What International Water Resources Association does

The International Water Resources Association (IWRA) is a non-profit, non-governmental, international member-based association founded in 1971 and headquartered legally in Madison, Wisconsin (USA) with its Executive Office in Paris, France. Its mission is to improve and expand understanding of water resource issues through education, research, and information exchange at the interface of science and policy. The organisation serves a global audience of water professionals, academics, policymakers, practitioners, early-career individuals, and a smaller set of private-sector organisations, with representation from more than 160 countries.

Name

International Water Resources Association

Legal name

International Water Resources Association

Website

https://iwra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

International Water Resources Association (IWRA) is a non-profit membership association founded in 1971 that convenes water researchers, policymakers, and practitioners across 160+ countries through congresses, a peer-reviewed journal, policy briefs, webinars, and global task forces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resources Professional Association

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Systems & Water Management (Ag) (EDAOAOAG), Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Water resources management
• Professional membership association
• Science policy interface
• Peer reviewed publications
• Capacity building programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: IWRA generates revenue through tiered individual and institutional membership subscriptions (Bronze – free, Silver, Gold). Bronze membership is free; Silver and Gold memberships are paid tiers with additional benefits such as access to publications, event discounts, and networking tools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IWRA is a non-profit, international member-based association that improves and expands understanding of water resource issues through education, research, and information exchange. It convenes global conferences (World Water Congress, Islands Water Congress, Online Conferences), publishes the Water International peer-reviewed journal and Policy Briefs, and runs webinars, master classes, and youth capacity-building programmes such as the World Water Envoys Programme and Mentored Publishing Scheme for water professionals, researchers, and policymakers.

Product overview

IWRA is a non-profit, non-governmental, international member-based association established in 1971 that operates as a knowledge and research organization rather than a product company. Its portfolio consists primarily of convening, publishing, and capacity-building services centered on water resources management. The core offerings include the World Water Congress (triennial flagship conference) and the Islands Water Congress series; the peer-reviewed Water International journal; Policy Briefs and the IWRA Update newsletter; numbered Webinars and Master Classes for professional development; and the World Water Envoys Programme, Groundwater Puzzle Game, and Mentored Publishing Scheme for capacity building. IWRA also coordinates thematic Task Forces and Geographic Chapters that serve as knowledge networks advancing research and policy dialogue across specific topics and regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• World Water Congress
• Islands Water Congress
• Water International IWRA's official peer-reviewed journal, established in 1975 and published by Taylor & Francis, publishing research articles, case studies, reviews, technical notes, and special issues on pressing water challenges. IWRA members receive access.
• IWRA Policy Briefs Short-form policy publications providing analysis and practical recommendations for policymakers on key water topics, including flood risk, water-energy-food nexus, water reuse, and water security.
• IWRA Update Newsletter IWRA's regular newsletter providing updates on association activities, news, upcoming events, and water sector developments distributed to members and subscribers.
• Online Conferences Virtual conferences hosted by IWRA, complementing the in-person World Water Congress series and providing ongoing online knowledge exchange opportunities.
• IWRA Webinars Numbered webinar series covering diverse water topics with expert panels, open to members and non-members with recordings often accessible to members only.
• Master Classes Structured educational sessions providing in-depth training and knowledge development on specific water-related topics for members and practitioners.
• World Water Envoys Programme A youth engagement programme that selects representatives to share stories about water challenges in their communities and bring back knowledge from IWRA events to their local contexts.
• Groundwater Puzzle Game An educational interactive tool designed to help participants understand groundwater concepts and management challenges.
• IWRA Mentored Publishing Scheme A programme supporting early-career professionals in publishing their water-related research through structured mentorship.
• Smart Water Management Project IWRA project focused on advancing smart and technology-enabled approaches to urban water management, including case studies from Smart Water Cities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 individual members from over 160 countries represent IWRA's global reach.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• UN-WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWRA holds Partner Status accreditation with UN-Water and collaborates on shared objectives related to global water governance and the UN Water Action Agenda.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWRA holds Observer Status with the UN's Climate Change Secretary under UNFCCC, enabling participation in climate change processes relevant to water resources.
• United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWRA has received UN's DGC-Civil Society Special-accreditation to the United Nations 2022 Ocean Conference.
• UN Water Conference 2023coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIWRA received recognition and accreditation to participate in the UN Water Conference 2023, supporting its role in advancing the global water agenda.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO is listed as an institutional partner of IWRA, collaborating on shared goals related to water resources and food security.
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOECD is listed as an institutional partner of IWRA, working on water policy and economic dimensions of water management.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO is a key institutional partner of IWRA. IWRA collaborates with UNESCO on the Global Water Security Issues (GWSI) paper series, the World Water Development Report, and the i-WSSM (International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management) co-publishing programme.
• UNESCO i-WSSM (International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management)coreTechnology or Integrationi-WSSM co-publishes the Global Water Security Issues (GWSI) series with IWRA and UNESCO, contributing technical expertise on water security and sustainable management.
• French Water PartnershipsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an institutional partner supporting IWRA's activities in the water sector.
• IHE Delft Institute for Water EducationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an institutional partner contributing to IWRA's educational and knowledge-sharing mission in water resources.
• Water Resources Authority of Jamaica (WRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRA co-hosts the 2nd Islands Water Congress with IWRA, to be held 27-29 January 2027 in Montego Bay, Jamaica under the theme 'Resilient Islands: Securing Water for Sustainable Development in a Changing World.'
• Jarðfeingi (Faroese Geological Survey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJarðfeingi co-hosted the 1st Islands Water Congress with IWRA, held 4-6 September 2024 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands under the theme 'Freshwater and Islands: Governance, Collaboration and Innovation.'
• AIDA (International Association for Water Law)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIDA collaborated with IWRA on a joint webinar (N°68) on Water Resources Under Climate Change, and AIDA is part of the Water Cooperation webinar series with IWRA and UNESCO-IHP.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIWI collaborates with IWRA on the Water Cooperation webinar series and is a partner in the broader water cooperation ecosystem that IWRA participates in.
• International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAH is part of the Water Cooperation webinar series with IWRA and UNESCO-IHP, contributing expertise on groundwater governance.
• Geneva Water HubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneva Water Hub is part of the Water Cooperation webinar series with IWRA and UNESCO-IHP, contributing water and peace perspectives.
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNECE is part of the Water Cooperation webinar series with IWRA and UNESCO-IHP.
• Ministry of Equipment and Water of MoroccocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Equipment and Water of Morocco is co-hosting the XIX World Water Congress with IWRA, to be held 1-5 December 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco under the theme 'Water in a Changing World: Innovation and Adaptation.'
• Korea Water ForumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Korea Water Forum co-hosted a webinar with IWRA (N°23) on 'What South Korea Can Offer the World of Smart Water Management' and collaborates around Korea International Water Week.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UN-Water: UN-Water is the UN's inter-agency coordination mechanism for freshwater and sanitation, comprising 30+ UN entities. IWRA holds Partner Status with UN-Water, making it both a peer in convening function and a downstream partner.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): AWWA is a large, established water utility-focused association with 50,000+ members in North America. It is much larger and more utility/operator-centric than IWRA but operates a comparable membership, conference, and standards model.

