Celebrating The Global Best In Water Project Innovation- Results Of The 2026 International Water Association Project Innovation Awards

Outstanding global examples of the latest in project excellence, from research concept through to application at scale, were celebrated last night at the International Water Association’s Project Innovation Awards Gala event in Glasgow, UK.

The 15th IWA Project Innovation Awards saw an impressive 320 entries from 65 countries. The Gala event brought together 23 finalists across six award categories, each representing a unique area of innovation in water management.

The entry ‘Transforming Wastewater into Value: A Megacity-Scale Water-Energy Nexus Model’ from Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., and Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant, China, was announced as the overall winner and presented with the Grand Innovation Award 2026.

The winner in each of the six categories received a Gold award, with these spanning projects in China, Portugal, United Arab Emirates, Spain and Kenya.

Grand Innovation Award 

The Grand Innovation Award represents a truly outstanding project of global significance. This year’s Grand Innovation Award goes to a project that transforms a conventional wastewater treatment plant into an integrated urban resource recovery hub. The project integrates advanced water treatment, recycled water utilisation, sludge pyrolysis and gasification, renewable energy generation, and multi-resource utilisation to address challenges in urban water security and low-carbon development. 

The project’s key innovations include functional material-based advanced purification, where activated coke technology enables effective removal of emerging contaminants and supports high-quality recycled water production. The sludge pyrolysis and gasification system recovers energy from pyrolysis gas while converting residual slag into recycled construction materials, enabling safer sludge management and enhanced resource recovery. Furthermore, wastewater thermal energy is recovered and utilised through multiple pathways, establishing a megacity-scale water-energy nexus model that maximises wastewater value and supports urban resilience.

Success of the 15^th edition

The level of engagement in the 2026 edition highlights the extensive innovation and ambition within the IWA network and the wider sector. Entries were well-distributed across the six award categories, spanning technology breakthroughs through to governance and performance improvement.

An independent panel of expert judges evaluated each project based on its innovative qualities and key outcomes, also considering the circumstances of its development and its potential for broader impact. After a thorough and competitive evaluation process, the panel selected 23 finalists to receive Gold, Silver or Bronze awards.

Awarded biennially at the International Water Association’s World Water Congress & Exhibition, the Project Innovation Awards recognise and promote global excellence and innovation in water management, research and technology. 

The Awards were launched by IWA in 2006 to recognise that shared and pressing challenges can be overcome through the development and implementation of creative water solutions.

IWA Project Innovation Awards 2026 – the full results

The PIA awards recognise excellence across six industry-critical dimensions of project innovation. For each of these categories, awards were presented for Gold, Silver and Bronze winners. IWA is proud to announce the full results for the 2026 Awards.

Category: Market-changing Water Technology and Infrastructure

This award celebrates innovations in water and wastewater technologies and infrastructure, which embrace forward-thinking applications and solutions to advance clean and safe water goals.

• GOLD: Transforming Wastewater into Value: A Megacity-Scale Water-Energy Nexus Model, by Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant, China 
• SILVER: The Cherokee Metropolitan District TDS Reduction and Water Reuse Project, by IDE Water Technologies, Israel 
• BRONZE: Innovative Low-Energy Vibrating Membrane Bioreactors for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and High-quality Water Reclamation, by Tsinghua University, Beijing Originwater Technology Co., Ltd, Taicang Water Group Co., Ltd., China 
• BRONZE: First Quaternary Micropollutant Treatment Plant in Flanders, by Sweco Belgium and Aquafin, Belgium 

Category: 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. These solutions can range from specific technologies to innovative approaches.

• GOLD: From Waste to Roof Tiles: a Circular Economy Approach in the Portuguese Water Sector, by Ãguas do Douro e Paiva, S.A., Portugal
• SILVER: Smart Dual-Engine Empowered High-Performance Water Ecological Infrastructure: A Full-Cycle Demonstration of Integrated Restoration and Resilient Operation and Maintenance in the Urban Shiwuli River Basin, by Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (Group) Co., Ltd. and Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, CECEP Guozhen Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. and PowerChina Eco Environmental Group Co., Ltd. China 
• BRONZE: Winchburgh Wastewater Treatment Works, by Scottish Water, United Kingdom
• BRONZE: World’s Lowest Energy MBR with the Integration of MABR and AGS Technologies, by Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore

Category: 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. 

• GOLD: Innovative anaerobic|oxic|anoxic (AOA) biological wastewater treatment technology: achieving deep nitrogen and phosphorus removal at Shenzhen Binhe Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, by Beijing University of Technology, Shenzhen Water and Environment Group Co., Ltd., China 
• SILVER: AI Enabled Strategies for Future Proof Water Systems, by KWR Water Research Institute, Netherlands
• BRONZE: Nature-Based Solutions for Cyanobacterial Odour Mitigation: Application in the World’s Largest Estuarine Drinking Water Reservoir, by Chinese Academy of Sciences, China 
• BRONZE: Emissions Measurement to Improve Sanitation in Indonesia (EMISI), by University of Technology Sydney – Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia 

Category: 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; outstanding responses to unexpected difficulties.

