The International Water Association (IWA) has announced its Project Innovation Award Winners 2016 from Australia, China and South Africa. 

The International Water Association Project Innovation Awards are a prestigious global competition and the winners have been selected for their innovation and excellence in water management.

Water is seen as one of the critical risks facing the world today and in the future. Water scarcity is growing around the world at a time when demand for water reaches unprecedented heights.

Climate change, a rapidly growing global population and the needs of agriculture, industry and the environment are all reducing our ability to deliver access to clean, safe water and basic sanitation services.

The Project Innovation Awards winners are: 

• Applied Research Award

Sydney Water, Australia
Advanced Condition Assessment and Pipe Failure Prediction Project

• Design and Planning Award

Zhejiang Kaichuang Environmental Technology Corporation, China
The First Zero Discharge Demonstration Project of Papermaking Wastewater in China

• Operations and Management Award

Mackay Regional Council, Australia
Digital Innovation in Local government

• Marketing and Communications Award

Rand Water, South Africa
Let’s be Water Wise

The Project Innovation Awards will be held during the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday 12 October. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony awhere the overall Project Innovation Awards Grand Award Winner will be announced.

 

Addressing the global water crisis

More than 5 000 water experts, industry professionals and political leaders from over 100 countries will gather next week at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition to find and define new solutions to tackle the global water crisis.

Water security is a top global risk, says Ger Bergkamp, Executive Director of the IWA. “Water scarcity has become a seasonal certainty in some parts of the world. In Brisbane the world’s leading water professionals will for the first time host a summit dedicated to drought action and delivering a sustainable water future.”

The Congress will review the latest scientific findings and share knowledge on leading edge water technologies, and propose effective regulatory systems to manage water and sanitation in a period of unprecedented water challenges.

These include growing competition for water resources from industry, agriculture, nature and cities; all of which are impacted by climate change, population growth, changing consumption patterns and rapid urbanisation.

The Congress is timely, coming shortly after governments around the world adopt the Sustainable Development Goals which will set the global development agenda until 2030.

The Goals present an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ensure the sustainability of water for the future, and to address the biggest challenges facing the water sector:

• Billions of people still lack access to basic water supply and sanitation
• Increasing water scarcity and the risk of droughts and floods affecting every corner of the globe with major economic impacts
• Rising demand for water from agriculture, industries, cities and the environment is rapidly outpacing the water available
• 80% of wastewater is untreated, threatening communities, businesses and the environment.

Water has a critical role to play in every major global debate currently underway – from climate change and the green economy; industrialisation and urbanisation; human health and food production; economic development and regional stability.