The event brought together international water sector professionals for five days of knowledge exchange on smart solutions for a sustainable future
Brought to you by Tourism New Zealand Business Events
The 10th IWA-ASPIRE and Water New Zealand Conference & Expo was the largest ever water sector event in New Zealand. Bringing record-breaking delegate numbers to Ōtautahi Christchurch, it combined the International Water Association’s Asia Pacific Group (IWA-ASPIRE) regional biennial conference with a national event, the Water New Zealand Conference and Expo.
The result? Five transformative days of innovation, knowledge sharing, and commitment to advancing solutions in water management in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
The co-located event allowed 2,494 delegates from 50 countries to choose between 13 different education streams across two venues, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Christchurch Town Hall, just minutes’ walk apart.
- September 29 – October 3, 2025
- 2,494 delegates from 50 countries
- 13 streams and 200+ technical presentations
- 273 expo stands
- 6 site visits
Empowering tomorrow
Themed ‘Empowering Tomorrow – Smart Water Solutions for Resilient Communities’, the gathering brought together international water and sanitation professionals, scientists and experts for technical sessions, workshops, and plenaries on smart solutions for a sustainable water future. The sold-out expo hall showcased the latest technologies driving the water sector forward.
The event programme highlighted areas where New Zealand has special expertise to share – indigenous knowledge and approaches, nature-based solutions, and environmental sustainability.
IWA vice president Mohmad Asari Bin Daud noted “the solutions to our greatest water challenges are found when people come together across disciplines, cultures, and geographies.”
Centring indigenous voices
The content was curated with a focus on indigenous and nature-based solutions to ensure the long-term health of water, emphasising the potential for innovation and intersection between Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and Western engineering and environmental science.
Ka ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora ngā tāngata
– If the water is healthy, the land is healthy, the people are healthy.
The event opened with a traditional mihi whakatau Māori welcome ceremony from local tribal group Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Special workshop sessions focused on indigenous communities, water governance and guardianship.
Guests at the IWA-ASPIRE Cultural Gala Dinner enjoyed a modern spin on a traditional Hāngī (pit oven) meal, before Ngāi Tūāhuriri led a joyful poi (Māori dance) workshop.
Experiential learning
The event concluded with six site visits offering rich, immersive learning experiences across the Canterbury region led by local environmental services researchers and experts from NIWA, ECAN (Environment Canterbury), Christchurch City Council, and Central Plains Water Ltd (CPWL).
These included:
- an Ōtākaro Avon River walk focusing on urban river restoration,
- a tour of nature-based stormwater solutions,
- a visit to Wairewa Marae to look at marae-led wastewater innovation,
- and inspecting large-scale irrigation infrastructure across the Canterbury plains.
Fostering success
Marion Savill, conference co-chair and chair of IWA NZ, acknowledged the efforts of Tourism New Zealand Business Events, Water New Zealand and professional conference organiser Avenues Event Management in fostering a successful combination of the national and regional events.
“With almost 2,500 people, it was particularly well-attended and one of the most successful IWA-ASPIRE events to date.
“The conference attracted many world-recognised water experts from across the globe, particularly the Asia-Pacific region, allowing New Zealand water experts to share knowledge with some of the best in the world.”
The proximity of the two venues, accommodation, restaurants, the gardens, and the river in Christchurch had added to an enjoyable learning experience, she said, adding: “Everyone loved the locations, the relaxed New Zealand way, and the content. I kept hearing ‘this is a fabulous conference’.”
For information on hosting your next conference in New Zealand, visit Tourism New Zealand Business Events.
