The International Water Association will open its 2026 World Water Congress & Exhibition in Glasgow on Sunday, 4 October.
The five-day event will run until 8 October at the Scottish Event Campus under the theme “Water action – the path to resilience and prosperity”. It will bring together utility leaders, researchers, policymakers, regulators, technology providers and other water professionals.
The Congress is IWA’s flagship biennial event and covers the complete water cycle. Its programme will examine drinking water, wastewater, resource recovery, climate adaptation, utility management, digitalisation and water governance.
Opening press conference scheduled for 4 October
IWA will hold an opening-day press conference from 14:45 to 15:15 on Sunday, 4 October. It will take place in Room M4 at the Scottish Event Campus, with the room opening to journalists at 14:30.
Speakers will include IWA President Hamanth Kasan and Congress co-presidents Peter Simpson and Alex Plant. They will outline the principal themes for the week and answer questions from attending media.
Pre-registered journalists should collect their badges from the delegate badge collection kiosks in Hall 5. Journalists registering on the day should bring press identification and tell event staff that they are attending the press conference.
Media representatives can apply using the Congress’s press accreditation form. The organisers have also published a floor plan for the Scottish Event Campus.
Opening ceremony includes IWA awards
The press conference will be followed by the official opening ceremony from 16:00 to 18:00. The ceremony will include the presentation of IWA awards and a keynote address by Professor Katherine Richardson of the University of Copenhagen.
The 2026 IWA Project Innovation Awards recognise projects demonstrating innovation and measurable impact across water management, research and technology. Award categories cover areas including research, infrastructure, governance and market-changing water technologies.
Six tracks cover the complete water cycle
The core technical programme is organised around six principal tracks. These cover water utility management; wastewater and resource recovery; drinking water and potable reuse; city-scale planning and operations; communities, communication and partnership; and water resources and large-scale water management.
The programme includes technical presentations, workshops, high-level panels, leadership forums and technology showcases. An international exhibition will bring together equipment suppliers, engineering companies, utilities and research organisations.
H2O Global News previously published a detailed overview of the Glasgow Congress programme, which includes around 100 technical sessions and more than 60 workshops.
Keynotes address AI, decentralisation and regulation
The plenary keynote programme will examine innovation, artificial intelligence, decentralised water systems and regulation. Speakers will represent research organisations, engineering businesses and water-sector institutions from Europe, North America, China and Australia.
Scheduled speakers include Cees Buisman of Wetsus, former Independent Water Commission chair Sir Jon Cunliffe and Paula Kehoe of REGEN and BILD. Professor Gang Liu of RCEES-CAS, Prabhu Chandrasekeran of Arcadis and Aurecon water engineer Meg Cummins are also listed.
The programme will consider how emerging technologies can be deployed alongside effective governance, workforce development and infrastructure investment. Discussions will span both centralised utility systems and locally managed or decentralised approaches.
Leadership forums examine sector priorities
Congress highlights include the High-Level Summit on Water for People and specialist forums for utility leaders, regulators and emerging water professionals. The Utility Leaders Forum will focus on infrastructure and leadership during disruption.
The International Water Regulators Forum will examine trust, informed decision-making, innovation and long-term stewardship. The Emerging Water Leaders Forum will focus on people, skills and practical leadership.
Four host-country forums will address landscape-scale climate and nature resilience, bioresources, rainwater management and One Health. These sessions are intended to connect international experience with current priorities across the UK water sector.
Research and innovation on display in Glasgow
Research organisations and utility partnerships will use the Congress to present current projects. The Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste will showcase research into pollution, water quality and infrastructure resilience from the UK Pavilion.
The wider exhibition will provide a platform for product demonstrations and project announcements. Accredited journalists will be able to attend keynotes, arrange interviews and report on awards and other developments during the week.
Further information, registration and programme details are available from the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition website.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 IWA World Water Congress?
The Congress will take place from Sunday, 4 October to Thursday, 8 October 2026.
Where is the IWA World Water Congress being held?
The event will be held at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow, Scotland.
When is the opening press conference?
The press conference will run from 14:45 to 15:15 on Sunday, 4 October in Room M4. The room will open at 14:30.
What is the theme of the 2026 Congress?
The event theme is “Water action – the path to resilience and prosperity”.
How can journalists attend the event?
Journalists should complete the press accreditation form provided by IWA. Those registering on site should bring valid press identification.
