A wastewater plant in central China has taken the top prize at one of the water industry’s most closely watched competitions. The International Water Association (IWA) named the Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant project the winner of its Grand Innovation Award 2026, recognising a plant that no longer treats sewage as a problem to be disposed of, but as a source of water, energy and building material.
The result was announced at a Gala in Glasgow, held during the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition.’
What won the Grand Innovation Award?
The winning entry is titled “Transforming Wastewater into Value: A Megacity-Scale Water-Energy Nexus Model.” It was submitted by Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. together with the Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The idea is simple to state and hard to execute. Instead of running a conventional treatment plant that cleans water and stops there, the project turns the site into an urban resource recovery hub. It brings together advanced water treatment, recycled water use, sludge pyrolysis and gasification, renewable energy generation and multi-resource recovery. Its stated aim is to ease urban water pressure while supporting low-carbon development.
How the Zhengzhou project works?
Three parts of the system stand out.
Cleaner recycled water. The plant uses activated coke technology to remove emerging contaminants, the trace pollutants that standard treatment often struggles to catch. This supports the production of high-quality recycled water.
Energy and materials from sludge. Sludge is one of the costliest and most awkward by-products of any treatment plant. Here it goes through pyrolysis and gasification, and the gas produced is used to recover energy. The leftover slag is turned into recycled construction materials, so very little is left to dispose of.
Heat from wastewater. The plant also captures thermal energy from the wastewater itself and puts it to use through several pathways.
Taken together, the project treats water, energy and solid waste as one connected system rather than three separate problems. That is the “water-energy nexus” approach in the project’s title.
About the 15th IWA Project Innovation Awards
This year’s edition drew 320 entries from 65 countries. Twenty-three finalists competed across six categories. An independent panel of expert judges assessed each project on its innovation and key outcomes, and also considered the circumstances in which it was developed and its potential for wider impact.
The awards are presented every two years at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, which opened in Glasgow on 4 October, according to H2O Global News. IWA launched the programme in 2006.
Gold winners by category
Gold awards went to projects in China, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Kenya.
| Category | Gold winner | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Market-changing Water Technology and Infrastructure | Transforming Wastewater into Value: A Megacity-Scale Water-Energy Nexus Model (Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant) | China |
| Performance Improvement and Operational Solutions | From Waste to Roof Tiles: a Circular Economy Approach in the Portuguese Water Sector (Águas do Douro e Paiva, S.A.) | Portugal |
| Breakthroughs in Research and Development | Innovative AOA biological wastewater treatment technology at Shenzhen Binhe Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (Beijing University of Technology and Shenzhen Water and Environment Group Co., Ltd.) | China |
| Exceptional Project Execution and Delivery | Hassyan 180 MIGD SWRO Independent Water Project (Power Construction Corporation of China, SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd. and ACWA Power International) | United Arab Emirates |
| Governance, Institutions and Social Enterprise | Kiunga Solar Desalination and Water-for-Peace Initiative (Lamu County Government) | Kenya |
| Smart Systems and the Digital Water Economy | The Digital Reservoir: a new paradigm for integrated water cycle management based on cyber-physical systems (EMASESA, Sevilla Water Utility) | Spain |
Silver and Bronze winners
Silver awards went to:
- IDE Water Technologies, for the Cherokee Metropolitan District TDS Reduction and Water Reuse Project
- KWR Water Research Institute, for AI Enabled Strategies for Future Proof Water Systems
- VA Tech Wabag, for the 150 MLD Digha and Kankarbagh Integrated Wastewater Infrastructure Project in Patna, India
- LIS-Water with the Inter-American Development Bank, for WaterGov
Bronze awards went to:
- Sweco Belgium and Aquafin, for the first quaternary micropollutant treatment plant in Flanders
- Scottish Water, for Winchburgh Wastewater Treatment Works
- Singapore’s PUB, for what it describes as the world’s lowest energy MBR, integrating MABR and AGS technologies
- The City of North Miami Beach, for its AI-enabled Smart Utilities Ecosystem
Why this award matters?
For years, wastewater plants were judged mainly on one thing: how cleanly they could discharge treated water. This year’s top prize points to a wider test. Can a plant also supply reusable water, recover energy and keep waste out of landfill?
The fact that a Chinese project won the overall award, and that China took two of the six Gold awards, also shows how much attention resource recovery at city scale is getting in the sector. India’s presence among the Silver winners, with the Patna wastewater project, is another sign that large urban systems are now part of this conversation.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the IWA Grand Innovation Award 2026?
- The Grand Innovation Award 2026 went to “Transforming Wastewater into Value: A Megacity-Scale Water-Energy Nexus Model,” submitted by Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. and the Zhengzhou Xinqu Wastewater Treatment Plant in China.
What does the winning Zhengzhou project do?
- It converts a conventional wastewater treatment plant into an urban resource recovery hub. It uses activated coke for advanced treatment, produces recycled water, recovers energy through sludge pyrolysis and gasification, and captures heat from wastewater.
How many entries did the 2026 IWA Project Innovation Awards receive?
- The 15th edition received 320 entries from 65 countries, with 23 finalists across six categories.
Which countries won Gold awards in 2026?
- China, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Kenya.
How often are the IWA Project Innovation Awards held?
- Every two years, at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition. IWA launched the awards in 2006.
About the International Water Association
The International Water Association (IWA) is a global network of water professionals, researchers and practitioners working toward sustainable water solutions. It connects people and organisations to share knowledge, drive innovation and promote good practice in water management.
