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Call for Nominations for the 2026 IWA Awards now open!

awards excellence

Published on Mar 19, 2026

IWA is pleased to announce that the call for nominations for the 2026 edition of its prestigious global Awards programme is open and that nominations can now be made until 26 April 2026.

IWA is committed to recognising the special contributions and achievements of its members and of water sector professionals generally around the world. The awards mark the invaluable contributions they make to the water science and management. The IWA Awards programme features the IWA Global Water Award and provides a platform to celebrate those who shape the direction of the sector.

Now is the time to nominate outstanding individuals you strongly believe that IWA should recognise. Through several categories, the IWA Awards draw attention to the broad range of excellence, leadership, and innovation that IWA members and network participants bring to both our Association and the sector at large.

Nominations are sought for various awards categories:

IWA Global Water Award – the most prestigious among the IWA Awards, it recognises an innovative leader who has made a significant contribution to a water-wise future.
IWA Gender Diversity and Water Award – celebrates contributions to progress on gender diversity and inclusion in the water sector.
IWA Young Leadership Award – is granted to an exceptional young water professional for their achievements, leadership, and future potential.

Please note that nominations need to be submitted by 26 April 2026.

For more details about nominations and eligibility criteria and the submission process, please check individual award pages listed on the IWA Awards & Recognition page.

The Awards will be presented at the upcoming IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, to be held 4-8 October 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. 

The IWA Awards

The IWA Awards help drive stewardship, innovation, and leadership in the water sector. Do not miss the chance to nominate an outstanding colleague or water expert who you think deserves to be recognised for their work!

In 2024, the inspiring water leaders from around the world who were recognised by the IWA Awards included Dr Joan Rose. She is an international authority on water microbiology, water quality, and public health safety, and she co-directs both MSU’s Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment (CAMRA) and its Center for Water Sciences (CWS). Joan has been a chair of the IWA Specialist Group on Health-related Water Microbiology, she is a Distinguished Fellow, was a Board Member from 2016 until 2021 and chaired the IWA COVID-19 Task Force.

Other Awards announced in 2024 at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Copenhagen included:

Young Leadership Award: Sabrina Rashid Sheonty, Montrose Environmental Group, Canada
Gender and Diversity Award: Professor Juliet Willets, University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS-ISF), Australia

IWA also recently announced the winners of its 2025 Water and Development Awards.

Water and Development Award for Research: Professor Evan Thomas
Water and Development Award for Practice: Professor Meera Mehta & Jay Bhagwan