Innovations and Best Practices for Inclusive, Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Water, Sanitation and Waste Management

8–9 March 2027 | SPM NIWAS Campus, Joka, Kolkata

Organised by
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM NIWAS), Kolkata
Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation
Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India

About the Conference

The National WASH Conference 2027 provides a multidisciplinary platform for sharing research, field experiences, policy perspectives and practical innovations in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

The two-day conference will explore the connections between drinking water security, sanitation, waste management, public health, social inclusion and climate resilience. It will emphasise solutions that strengthen rural services, support community ownership and improve environmental outcomes.

Aligned with the broader objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] and Sustainable Development Goal 6, the conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, engineers, social scientists, practitioners, development partners and entrepreneurs.

Conference Objectives

• Share research, innovations and replicable practices across the WASH sector.

• Strengthen sustainable drinking water supply, water quality assurance and service delivery.

• Advance safe sanitation, hygiene, greywater and solid and liquid waste management.

• Promote social inclusion, gender equality and community participation.

• Examine governance, institutional capacity and sustainable operation and maintenance.

• Explore climate finance, resource recovery and circular economy approaches.

• Build partnerships for research, capacity building and implementation.

Conference Themes

Contributions are invited across the following interconnected thematic areas.

1. Source Sustainability and Water Security

Groundwater and surface water sustainability, aquifer management, springsheds, watershed development, rainwater harvesting, recharge, water budgeting and source protection.

2. Rural Drinking Water Infrastructure and Service Delivery

Single-village and multi-village schemes, hydraulic design, pumping, storage, distribution networks, DPR preparation, asset management, energy efficiency and operation and maintenance.

3. Water Quality and Treatment Technologies

Water safety planning, laboratories, community surveillance, disinfection, arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity, microbial contamination and treatment residuals.

4. Emerging Contaminants and Environmental Health

Microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, PFAS, antimicrobial resistance, exposure pathways, analytical methods and risk management.

5. Water Governance and Institutional Strengthening

Decentralised planning, Gram Panchayats, VWSCs/Paani Samitis, service standards, accountability, grievance redressal and interdepartmental coordination.

6. Social Inclusion, Gender and Community-Led WASH

Equitable access, women’s leadership, disability inclusion, tribal and remote communities, affordability, self-help groups and community ownership.

7. Hygiene, Behaviour Change and Institutional WASH

Handwashing, menstrual hygiene, IEC, behaviour change communication, participatory approaches, and WASH in schools, Anganwadis and healthcare facilities.

8. Greywater Management and Safe Reuse

Greywater collection, soak pits, kitchen gardens, constructed wetlands, decentralised treatment, safe reuse and management of stagnant water.

9. Liquid Waste and Decentralised Wastewater Management

Blackwater, village drainage, decentralised treatment, pond systems, safe discharge, reuse and prevention of water pollution.

10. Sustainable Sanitation and ODF Plus

Sustaining ODF outcomes, inclusive toilets, retrofitting, community sanitary complexes, visual cleanliness and sanitation service delivery.

11. Faecal Sludge and Septage Management

Safe containment, desludging, transport, treatment, co-treatment, resource recovery, mechanisation and sanitation workers’ safety.

12. Solid Waste Management and Rural Resource Recovery

Source segregation, collection, material recovery, composting, vermicomposting, biomethanation, rejects management and rural enterprises.

13. Plastic Waste and Other Waste Streams

Single-use plastic reduction, packaging and agricultural plastics, sanitary waste, domestic hazardous waste, e-waste, batteries and construction waste.

14. Circular Economy and Waste-to-Wealth

Recovery of water, nutrients and energy, biogas, bio-slurry, GOBARdhan-related approaches, green livelihoods and markets for recovered resources.

15. Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon WASH

Climate risk assessment, flood and drought resilience, disaster preparedness, renewable energy, emissions reduction and resilient infrastructure.

16. Climate Finance and Sustainable WASH Financing

Adaptation finance, blended finance, CSR, lifecycle costing, affordability, user charges, O&M financing and bankable projects.