Direct peers

• World Water Council (WWC): WWC organizes the World Water Forum and advocates for water policy at the highest political level. It competes with IWRA for visibility on the global water agenda but at a more governmental/political layer.
• Global Water Partnership (GWP): GWP is an intergovernmental network of 3,000+ partner organizations working on integrated water resources management. It is directly comparable to IWRA in its science-policy mandate, regional chapter structure, and IWRM focus.
• International Water Association (IWA): The IWA is a global membership network for water professionals, publishing journals (Journal of Water Supply, Water Research) and convening the IWA World Water Congress. It is the closest direct peer to IWRA in mission, membership model, and global convening role.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): SIWI organizes World Water Week in Stockholm and runs water cooperation, governance, and capacity-building programs. It overlaps directly with IWRA on global water convening and policy engagement, and is already a co-partner on the Water Cooperation webinar series.
• International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH): IAH is a scientific and professional association for groundwater professionals with a global membership and Hydrogeology Journal. It overlaps with IWRA on groundwater-related task forces, publications, and webinar programming.

Others

• Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI): ADBI conducts policy research and capacity building on water-energy-food nexus issues across Asia-Pacific. It is an adjacent policy-research institution that overlaps with IWRA's water policy programming but is not a member association.

Regional players

• Water Research Commission (WRC), South Africa: WRC funds and coordinates water research in South Africa, with a comparable knowledge-broker model to IWRA but concentrated regionally. Useful as a regional analogue for funding- and policy-driven water research.

Emerging players

• WaterAid: WaterAid is a major international NGO focused on WASH in low-income countries, with a much larger donor base and country programmes. It is an adjacent, thematically related non-profit rather than a direct academic convener.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iwra_water
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IWRAOffice
• Facebookfacebook.com/iwrawater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-water-resources-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/iwra_water

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Water Resources Association