KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn Bhd, has been named the SDG 6 Champion of the Year at the prestigious Global Water Awards 2026 in Madrid, Spain on Tuesday, presented by Global Water Intelligence (GWI).
The award recognises IWK’s submission titled “Solar-powered Sanitation: No Upfront Cost, Cuts Emissions”, which demonstrates how renewable energy can strengthen wastewater treatment performance while advancing sustainable infrastructure and financial resilience.
Serving a connected population (cPE) of more than 32 million Malaysians, IWK continues to drive innovation in the sanitation sector through forward-looking operational and sustainability initiatives.
IWK’s award-winning programme involves the deployment of solar energy systems across 16 sewage treatment plants nationwide through a Private Financing Initiative (PFI) model. The initiative delivers 6.3 MWp of solar generation capacity and produces approximately 7,700 MWh of renewable energy annually to support the treatment of nearly 148 million cubic metres of wastewater each year.
This initiative is expected to save approximately RM41.8 million in electricity grid costs while reducing more than 5 Gg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually.
What sets the initiative apart is its innovative financing structure, which enabled IWK to implement renewable energy solutions with no upfront public capital investments. By integrating financial, contractual, and technical innovation, the programme strengthens operational reliability while embedding sustainability at the core of wastewater treatment services.
IWK’s Chief Executive Officer, Narendran Maniam said, “We are truly honoured to receive this award. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and this initiative reflects our commitment to continuously pushing boundaries to ensure that we remain sustainable; both from an environmental and financial standpoint. Through this initiative, we are demonstrating how innovation in wastewater treatment can create long-term value while contributing meaningfully towards SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation.”
IWK was shortlisted alongside global water and sanitation organisations, including Aguas Nuevas from Chile, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) from India, SANASA from Brazil, and Sanepar from Brazil.
Founder, CEO and Publisher of GWI, Christopher Gasson said, “IWK’s initiative stood out for demonstrating how innovative financing and renewable energy can be successfully integrated into core sanitation infrastructure. By delivering measurable operational, environmental, and financial outcomes without upfront public expenditure, IWK has created a model that utilities around the world can learn from as they work towards achieving SDG 6 and building more resilient water systems.”
The Global Water Awards, held in conjunction with the Global Water Summit, recognises outstanding achievements, sustainability leadership, and technological innovation across the global water industry. The awards are organised by GWI, the leading publisher and market intelligence provider for the international water sector.
In 2023, IWK also received the Distinction Award at the Global Water Awards under the category of Public Water Agency of the Year.
