This five-day convergence of minds showcased the power of international collaboration, indigenous knowledge, and cutting-edge innovation to advance solutions in water management in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
The co-located event enabled delegates to choose between 13 different education streams across two venues, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Christchurch Town Hall, just minutes’ walk apart.
Empowering Tomorrow
Themed ‘Empowering Tomorrow – Smart Water Solutions for Resilient Communities’, the conference brought together international water and sanitation professionals, scientists and experts for technical sessions, workshops, and plenaries on topics including water and public health, asset management, climate resilience, circular systems, and smart solutions for a sustainable water future. The sold-out expo hall was alive with business as exhibitors showcased the latest technologies and services 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 ensuring 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, setting the tone for a collaborative week ahead.
Special workshop sessions focused on indigenous communities, water governance and guardianship, and protection of water utilising nature-based solutions.
IWA-ASPIRE in numbers
- 29 Sept – 3 Oct 2025
- 2,494 delegates from 50 countries
- 13 streams and 200+ technical presentations
- 273 expo stands
- 6 site visits
The IWA-ASPIRE Cultural Gala Dinner including a performance from singer Stella Maris, wearing a handwoven harakeke (flax) dress symbolising the braided rivers of Waitaha Canterbury. Guests enjoyed a modern spin on a traditional Hāngī (pit oven) meal, before Ngāi Tūāhuriri led a poi (Māori dance) workshop, transforming the room into a joyful flash mob.
Experiential learning
The event concluded with six site visits looking at the local water sector through the lenses of blue-green infrastructure, wastewater and water bodies, drinking water, irrigation and environmental stewardship, and cultural and historical aspects.
These offered 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, last but not least, inspecting large-scale irrigation infrastructure across the Canterbury plains.
Celebrating success
Dr. Marion Savill, Conference Co-Chair and New Zealand Chair of the International Water Association, said Tourism New Zealand Business Events, Water New Zealand and professional conference organiser Avenues Event Management had worked hard to foster a successful joint event. Kaitiaki (guardianship) Advisor Brendon Green provided a leading voice in supporting the incorporation of Māori and indigenous perspectives into the programme.
“It was particularly well-attended and one of the most successful IWA-ASPIRE events to date,” she said. “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 experience.
“Everyone loved the locations, the relaxed New Zealand way, and the content. I kept hearing ‘this is a fabulous conference’,” Dr. Savill also said.
And as Dr. Robert Bos, Conference Programme Committee Co-Chair and Senior Advisor IWA, added, “The 10th IWA ASPIRE Conference in Christchurch proved to be a meeting of minds, connecting people in different dimensions: water and sanitation professionals from New Zealand met with peers from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, scientists mingled with practitioners working for utilities, and a disciplinarily defined audience of WASH engineers and public health professionals was exposed to new concepts like planetary health, disaster risk reduction, meeting the water/sanitation needs of indigenous communities and planning resilience after extreme events. The excellent conference facilities in Christchurch provided a conducive environment for connecting, networking, and information exchange.”
For information on hosting your next conference in New Zealand, visit Business Events New Zealand | Business Events