Global Water Intelligence (GWI) has opened nominations for the 2017 Global Water Awards. The annual awards are the most coveted in the water industry, recognizing excellence by rewarding those initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.
Each year, the Global Water Awards are presented at the Global Water Summit, widely known as the leading water industry conference. The awards were presented last year by Felipé Calderón, former President of Mexico (2006 – 2012) and Chairman of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. In line with the theme of this year’s summit, Intelligent Synergies, several new awards categories have been announced for 2017 which seek to reward those initiatives bringing the digital revolution to water.
GWI invites all companies working in the industry to reflect on their achievements in the last year and to put forward nominations for consideration before a panel of judges before January 31, 2017. (Last year’s winners can be viewed on the website.) The categories for the 2017 Awards have been announced and are as follows:
Water Company of the Year: Water company that made the most significant contribution to development of the international water sector in 2016.
Desalination Company of the Year: Desalination company that made the greatest overall contribution to the desalination industry in 2016.
Water Technology Company of the Year: Company which has made the most significant contribution to the field of water technology in 2016.
Breakthrough Water Technology Company of the Year: Early-stage technology company that made the most impressive commercial breakthrough into the global water technology market in 2016.
Desalination Plant of the Year: Desalination plant, commissioned during 2016, that represents the most impressive technical or ecologically sustainable achievement in the industry.
Water Project of the Year: Water treatment plant, commissioned during 2016, that shows the greatest innovation in terms of optimizing its physical or environmental footprint.
Smart Water Initiative of the Year: Initiative that represents the most significant breakthrough in using digital or creative solutions to achieve results in water management in 2016.
Wastewater Project of the Year: Wastewater handling or treatment project, commissioned during 2016, that shows the greatest innovation in terms of optimizing its physical or environmental footprint.
Industrial Water Project of the Year: Project, commissioned in 2016, that represents the most impressive technical or environmental achievement in the field of industrial water.
Water Deal of the Year: Deal, signed in 2016, which has made the biggest contribution to the advancement of private sector participation in the international water sector.
Water Technology Idol: Presented to the early-stage company whose technology could change the future of the water market. Four new desal-related technologies are presented at the Summit. Following each presentation, the presenter is interviewed by four panellists before the audience votes on the technology that it considered to be most likely to live up to the presenter’s expectations.
Water Leaders Award: For the most dramatic performance improvement in a water utility in the developing world in 2016.
Once nominations close on January 31, 2017, all submissions will be examined by a panel of independent experts who will produce a shortlist for the 2017 award categories. The shortlist will be announced in the February 2017 issue of Global Water Intelligence Magazine (published February 16, 2017) and online. Once the shortlist has been announced, voting for the awards will open on March 6, 2017 to all GWI subscribers, WDR subscribers and IDA members. Voting will close April 7, 2017. For every vote cast, the Global Water Summit donates $1 to a water charity, allowing the ceremony to make a positive contribution to the global battle for safe water and good sanitation. The winners will be announced and awards presented at the Global Water Awards Gala Dinner at the Palacio de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain on April 24, 2017.
Nominations for the awards can be submitted at the website until January 31, 2017. For information on nominations criteria and rules and a full timeline of the awards process, click here.