Samuela Guida plots the rise of IWA’s Digital Water Summit.
IWA’s Digital Water Summit has firmly established itself as the premier global B2B event dedicated to the digital transformation of the water sector. In just a few years, it has matured into what industry leaders describe as a ‘cornerstone for the global water community’, serving as an essential meeting point for technology providers, utility executives, and innovators. The Summit provides an unparalleled platform for exploring how digitalisation can fundamentally reshape water management to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
The event’s proven success is clearly reflected in feedback from its community. A comprehensive survey following the 2024 edition revealed that an overwhelming 93% of attendees would highly recommend the Summit to their colleagues. This resounding endorsement, with a majority of participants rating their overall experience in the highest tiers of satisfaction, validates the Summit’s high-impact format and its indispensable role in the industry. This outstanding track record of success was built upon a strategic and deliberate journey undertaken during the Summit’s first three years.
The Bilbao legacy
The Summit’s initial three-year residency in Bilbao, Spain, marked a deliberate strategic phase, providing the stability required to cultivate a coherent narrative and build critical momentum for the global digital water movement. This phase was essential for establishing a clear and progressive narrative, guiding the water sector from the early exploration of digital concepts to the practical, widespread application of transformative solutions. The evolution of the Summit’s core themes during this period illustrates a clear maturation of the industry’s digital journey.
Establishing the foundations (2022): Defining the core technologies
The inaugural Summit in 2022 focused on defining the digital landscape and exploring the foundational technologies poised to reshape the sector. The agenda was rich with discussions on core concepts such as the Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and advanced data analytics. This edition laid the groundwork for future conversations by introducing crucial innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the initial, powerful concept of digital twins for modelling water systems.
Driving tangible impact (2023): From theory to application
Building on this foundation, the second summit in 2023 shifted the conversation toward real-world impact. The focus moved from theoretical potential to tangible applications and the critical role of digital tools in achieving sustainability. The programme featured practical case studies, including leveraging AI for sewer CCTV inspections, the use of Earth Observation techniques for monitoring, and explorations into the potential for digital transformation to improve the sustainability of the water sector.
Scaling for global impact (2024): Addressing system-level challenges
The most recent edition of the Summit broadened the event’s scope to address system-level challenges and global equity. Discussions centred on achieving Net Zero emissions through digital tools, developing practical strategies to benefit lower-middle income countries, and leveraging integrated data to drive systematic change across the entire water sector. This marked a significant step toward a holistic, globally-minded approach to digital water.
A new horizon: Istanbul – the perfect host for 2026
The momentum built in Bilbao has set the stage for the Summit’s next evolutionary step, which will unfold in a new, strategically-chosen international hub.
The move to Istanbul for the 2026 edition represents more than a change of venue; it is a strategic expansion of the Summit’s global reach and influence. Bringing this critical conversation to a dynamic new crossroads of technology, innovation, and culture, signifies a deliberate effort to engage with new regions and foster a more diverse, global dialogue on the future of water. This next chapter in the Summit’s journey will unfold from 7-9 April 2026 at the Haliç Congress Center in Istanbul, Türkiye.
This pivotal event is co-organised by IWA and Istanbul Technical University (ITU). By convening in Istanbul, the Digital Water Summit opens its doors to fresh perspectives, new challenges, and expanded opportunities for international collaboration, ensuring the agenda remains both consistently excellent and refreshingly forward-thinking.
What to expect from the 2026 Digital Water Summit
As the digital water sector pivots from foundational exploration to scaled implementation, the 2026 Summit agenda is strategically engineered to meet this new frontier. It builds upon the Bilbao legacy not just by continuing the conversation, but by escalating it, informed by direct feedback from the global water community and designed to deliver maximum value, insight, and opportunities for all participants to connect.
A proven format for excellence
The Summit will retain its highly successful format, which has been praised by attendees for its effectiveness. The programme will feature high-impact technical sessions, the dynamic InnoHub solutions showcase, interactive panel discussions, and extensive social events designed for high-value networking.
A responsive and forward-looking agenda
The thematic focus for 2026 has been carefully curated to address the most pressing issues in the digital water space. Core themes will include IoT in water systems, predictive analytics and AI, smart metering, leakage detection, network digital twins, and cybersecurity. This agenda is not prescriptive; it is responsive. It directly reflects the needs articulated by the global water community in the 2024 feedback survey, which called for deeper dives into AI applications, ROI analysis for new technologies, and practical case studies on scaling from pilot to full implementation.
A business-focused ecosystem
The Summit is uniquely designed as a business-focused ecosystem. Its core purpose is to accelerate the adoption of digital solutions by connecting technology providers and innovators with the utilities and end-users who need them most. The event facilitates the critical journey from pilot projects to scaled, system-wide implementation, making it an essential platform for driving tangible progress in the sector.
IWA’s Digital Water Summit 2026 represents an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the leaders, ideas, and solutions shaping the future of water management.
The author:
Samuela Guida is strategic programmes and engagement manager at IWA
More information
Mark IWA’s Digital Water Summit in your calendar to be part of this essential conversation.
IWA Digital Water Summit, 7-9 April 2026, Istanbul, Türkiye
The Summit’s full technical programme will be announced in the coming months. For organisations seeking to align with this landmark event, the official sponsor and exhibitor brochure is now available to download from the IWA website at https://digitalwatersummit.org/.
