International Water Association


The International Water Association is a non-profit organization and knowledge hub for the water sector, with over 60 years' experience connecting water professionals worldwide to find solutions to the world's water challenges. As a network of water professionals and companies, IWA has a membership comprising utilities and leading companies in the fields of water services, infrastructure engineering and consulting as well as more than 10,000 individuals. IWA works across a wide range of issues covering the full water cycle, with four programmes that work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing the threat to sustainable water supplies posed by climate change. The IWA is headquartered in London, UK, with a global secretariat based in Nanjing, China, and a regional office in Chennai, India.

History

IWA has its roots in the International Water Supply Association, established in 1947, and the International Association on Water Quality, which originally formed as the International Association for Water Pollution Research in 1965. The two groups merged in 1999/2000 to form the IWA, creating one international organisation focused on the full water cycle.

Scope

The group's mission is to serve as a worldwide network for water professionals and to advance standards and best practices in sustainable water management. The association has four member types: individual, student, corporate, and governing members. There are about 10,000 individual and 500 corporate members, with governing members in approximately 80 countries.
IWA annually hosts more than 40 specialist conferences and workshops on various aspects of water management. Events organised by the IWA include the and the .

Programs

There are four programs at IWA:
  1. Basins of the future
  2. Cities of the future
  3. Water and sanitation services
  4. Water policy and regulation

    AquaRating

is the world's first rating agency for the water sector. The agency has been jointly developed by the Inter-American Development Bank and the IWA. The rating system has already been piloted in thirteen utilities in nine countries in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. A worldwide market introduction is planned during 2015.

IWA Publishing

IWA Publishing, the wholly owned subsidiary of the International Water Association, provides information services on all aspects of water, wastewater and related environmental fields.
The publishing programme includes The Source and a broad range of journals, books, research reports, manuals of best practice, and online services.