed levels

This collaboration reflects a shared belief that sustainable water management requires action across scales, from utilities and cities to entire catchments and supply chains. By combining IWA’s global network of leading water professionals with AWS’s practical framework for stewardship, the partnership aims to support more coordinated, impactful responses to water challenges.

IWA and AWS look forward to working closely to empower their members and partners to advance collective action and deliver meaningful improvements in water security and sustainability.