The Global Water Awards 2026 nominations have officially opened, running until February 27, 2026, at 23:59 GMT. Following a rebranding initiative, this year's awards feature significant changes including a new artificial intelligence-focused category and an expanded shortlist, creating more opportunities for organizations to gain international recognition.
Organized by Global Water Intelligence (GWI), the awards recognize excellence across 15 categories spanning water, wastewater, technology, and desalination sectors. These honors are widely regarded as the most prestigious in the international water industry, with previous winners including transnational water management companies, investors, engineering-procurement-construction firms, utilities, industrial water users, and not-for-profit water providers. Many shortlisted organizations have leveraged their recognition to secure substantial business deals within the industry. A complete list of previous winners is available at https://globalwaterawards.com/winners.
The expansion of the shortlist represents a strategic move to increase participation and visibility within the global water sector. With nominations open to all organizations and individuals, the shortlisted entries will be promoted to GWI's audience of over 40,000 readers, providing significant exposure within the professional community. The introduction of an AI-focused category reflects the growing importance of artificial intelligence applications in water management, treatment, and conservation technologies.
This development matters because recognition through the Global Water Awards can significantly impact business opportunities and industry standing. For organizations operating in the water sector, being shortlisted or winning an award provides validation of their innovations and achievements, potentially leading to increased credibility, partnership opportunities, and business growth. The expanded shortlist means more organizations will benefit from this exposure, potentially accelerating innovation and best practice sharing across the industry.
Winners will be announced live during the Global Water Awards ceremony at the Global Water Summit in Madrid. Nominations must be submitted through the secure portal on the Global Water Awards website at https://globalwaterawards.com/ before the February 27 deadline. The timing of these awards coincides with increasing global attention on water security and sustainable management practices, making industry recognition particularly valuable for organizations contributing solutions to these critical challenges.
