SECTION C : TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION AWARDS
Emerging Technology in Desalination
Description: Recognizes innovative desalination technologies that improve cost-efficiency, reduce energy demand, minimize brine disposal challenges, or use renewable energy for freshwater generation.
Eligibility:
- Start-ups, research organizations, companies, or utilities developing desalination innovations.
- Technology must be at least at pilot/demo stage or early commercial deployment.
Notes: Entrants must submit evidence of trials, data on energy savings, and environmental compliance.
AI & IoT Solutions for Smart Water Management
Description: Awarded to organizations developing AI, machine learning, or IoT-based tools that optimize the water supply chain, leak detection, predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, or wastewater management efficiency.
Eligibility:
- Technology developers, start-ups, utilities, or collaborative projects.
- Tools must be tested/practically deployed in real-world conditions.
Notes: Evidence of deployment (case studies, utilities served, pilots) required.
Best Water Treatment Technology (Domestic & Industrial)
Description: Recognizes innovative water purification and treatment solutions (household filters, community-level treatment, industrial-scale systems) that ensure safe and sustainable water.
Eligibility:
- Product manufacturers, OEMs, researchers, start-ups, industries.
- Both domestic and industrial categories included.
Notes: Submissions must include test certifications, lab results, or field data.
Best Leak Detection / Smart Meter Technology Innovation
Description: Award for hardware/software solutions addressing Non-Revenue Water (NRW) through reduction in leakage, illegal connections, or better metering accuracy.
Eligibility:
- Solution providers, start-ups, utilities using such systems.
Notes: Submissions must show deployment evidence (before/after NRW levels).
Excellence in Non-Membrane Separation Technology for Water & Wastewater
Description: Recognizes innovative non-membrane separation technologies delivering measurable improvements in water or wastewater treatment through advanced physical, chemical, or hybrid processes.
The award focuses on field-proven technologies demonstrating high performance, operational reliability, scalability, and environmental responsibility.
Eligibility:
- Technology developers, Manufacturer, OEMs, solution providers, or research institutions with commercially deployed non-membrane separation technologies supported by validated operational data and or minimum 5 large capacity Purchase Orders. Prototype or laboratory-stage technologies are not eligible.
Excellence in Smart Water Metering & Digital Consumption Management Systems
Description: Recognises smart water metering systems that enable accurate measurement, real-time monitoring, leak detection, and data-driven water management across municipal, industrial, or commercial applications.
The category honours deployed solutions delivering measurable reduction in water losses, improved billing accuracy, and operational transparency.
Eligibility:
- Technology companies, OEMs, or solution providers
- Commercially deployed smart metering systems
- Demonstrated operational implementation with measurable impact
Excellence in Nanobubble Technology for Water, Wastewater & Environmental Applications
Description: This category recognises companies and innovators applying nanobubble technology to deliver measurable performance improvement in water treatment, wastewater management, aquaculture, and environmental restoration.
The focus is on technologies that are working in the field – not ideas in presentation decks. Entries must demonstrate clear operational data showing enhanced oxygen transfer, improved treatment efficiency, reduced chemical dependency, or tangible ecological improvement.
Eligibility:
- Companies, Start-ups, Technology Developers, or Patent Holders
- Must own or hold rights to proprietary or patented nanobubble technology
- Commercially manufactured and operational systems only
- Minimum three (3) commissioned installations with execution proof
- Minimum twelve (12) months of validated operational performance data mandatory
- Applicants must provide:
– Dissolved Oxygen (DO) transfer efficiency data
– Energy consumption (kWh per m³ treated or per kg O₂ transferred)
– Baseline vs post-installation treatment or environmental performance comparison
- Laboratory-stage systems, pilots under 12 months, or conceptual projects are not eligible
Excellence in Climate-Resilient Renewable Water Infrastructure
Description: Recognises containerised and modular water or wastewater treatment infrastructure powered primarily by renewable energy, engineered for climate resilience, decentralised deployment, and long-term sustainability.
This category honours operational systems delivering verified treatment performance, energy autonomy, reduced carbon footprint, and infrastructure-grade reliability — particularly in remote, off-grid, disaster-prone, or climate-vulnerable regions.
Concept-only, pilot-stage, or non-operational systems are not eligible.
Eligibility:
- Containerised or modular water / wastewater treatment infrastructure
- Primarily powered by solar or renewable energy (hybrid permitted with disclosure)
- Minimum three (3) commissioned installations mandatory
- Minimum three (3) commissioned installations with execution proof
- Minimum twelve (12) months validated operational data required
- Documented treatment performance and energy consumption disclosure mandatory
- Commercially deployed systems only
Global Excellence in Industrial & Process Filtration Technology
Description: Recognises globally benchmarked industrial and process filtration technologies that demonstrate proven separation precision, hydraulic stability, and structural durability under demanding industrial conditions.
This category honours technologies delivering consistent micron accuracy, controlled differential pressure, and long-term operational reliability across large-scale industrial and infrastructure applications worldwide.
Evaluation is based strictly on documented performance data and executed project references — not product literature.
Prototype, pilot-stage, or laboratory-only technologies are not eligible.
Eligibility:
- Industrial / process filtration technologies only
- Commercially manufactured and operational systems mandatory
- Minimum five (5) executed large-scale industrial / infrastructure project references
- Documented field performance data required
- International or national benchmark deployments preferred
Excellence in Integrated Sustainable Smart Water Treatment Solutions
Description: Recognises organisations delivering fully integrated smart water or wastewater treatment systems combining process engineering, automation, digital intelligence, and measurable sustainability performance.
This category evaluates end-to-end solution capability and execution strength — not standalone products, membranes, chemicals, equipment, or isolated technologies covered under other sections.
Eligibility:
- Companies providing integrated water or wastewater treatment solutions
- Must demonstrate process design, automation integration, and sustainability optimisation
- Minimum three (3) executed medium or large-scale projects mandatory
- Minimum twelve (12) months validated operational performance data required
- Equipment-only suppliers, consultants-only firms, and pilot-stage systems are not eligible
Excellence in Non-Membrane Separation Technology for Water & Wastewater
Description: Recognises digital platforms that integrate real-time water monitoring, advanced analytics, automated control, and sustainability insights to measurably improve water efficiency, reduce losses, and optimise operations.
Eligibility:
- Integrated water monitoring, analytics, and optimisation solutions
- Must deliver measurable water performance improvement (e.g., reduced waste, leak detection, efficient utilisation)
- At least 3 deployed real-world implementations
- Minimum 12 months of validated performance data
- Solutions that are only meters, only dashboards, or only sensors are not eligible
Excellence in Non-Membrane Separation Technology for Water & Wastewater
Description:Recognises advanced industrial systems engineered to selectively separate, concentrate, and recover valuable constituents from complex effluent streams at commercial scale.
The category evaluates proprietary technology strength, engineering depth, and validated industrial recovery performance.
Eligibility:
- Proprietary industrial separation and recovery technologies
- Commercially deployed systems only
- Minimum 3 executed industrial-scale project references
- Minimum 12 months validated operational data
- Documented separation and recovery performance metrics mandatory