IWA Project Innovation Awards -2026 Edition Underway

Have you been part of a team working on an inspiring, innovative and impactful water project? Has your organization collaborated on or led a project that has had a significant, positive and demonstrable impact? Then you could be one of the next IWA Project Innovation Award winners!
Website link: For more information click here 
Eligibility: The PIAs are open to applications from individuals, companies, organisations, public bodies or any combination of the above. Applicants do not have to be members of IWA.
Award Categories:
     1. Market-changing WaterTechnology & Infrastructure
This award celebrates innovations in water and wastewater technologies and infrastructure, which embrace forwardthinking applications and solutions to advance clean and safe water goals. These solutions can range from specific technologies to innovative approaches
     2. Breakthroughs in Research and Development
Research is the powerhouse of disruptive and breakthrough innovation. This award celebrates research that is challenging existing markets and addressing future needs to create new opportunities. It is open to research of all types, as well as early-stage business projects that are not yet market-ready.
    3. Governance, Institutions and Social Enterprise
This award celebrates social innovation, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurship and their contribution to sustainable water management. In addition, it recognises innovations in governance and institutional transitions and the role this plays in supporting the circular and digital water economies.
   4. Performance Improvement and Operational Solutions
Original thinking is essential for overcoming long-term challenges and delivering solutions for the future. This award celebrates new and innovative approaches that improve performance, efficiency, resilience, and sustainability in water operations and maintenance.
    5. Exceptional Project Execution and Delivery
Innovation in the execution of water projects is critical for the sector. This award celebrates projects that developed and implemented creative practices during their execution, excellent client relationships beyond expectations, and outstanding responses to unexpected difficulties.
     6. Smart Systems and the Digital Water Economy
This award celebrates digital solutions with the potential to reshape the water sector. Harnessing and aligning this technology between the physical and digital worlds creates a smarter way of managing and protecting water resources and building a water-wise society.
 
Judging Criteria: In every category we look for original, innovative projects that provide long-term value to the water sector. Successful submissions should demonstrate how the project supports the transition to a water-wise world, the complexity of the problem or situation and the performance against budgetary and timeframe constraints.
Preliminary Submission deadline: 27 March 2026.