Utility of the Year
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), India
What is it?
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is the public utility responsible for water supply and sanitation in one of the world’s fastest growing metropolitan regions. Operating under intense urbanisation and climate pressure, BWSSB delivers essential services to more than 10 million people across Bengaluru and its expanding peri-urban areas.
What has it done?
In 2025, BWSSB completed Cauvery Water Supply Scheme Stage V, adding 775 MLD of new surface water capacity and achieving 100% piped water coverage across 110 periurban villages. Over 1.7 million people gained reliable, affordable, and safe drinking water, ending dependence on unsafe borewells and costly tanker supplies. This was matched by the delivery of over 3,000 km of water pipelines and nearly 2,000 km of sewerage networks, supported by inclusive connection policies and subsidised tariffs.
What makes it special?
- BWSSB has pioneered infrastructure delivery with digital leadership. Cityscale SCADA, GIS, IoT enabled tanker tracking, and smart billing have transformed operations with transparency and trust.
- By delivering reliable services at metropolitan scale, BWSSB has shown that SDG6 is achievable even in the world’s fastest growing cities.
Moulton Niguel Water District
What is it?
Moulton Niguel Water District is a retail water and wastewater utility operating on the frontline of scarcity in Southern California. Serving a diverse and growing population, it delivers potable and recycled water across a complex urban system, with a reputation for leadership in demand management and data-led operations.
What has it done?
MNWD has fundamentally changed how water is used in its service area, cutting demand by 40% since 2007 through a budget-based rate structure that makes conservation visible and fair. Over the past 18 months, this has been sharpened through expanded AMI and a more intuitive customer portal. It has matched demand reduction with supply strength. A recycled water system now offsets around 25% of demand, while non-revenue water has been reduced to 5.5% through sustained operational focus. Its headquarters has also reached net-zero energy.
What makes it special?
- MNWD has embedded data into decision-making. Through initiatives like the California Data Collaborative and BLUE, it turns information into measurable operational gains.
- Pairing innovation with collaboration, its work on AI capability building shows a utility actively shaping the future workforce. It is building the system of the future, not just improving the current one.
- Its OASIS programme sets out a clear one-water vision, combining reuse, stormwater, and resilience into a single strategy.
Sabesp
What is it?
Sabesp is one of the largest water and wastewater utilities in the world, serving more than 28 million people in São Paulo. Operating in a region defined by inequality and water stress, it sits at the centre of Brazil’s drive to universalise sanitation, combining public purpose with private discipline.
What has it done?
In 2025, Sabesp delivered one of the fastest service expansions seen at this scale. It extended water access to 1.8 million people, sewage collection to 2.1 million, and treatment to 3.8 million, putting São Paulo on track to achieve universal coverage by 2029. This expansion has been matched by financial strength. Sabesp executed a record investment programme and delivered the world’s largest blue bond, raising $1.5 billion and directly linking capital to water, sanitation, and climate outcomes.
What makes it special?
- Sabesp has proved that scale is no barrier to speed. In its first full year under a new model, it combined rapid expansion with improved performance.
- Setting a new benchmark for water finance. Its blue bond and wider strategy align investment directly with measurable environmental and social outcomes. It is reshaping urban water security.
- By advancing reuse at scale, Sabesp is building resilience in one of the world’s most complex metropolitan systems.
National Water Company (NWC), Saudi Arabia
What is it?
National Water Company is Saudi Arabia’s largest retail water and wastewater utility, delivering services across the Kingdom’s major cities. At the centre of national reform, it manages distribution and wastewater operations at scale, translating strategy into reliable service for millions.
What has it done?
NWC has delivered a step-change in water quality through its Water Quality Improvement Program in the Eastern Province. This $1.3 billion programme has replaced high-salinity groundwater with a fully integrated desalinated supply, serving more than 4.7 million people. The system delivers over 3.5 million m³/day through a 490 km transmission backbone. Salinity has been cut by over 90%, restoring trust in the tap while relieving pressure on non-renewable aquifers. At the same time, the network has been fundamentally re-engineered. A looped, digitally monitored system now enables continuous supply even during maintenance or disruption, marking a decisive shift from vulnerability to resilience.
What makes it special?
- NWC has solved the problem at source. By eliminating reliance on degraded groundwater, it has secured long-term water quality and resource sustainability in a high-stress region.
- It has delivered infrastructure with intent. The move to a looped, intelligent network transforms reliability, ensuring consistent service under pressure. The impact is system-wide.
- By delivering high-quality water to all communities, NWC has closed the water quality gap and restored public confidence at scale.
WASA Lahore, Pakistan
What is it?
WASA Lahore is the public water and sanitation utility serving more than 5 million people in Lahore, one of South Asia’s fastest growing megacities. It operates at the frontline of urban growth, climate risk, and water service delivery in Punjab.
What has it done?
In 2025, WASA Lahore expanded its service area from 248 km² to 380 km², reaching 2.3 million additional people in just one year. Backed by USD 350 million in public investment, the utility upgraded water networks and climate resilient drainage while maintaining service quality during rapid growth. That same year, monthly revenue recovery increased fourfold to USD 7.10 million and collection efficiency reached 100%, securing the financial foundation for sustained service improvement.
What makes it special?
- WASA Lahore fuelled operational transformation through remarkable financial turnaround.
- Centralised control rooms, SCADA, GIS based asset mapping, and smart monitoring cut nonrevenue water by 23% and strengthened resilience.
- Its model has since been replicated through the creation of 36 new WASAs across Punjab, providing a blueprint for utility excellence used to scale SDG6.