2026 IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition concludes in Glasgow with a renewed call for global water action

A landmark week of global collaboration focused on ‘Water action – the path to resilience and prosperity’

The International Water Association’s (IWA) 2026 World Water Congress & Exhibition drew to a close on Thursday, 8 October, following five days of knowledge exchange and international collaboration at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, Scotland.

As IWA’s flagship biennial event, the Congress provided a global platform for sharing the latest scientific and technological developments, strengthening partnerships and advancing collective action towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.

Congress highlights: From global dialogue to action

With a total participation of more than 8500 across delegates, exhibitors and exhibition visits, the 2026 World Water Congress & Exhibition featured significant moments that underscored the importance of scientific leadership, international cooperation and translating global water commitments into practical action.

The Congress opened with a thought-provoking keynote address from Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, who emphasised the fundamental relationship between climate, water and life on Earth. She reminded delegates that "It is the sum of local decisions that will determine whether or not we can successfully manage our future relationship with the global environment.", setting the tone for a week of discussions focused on resilience and meaningful action.

The Congress also celebrated outstanding contributions to the global water sector through the presentation of three prestigious IWA awards. Clarissa Brocklehurst received the 2026 IWA Global Water Award, Dr Abishek Narayan was presented with the Young Leadership Award, and Faustina Boachie received the Gender, Diversity and Water Award, recognising their respective contributions to advancing the global water sector.

A key highlight was the High-Level Summit on Water for People, which brought together government leaders, UN organisations, utilities, regulators and water professionals to explore how global water and sanitation commitments can translate into sustainable services. Discussions reinforced the need to move beyond infrastructure development towards lasting service delivery, supported by capable institutions, skilled professionals, sustainable financing and accountability. The Summit's outcomes will inform IWA’s input to discussions at the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, particularly the Interactive Dialogue on Water for People, which is co-chaired by Ghana and Switzerland.

Dr Mohamed C.B.C. Diatta, Senegal's Sherpa for the UN Water Conference, contributed to the Summit, while the Honourable Ahmed Ibrahim, Ghana's Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, participated in the discussions. The Minister looked forward to working with IWA to bring the evidence and practical experience shared in Glasgow into the international discussions ahead, reinforcing the importance of policy informed by practice and practice enabled by good policy.

An extensive programme driving participation

The 2026 World Water Congress & Exhibition featured an extensive technical and scientific programme, comprising more than 100 technical sessions and over 60 workshops across six overarching themes. The programme was complemented by keynote plenaries, panel discussions, specialist forums, scientific poster presentations and technical tours.

Keynote speakers throughout the week included Cees Buisman, Sir Jon Cunliffe, Paula Kehoe, Professor Gang Liu, Prabhu Chandrasekeran, and Meg Cummins. Together, their contributions explored issues spanning science, policy, utility management and innovation, reinforcing the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing water resilience and sustainable development.

The programme also featured a range of special Forums dedicated to strategic challenges and emerging priorities. These included the Utility Leaders Forum, Emerging Water Leaders Forum, International Water Regulators Forum, Climate and Nature Resilience Forum, One Health Forum, and dedicated discussions on groundwater, bioresources, industrial water, Indigenous perspectives, women in water and sector leadership.

Alongside the technical programme, the fully-integrated Exhibition provided a dynamic platform for businesses, utilities, innovators and technology providers to showcase solutions and explore opportunities for collaboration. Hosting some 350 global brands, the exhibition featured an extensive Business Forum programme, country pavilions, an Innovation Pavilion and a dedicated Digital Water Stage, along with the Congress poster presentations.

The Operations Challenge brought a practical and competitive dimension to the Congress, showcasing the technical expertise, teamwork and operational skills essential to delivering reliable water and wastewater services. Adler & Allan were crowned the overall winners of the 2026 Challenge, while individual awards were presented to Alan Carnihan of Scottish Water, and Michelle Ashford and Rob Green of Yorkshire Water, recognising their outstanding performance throughout the competition.

Recognising excellence across the water sector

The Congress provided an important opportunity to give recognition to contributions and achievements in addition to the three global awards and the 2026 Project Innovation Awards.

The Presidents’ Dinner, held ahead of the Congress on 3 October, was the occasion to announce the recipients of IWA's Member Honours. The IWA Outstanding Service Award was presented to Blanca Antizar-Ladislao, Bambos Charalambous, Günter Langergraber and Nupur Bahadur, while Akiça Bahri, Dragan Savić and Mooyoung Han received the IWA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Water Management and Science. Walter Kling was awarded Honorary Membership of IWA.

The Congress was also the occasion to welcome twenty-two new IWA Fellows and six Distinguished Fellows, recognising individuals whose contributions have made a significant impact on the sector and IWA. These individuals have also committed to being ambassadors of IWA locally, regionally and internationally.

The Closing Ceremony provided a further opportunity to recognise excellence through the presentation of the 2026 Best Poster Awards. Selected from scientific posters presented across the Congress's six technical themes, the awards celebrated outstanding research, innovation and contributions to advancing knowledge across the water sector.

The 2026 Best Poster Award recipients were:

• Theme 1 – Water Utility Management: From Pipes to Cycles: Transitioning Towards Decentralized Circular Water Systems – Devi Buehler, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland.
• Theme 2 – Wastewater Treatment & Resource Recovery: Net Climate Benefits of Anammox-Based Nitrogen Removal from Tipping-Point Analysis – Yuqing Yan, Princeton University, United States.
• Theme 2 – Wastewater Treatment & Resource Recovery: Membrane Bioreactors as Platforms for Resource-Efficient Quaternary Treatment and Water Reuse: Evidence from Two Long-term Pilots in Stockholm, Sweden – Christian Baresel, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Sweden.
• Theme 3 – Drinking Water & Potable Reuse: To Chlorinate, or Not to Chlorinate? – Joby Boxall, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.
• Theme 4 – City-scale Planning & Operations: What It Takes to Mainstream Urban Stream Daylighting: Lessons and Insights from European Practitioners – Helena Galys, BOKU University, Austria.
• Theme 5 – Communities, Communication & Partnerships: Leveraging Strategic Brand Positioning for Effective Takeover and Management of Community and New Water Supply Systems by a Public Utility – A Case Study from Western Uganda – Philip Oyamo, WSUP Advisory CIC, Uganda.
• Theme 6 – Water Resources & Large-Scale Water Management: Fluorescence Fingerprint Technology for Real-time Monitoring and Identification of Pollution Sources in Urban River During Rainfall Events – Qiuran Xiong, Tsinghua University, China.

Looking ahead: Building on the momentum from Glasgow

As the 2026 World Water Congress & Exhibition concluded, attention turned to translating the knowledge, partnerships and commitments generated throughout the week into lasting impact.

The discussions in Glasgow reinforced the importance of collaboration across disciplines, sectors and geographical boundaries in responding to growing pressures on water resources, infrastructure and services. They also highlighted the essential role of innovation, inclusive leadership and knowledge exchange in building resilience and delivering sustainable water solutions.

In his closing remarks, IWA President Hamanth Kasan encouraged delegates to “keep inspiring. Keep leading, and … continue to work together for a world where sustainable, safe, equitable water and sanitation is available to all.”

With the conclusion of the Glasgow edition, attention now turns to the next IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, which will take place in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2028.