• GOLD: Hassyan 180 MIGD SWRO Independent Water Project, by Power Construction Corporation of China, SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd., ACWA Power International, United Arab Emirates
• SILVER: 150 MLD Digha and Kankarbagh Integrated Wastewater Infrastructure Project, Patna, India, by VA Tech Wabag, India
• BRONZE: Organisational Excellence in Water Loss Reduction: The Case of Wroclaw, by Municipal Water and Sewage Company in Wroclaw, Poland

Category: 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.

• GOLD: Kiunga Solar Desalination and Water-for-Peace Initiative, by Lamu County Government, Kenya
• SILVER: WaterGov: Making water and sanitation sector governance work, by LIS-Water – Lisbon International Centre for Water, IDB – Inter-American Development Bank, Portugal
• BRONZE: Rongcheng’s ‘Four Ones and Four Levels’ Management Model for Integrated Urban-Rural Water Environment Governance: Government-Enterprise Synergy for the Oriental Swan Kingdom, by China Water Investment Group Co., Ltd. (HHO), China
• BRONZE: Scaling City Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) in Bangladesh, by CWIS-FSM Support Cell, DPHE, Bangladesh

Category: 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.

• GOLD: The Digital Reservoir: a new paradigm for integrated water cycle management based on cyber-physical systems, by EMASESA. Sevilla Water Utility, Spain
• SILVER: China Construction and Application of a Water Loss Management System for a Megacity, by Shenzhen Smart Water Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Water and Environment Group Co., Ltd., China 
• BRONZE: DataMine: Enterprise-Scale Big Data Platform for Water Utility Operations, by Beijing Kingtrol Data Technology Co., Ltd., China 
• BRONZE:  Smart Utilities Ecosystem: AI Enabled Utility Resilience for North Miami Beach, by City of North Miami Beach, NMB, USA

More information: https://iwa-network.org/iwa-project-innovation-awards/

The global panel of judges

IWA is grateful for the contribution of the PIA 2026 global panel of judges.

Aaron Burton, Head of Water Business Planning, DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), UK 
Aasim Mansuri, Center Head-Strategy, CEPT University (CWAS, CRDF), India 
Ashton Mpofu, Non Executive Director, Water Institute of Southern Africa, South Africa
Bénédicte Rulleau, INRAE, France 
Prof. Blanca Antizar, Founder and Director, Antizar Advisory Ltd, UK 
Cecilia Wennberg, Head of Planning and Systems, Göteborgs Stad, Sweden
Charles Shachinda, CEO & Principal Consultant, Shachs, Zambia 
Elvira Estruch Juan, Assistant Professor, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain 
Dr. Farhad Kamranvand, Principal Consultant, Jacobs, UAE/UK 
Dr. Felix Fan, Managing Director, Water Operations, SUEZ, China
Funke Femi Adepoju, Executive Secretary – Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), Lagos State Government, Nigeria 
Jacqueline Fortin Flefil, Hydroinformatics Engineer, Xylem, USA 
Prof. Jörg E. Drewes, Co-Founder, Waterloop Solutions, Germany 
Kala Sritharan, Community of Practice Co-Lead: Adaptive Governance, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Canada 
Lansana Gagny Sakho, Owner, Experts Visions, Senegal
Prof. Liu Ye, University of Queensland, Australia 
Mahmood Lutaaya, General Manager, National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Uganda 
Mara Regina Samensatto Ramos, Water Security Executive Manager, Sabesp, Brazil 
Melissa Meeker, Chair, International Water Association Water Reuse Specialist Group 
Miriam Feilberg, Head of Climate Change Adaptation and planning, DANVA, Denmark 
Nupur Bahadur, Managing Director & CEO, NuHorizon Water and Environment Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., India 
Oliver Grievson, Associate Director, AtkinsRéalis, UK 
Oliver Nachevski, President, Engineers without Borders – JSC Chapter, North Macedonia
Pabel Cervantes, Professor – Researcher, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Randolf Waters, Head of Global Sales Development, Grundfos, Switzerland 
Robert Nerenberg, Professor, University of Notre Dame, USA 
Sheilla Carvalho, Water Consultant, Haskoning, Netherlands
Prof. Shuming Liu, Dean of SOE, Tsinghua University, China 
Sudhir Murthy, CEO, NEWhub Water Corporation, USA 
Dr. Uday Kelkar, Managing Director & CEO, NJS Engineers India Pvt. Ltd, India 
Valerie Naidoo, Executive Manager, Business Development and Innovations, Water Research Commission, South Africa 
Prof. Xia Huang, Tsinghua University, IWA Distinguished Fellow, China 
Xiaohua Chen, Process & Application Director Municipal APAC, Veolia Water Technologies Asia Pacific, Malaysia
Xingcan Zheng, Chief Engineer, North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute, China