41 Water Utilities Recognised at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2026 in Glasgow, One Shared Goal: Building Climate-Resilient Water Services

From showcasing climate smart practices to celebrating outstanding leadership, the 2026 Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme brought together water and sanitation utilities from around the world to share solutions, strengthen connections and accelerate climate action.

As climate change intensifies pressures on water and sanitation services, utilities are increasingly called upon to build resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lead the transition towards a more sustainable water sector.

Against this backdrop, the International Water Association celebrated the achievements of 41 water and sanitation utilities through the fifth edition of the Climate Smart Utilities (CSU) Recognition Programme at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, from 4–8 October 2026.

Powered by Xylem, the 2026 programme recognised utilities demonstrating commitment and progress towards becoming climate smart. Through a series of activities during the Congress, the programme provided opportunities to showcase innovative practices, exchange experiences, and celebrate the leadership of utilities working to address the impacts of climate change.

Recognising progress at every stage of the climate journey

The 2026 programme received 152 applications, with 41 utilities recognised: 21 in the Entrant category and 20 in the Achiever category. Of these, 7 emerged as Outstanding. These 7 utilities were given a platform in a dedicated session to share their experiences with the international water community at the IWA World Water Congress in Glasgow. The programme promotes climate action across three pillars: adaptation, mitigation and leadership, supporting utilities to build resilience and advance sustainable water and sanitation services.

Together, these pillars encourage utilities to strengthen their preparedness for climate impacts, reduce emissions, and promote collaborative approaches to protecting water resources and building resilient services.

Five highlights from IWA World Water Congress in Glasgow

Showcasing climate-smart practices at the Utility Leaders Forum

The programme’s activities began with a poster display during the Utility Leaders Forum, providing visibility for the recognised utilities and their climate-smart initiatives.

The posters offered Congress participants an opportunity to explore the approaches utilities are taking to respond to climate-related challenges, from strengthening resilience and improving operational efficiency to advancing sustainability and leadership.

By bringing these experiences into a forum focused on utility leadership and the future of water infrastructure, the display helped highlight the important role water and sanitation utilities play in translating climate ambitions into practical action.

Fig 1. A section of poster display at the Utility Leaders Forum

Bringing outstanding utilities’ stories to the IWA stand

The seven Outstanding utilities also participated in an interview at the IWA stand, offering an opportunity to share their experiences, ambitions and approaches to climate action with a wider audience.

The interviews provided a platform for the utilities to explain how they are responding to the challenges in their respective contexts and the lessons they have learned along their climate-smart journeys.

From early-stage initiatives to more advanced programmes, their experiences demonstrated that there is no single pathway to becoming climate smart. Each utility operates within its own institutional, financial and environmental context, yet their experiences offer valuable lessons for others seeking to strengthen resilience, reduce emissions, and improve water and sanitation services.

Fig 2. Interview at the stand

Connecting the global community at the CSU breakfast meeting

All the 41 recognised utilities came together for an informal breakfast meeting at the Scottish Event Campus. This gathering provided a welcoming space for utility representatives to meet one another, establish new connections, and exchange experiences beyond the formal Congress programme.

With utilities representing diverse regions and operating environments, the meeting highlighted the value of peer-to-peer learning. While climate-related risks differ across locations, many utilities face shared challenges, including extreme weather events, water scarcity, infrastructure vulnerability, energy consumption, and the need to mobilise resources for climate action.

The breakfast meeting also reinforced the importance of maintaining connections beyond Congress. Through the CSU Community of Practice, recognised utilities can continue to exchange knowledge, share practical solutions and learn from one another as they advance their climate-smart journeys.

Fig 3. A section of the recognised utilities at the breakfast meeting

Learning from the Outstanding utilities at the dedicated CSU workshop

A key highlight of the programme was the dedicated Climate Smart Utilities workshop giving the Outstanding utilities an opportunity to present their case stories and share practical experiences with Congress participants.

Representatives from the 7 Outstanding utilities presented their approaches, highlighting initiatives, lessons learned and progress towards climate-smart water and sanitation services.

The presentations demonstrated how climate action can be integrated into utility planning and operations through measures that strengthen adaptation, advance mitigation and embed climate leadership within organisations and their wider communities.

The session also provided an opportunity to recognise all 41 utilities formally, with certificates distributed to representatives of the recognised utilities.

Beyond celebrating achievement, the workshop underlined the importance of sharing practical experiences across the water sector. By making their approaches and lessons visible, recognised utilities can inspire others, support knowledge exchange and contribute to accelerating climate action across different operating contexts.

Fig 4. Recognised Utilities at the Congress

Celebrating Outstanding achievement at the Congress closing ceremony

The programme culminated at a special moment during the Congress closing ceremony, where the seven Outstanding utilities received their awards on stage. The awards acknowledged the strength of the selected applications and the practices highlighted through the programme, while drawing attention to the broader contribution of water utilities to climate adaptation, emissions reduction and sustainable water management.

For the recognised utilities, this was not only a celebration of progress but also an opportunity to inspire continued ambition and action across the sector.

Fig 5. 2026 Outstanding Climate Smart Utilities

Beyond recognition: Building a community for climate action

The 2026 Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme was about more than certificates and awards. Its activities in Glasgow created opportunities for utilities to showcase their work, learn from peers, strengthen professional relationships, and bring practical climate solutions to the attention of the global water community.

Through the CSU Community of Practice, IWA aims to sustain these connections and encourage continued knowledge of exchange among recognised utilities. The community provides a platform for sharing experiences, discussing common challenges, and exploring solutions that can support more climate-resilient water and sanitation services.

Looking ahead

The Glasgow Congress marked an important milestone for the 41 recognised utilities and the wider Climate Smart Utilities initiative. Their participation demonstrated the value of bringing utility experiences to the international stage and creating spaces where practical knowledge can be shared.

As the water sector continues to confront the impacts of climate change, utilities will remain central to building resilient communities, protecting water resources and advancing low-carbon services. The experiences shared by the 2026 recognised utilities offer valuable examples of how climate action can be translated into utility practice.

Learn more about the IWA Climate Smart Utilities initiative.