The 11th edition of Singapore International Water Week (SIWW2026) concluded at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, bringing together global water leaders, experts and practitioners to forge partnerships, drive innovation and take meaningful action to address some of the world’s most pressing water and climate-related challenges.

Centred on three key themes — municipal water solutions, industrial water solutions, and coastal and flood resilience — SIWW2026 has attracted 2,000 delegates, including 700 global leaders and 500 exhibiting companies, alongside an expected 25,000 trade visitors throughout the week. More than 80 sessions, including roundtables, summits, workshops, forums and the Water Expo, reflect SIWW’s growing role as a global platform where ideas are translated into action.

Delivering the opening address, guest of honour Gan Kim Yong, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, emphasised that water is fundamental to economies, societies and daily life, and increasingly a matter of resilience in a world facing climate change and growing uncertainty. He called on the international water community to advance collective efforts in investment, innovation and international cooperation.

Highlighting Singapore’s recently completed Tengah Service Reservoir as an example of long-term infrastructure planning, Gan announced an initial $12m under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 (RIE2030) programme to support research and development in industrial water solutions for wafer fabrication and data centres, two of the most water-intensive sectors supporting Singapore’s economy. This is in addition to the $85m already committed under RIE2030 for municipal water solutions, covering water treatment, desalination, emerging contaminants and sustainable operations.

During the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2026 award ceremony, Joan Bray Rose was honoured as the 2026 laureate for her pioneering work in Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), a science-based approach to safeguarding drinking water quality and water reuse systems.

At the Ministerial Plenary that followed, Retno Marsudi delivered the keynote address. Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-Charge of Trade Relations, Grace Fu, then joined foreign dignitaries from Nigeria, the UAE and China to discuss how governments can strengthen water security and translate vision into action under the theme “Water Governance for a Circular Economy: From Vision to Action for Prosperity and Resilience”. The Ministerial Plenary was organised in collaboration with the World Bank Group.

Ahead of the official opening, 68 chief executives and senior executives from global water utilities and agencies participated in the Utilities CEO Roundtable. Under the theme How AI Could Reshape Water Utilities, discussions focused on the potential of artificial intelligence to transform utility operations and enhance resilience.

On the same day, senior officials from nearly 30 cities, including Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, New York City, Dubai, Jakarta, Melbourne, Tokyo and Yokohama, attended the Coastal and Flood Resilience Leaders Roundtable to share approaches for strengthening flood resilience and building resilient communities.

SIWW2026 also serves as a major global marketplace. The Water Expo featured exhibitors from 35 countries and regions and is organised by Messe München in cooperation with IFAT Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies. Spanning six exhibition halls and 23,000 sq m of exhibition space, the expo included the largest Singapore Pavilion to date, featuring 88 exhibitors, and is expected to attract 25% more trade visitors than the previous edition.

Throughout the week, the Water Expo hosted more than 50 product launches, 26 project announcements, and eight memorandum of understanding and contract signings. Together with the event’s business and networking platforms, the expo reinforces Singapore’s position as a global hub for water innovation and international business.

SIWW2026 places greater emphasis on coastal protection and flood management, building on the climate adaptation pillar introduced at SIWW2024. The event supports the Go Green SG initiative and Singapore’s Year of Climate Adaptation, contributing to efforts to create a more sustainable and climate-resilient nation.

On 17 Jun, Fu also delivered a keynote address at the Coastal and Flood Resilience Leaders Summit, bringing together government, city and industry leaders to share strategies and policies for protecting cities from climate change and rising sea levels. She outlined Singapore’s latest initiatives, including the launch of the Code of Practice on Coastal Protection, which will guide landowners and industry stakeholders in fulfilling their coastal protection responsibilities.