The 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 concluded on September 25, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, after four days of deliberations under the theme "Climate Resilient Water Management". The event brought together 7,224 delegates, 227 exhibitors, and featured 119 paper presentations with participation from two Partner Countries and 14 Partner States and Union Territories.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil highlighted three key takeaways from the conference: people's participation in water conservation, taking science and technology to the ground, and strengthening international and institutional cooperation. He emphasized the Jal Jeevan Mission's impact since its 2019 launch, noting that expanded access to household tap water has improved health, dignity, and quality of life in rural communities while reducing women's time spent fetching water. According to a WHO assessment cited, improved access to safe drinking water under the Mission has the potential to prevent significant deaths among children and reduce health burdens.
The conference produced several important recommendations across seven thematic areas, including stronger participatory water governance, safe reuse of treated wastewater, deeper international cooperation, data-driven governance, community-led groundwater recharge, wider use of digital technologies, strengthened multi-hazard early warning systems, and river basin scale approaches for climate adaptation. Other recommendations covered innovative financing for public-private partnerships, improved water use efficiency, sustainable sediment management, preservation of reservoir storage, scientific aquifer mapping, environmental flows, and community-led ecosystem-based water management.
A significant component was the 2nd India International WASH Conference 2026, organized by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) in collaboration with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, Kolkata. The conference featured 57 research papers and highlighted priorities including source sustainability, operation and maintenance, water quality, climate resilience, digital technologies, sustainable sanitation, and zero-waste management.
The India-Africa Roundtable on WASH saw participation from Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and senior diplomatic representatives from 22 African countries, exploring opportunities for cooperation in capacity building, water-quality surveillance, digital platforms, community-led approaches, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
During the valedictory function, eight Capacity Building Modules developed under Jal Jeevan Mission were released for Gram Panchayat representatives, Village Water and Sanitation Committee members, and Sujalam Shakti Group members. These modules cover institutional roles and responsibilities, source sustainability and water quality, operation and maintenance, technology, community participation, and climate resilience using relatable village situations.
Several important publications and reports were released, including two books by NERIWALM on sustainable irrigation, the Protocol for Riverine Macroplastics Monitoring by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Reports on the 1st Census of Major and Medium Irrigation Projects, 7th Minor Irrigation Census, 2nd Census of Water Bodies, 1st Census of Springs, and the Irrigation Atlas developed by the Central Water Commission.
Technical sessions focused on Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Stronger Water Governance. The session on "Digital Public Infrastructure in the Water Sector" explored interoperable data, AI, geospatial technologies, and citizen-centric platforms, positioning Sujalam Bharat as the digital public infrastructure for rural drinking water. The vision of "Water as One Data" was emphasized to strengthen planning, management, and service delivery.
The "Water Quality and Cost-Effective Technology" session featured innovations including microalgae-based phytoremediation pilot showing improvements in DO, BOD, COD, pH, biodiversity and odor; research on green roofs demonstrating increased rainfall retention; and borehole geophysical electrical logging for groundwater-quality assessment. Microplastics were highlighted as an emerging water-quality concern requiring stronger monitoring protocols.
The "Rural Water Supply Governance and Implementation Framework" session examined the shift from infrastructure creation to reliable service delivery under Jal Jeevan Mission, emphasizing the role of Gram Panchayats, clear institutional responsibilities, financing mechanisms, and climate-resilient planning. Initiatives like Jal Seva Ankalan enable Gram Panchayats to evaluate service levels and prepare improvement plans through participatory processes.