HWA conference

Waterproof Future?
Water smart responses and solutions in the age of climate change
Municipal water management, regulatory and economic frameworks, regional partnership models

Conference of the Hungarian Water Association (HWA)

8 October 2026
Environtec 2026

Purpose of the event

This conference provides a platform for domestic and regional municipalities, service providers, policymakers, product and technology developers, representatives of the water industry, as well as scientific, industrial, association, professional and financial stakeholders to jointly explore responses to the water‑related challenges posed by climate change, challenges that affect every sector and every community.

Background and themes

Water lies at the heart of climate change. Shifts in climate have a profound impact on the water cycle and water availability, leading to worsening water scarcity, extreme weather events, and water quality issues. A warmer climate accelerates evaporation, reduces precipitation in certain regions, and increases the frequency of droughts. At the same time, other areas experience heavy rainfall and flooding, placing severe strain on water management systems.

Water scarcity, extreme weather, declining water quality, falling groundwater levels, reduced soil water retention, shrinking freshwater resources, disruption of the water cycle, and decreasing water‑supply security, these issues affect us all.

How can we build a water‑smart economy? How do we adapt? What tools, technologies, and financing options do we have at our disposal?

What does the European Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy mean for municipalities? How can Europe strengthen its water resilience, ensure sustainable management of water resources, address water scarcity, and foster competitiveness and innovation within the water sector through a circular‑economy approach?

What are the implications of the expanded scope and stricter requirements of the new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive?

How do Taxonomy and ESG contribute to achieving a sustainable, water‑conscious future?

Within the framework of Environtec 2026, we seek answers to these questions.