IWA Programmes and Initiatives

For a water-wise world

IWA’s portfolio of strategic programmes and initiatives drives change agendas on key themes essential for a water-wise world, fostering innovation, collaboration, and impact.

Digital
Water

The IWA Digital Water Programme helps facilitate the journey of the water industry towards digital uptake and integration into water services. The programme acts as a gateway for water utilities to access knowledge on the application of digital approaches to improve capacity and performance. The programme serves water utilities in several ways depending on their digital maturity: as a starting point to initiate the dialogue on digital water; as a mechanism to learn new ideas to build on their own experiences in applying digital solutions, and as a platform to share experiences on their digital transformation.

Climate
Smart Utilities

The IWA Climate Smart Utilities Initiative has been launched to support all utilities worldwide to act collectively and share knowledge.
Climate Smart Utilities are water, sanitation, and urban drainage service providers that are improving their climate resilience by adapting to a changing climate while contributing to a significant and sustainable reduction of carbon emissions

Inclusive
Urban Sanitation

IWA’s Inclusive Urban Sanitation initiative aims to reshape the global agenda on urban sanitation over the coming years. It forms part of IWA’s work to promote inclusive, resilient, water-wise and sanitation-secure cities. To further the aims of the initiative, IWA has launched a dedicated campaign – SanitAction – to gather the support and collaborative action needed to secure progress.

Innovation & Sanitation

The Next Generation Sanitation Systems (NGSS) Project is an initiative shaping the future of sanitation solutions led by the International Water Association (IWA) and the Gates Foundation (GF) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WSH) programme.

Safe Drinking Water
in Developing Countries

The Safe Drinking Water in Developing Countries programme aims to improve access to safe drinking water in developing countries through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and utility-led initiatives.

Cities
of the Future

Cities are the future for humanity, but the failure to manage higher population density or climate change can result in a threat to resources – water, energy, food – and have a profound impact on human health and well-being, the environment and the economy. Water sensitive cities are great places to live, where innovation, social cohesion, creativity and culture flourish. To create sustainable water in cities, we need to share experience and knowledge, and track progress. The Cities of the Future programme harnesses the power of the IWA network to co-create solutions and join efforts to manage a city’s many waters in a sustainable and resilient manner, an approach endorsed by the IWA Principles for Water-Wise Cities.

AquaRating

Water and wastewater companies are constantly challenged to deliver reliable, high quality, affordable, and sustainable services to their customers. The needs are becoming increasingly demanding (e.g. more stringent regulation), which mean utilities strive to do more with less, increase transparency, sustainability and creditworthiness.

IWA’s Past Initiatives

Over the years, IWA has led numerous programmes and initiatives that advanced knowledge, innovation, and collaboration in the global water sector. Though these projects have concluded, their outcomes continue to shape our work and inspire lasting impact worldwide. Explore our past programmes and initiatives to learn more about their goals, achievements, and lasting impact.

Programme Updates

Latest Programmes News

Blog | Climate Smart Utilities

Towards a Sustainable Future: Ruhrverband’s path to Energy Neutrality and Climate Resilience

By Norbert Jardin, Ruhrverband, Germany The Ruhrverband ensures water supply to 4.6 million people through eight major reservoirs and operates wastewater treatment plants for 60 municipalities. However, the utility

News | Climate Smart Utilities

First meeting for 2025-2027 Climate Smart Utilities Steering Committee

IWA is excited to announce that the 2025-27 Steering Committee for its Climate Smart Utilities (CSU) Initiative is now active. This represents a significant step towards achieving the initiative’s objective

News | Digital Water Programme

IWA Digital Water Programme Steering Committee welcomes five new members

The IWA Digital Water Programme welcomed five new members to its Steering Committee, strengthening its expertise and global reach. The new group includes professionals from utility, solution provider, consultant, and

Blog | Digital Water Programme

Digital solutions: A real option for the water sector?

By Janelcy Alferes, Chair of the IWA Specialist Group on Instrumentation, Control and Automation (ICA). As we approach International Women’s Day 2025, it is essential to recognise the role of

News | Inclusive Urban Sanitation

IWA at the 2025 AfWASA International Congress & Exhibition

The International Water Association (IWA) is pleased to be participating in the African Water and Sanitation Association’s 22nd International Congress & Exhibition 2025, taking place on 16-20 February in Kampala,

Blog | Climate Smart Utilities

Climate Smart Resilience: Sierra Leone’s strategies for ensuring supply

Guma Valley Water Company was established in 1961 to serve 400,000 people in the city of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Currently, its mandate has increased to serve 1,700,000

Blog | Digital Water Programme

Data, Amplified: Empowering Water Utilities with Integrated Solutions

As technology becomes intrinsic to critical infrastructure, the volume of data being generated is increasing. In the water sector, this creates unique challenges. Utilities must balance aging infrastructure, the impacts

News | Safe Drinking Water

Call for content for Water and Development Congress and Exhibition 2025 now open!

8 – 12 December 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand The International Water Association is pleased to announce that the call for content for the 2025 IWA Water and Development Congress &

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For enquiries about IWA Programmes and Initiatives, please contact Samuela Guida

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