17. Digital WASH and Data-Driven Management

IoT, sensors, GIS, remote sensing, SCADA, dashboards, digital twins, artificial intelligence, data quality and predictive maintenance.

18. Nature-Based Solutions and Ecosystem Restoration

Wetlands, pond and lake restoration, catchment protection, ecological sanitation, biodiversity and ecosystem-based adaptation.

Call for Papers

SPM NIWAS invites original, unpublished contributions addressing the conference themes.

Types of Contributions

• Original research papers.

• Review papers.

• Field-based case studies.

• Policy and institutional analyses.

• Programme evaluations.

• Technology assessments and innovation notes.

Submissions connecting technical solutions with social, financial, environmental and governance outcomes are particularly encouraged. Contributions should clearly explain their relevance to WASH research, policy or implementation.

Presentation Formats

Oral Presentations
Selected contributions will be invited for presentation in thematic technical sessions.

Poster Presentations
Selected research, case studies and innovations will be presented through posters.

Presentation schedules and instructions will be communicated to accepted contributors.

Submission Information

The submission portal will open on ------- 2026.

Detailed instructions covering manuscript structure, formatting, submission requirements and review procedures will be available in the author guidelines.

Submission Portal: To be updated
Registration Portal: To be updated
Author Guidelines: To be updated

Important Dates

Paper submission opens

28 October 2026

Paper submission closes

3 January 2027

Completion of initial review

4 February 2027

Completion of follow-up review

14 February 2027

Acceptance notification

17 February 2027

Conference

8–9 March 2027

Who Should Attend?

The conference welcomes participation from:

• Government officials working in drinking water, public health engineering, rural development, sanitation, Panchayati Raj and environment.

• State and District Water and Sanitation Missions, Gram Panchayats and community institutions.

• Academicians, researchers, students and technical institutions.

• Engineers, planners, economists, social scientists and public health professionals.

• Civil society organisations, implementation support agencies and self-help groups.

• Development partners, financial institutions and CSR organisations.

• Start-ups, technology providers, entrepreneurs and service providers.

Why Participate?

Share your work: Present research, innovations and implementation experiences.

Learn from practice: Explore technologies, community initiatives and institutional approaches.

Connect across disciplines: Engage with professionals working across engineering, public health, social development, finance and governance.

Build collaborations: Identify opportunities for research, capacity building and practical implementation.

Conference Programme

The conference will feature thematic technical sessions, oral presentations and poster presentations.

The detailed programme, session timings and speaker information will be announced here.

Conference Leadership and Committees

Advisory Committee ( Need to be established)

Prof. Pradip Kumar Tewari

IIT-Jodhpur

Prof. Mihir Kr. Purkait

IIT-Guwahati

Prof. Gopal Naik

IIM-Bengaluru

Prof. Amit Mitra

IIT-Kanpur

Prof. Amita Bhide

TISS-Mumbai

Conference Chair

       Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS 

Covenor

Shri Priyatu Mandal, IAS

Joint Secretary-cum-Director, SPM NIWAS

Registration

Join the National WASH Conference 2027 to exchange knowledge and engage with professionals working towards sustainable and inclusive WASH services.

The registration link, participation requirements will be announced here.

Registration Link —  To be decided 

Downloads

Conference resources will be made available as they are finalised:

• Conference brochure.

• Author guidelines.

• Detailed conference programme.

Venue and Contact

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS)
Diamond Harbour Road, Joka
Kolkata – 700104, West Bengal, India
Near IIM Calcutta

Conference dates: 8–9 March 2027

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where will the conference take place?
The conference will take place on 8–9 March 2027 at the SPM-NIWAS Campus, Joka, Kolkata.

When can I submit my paper?
Paper submissions open on 28 October 2026 and close on 3 January 2027.

What types of contributions are invited?
Original research papers, review papers, field-based case studies, policy analyses, programme evaluations, technology assessments and innovation notes are invited.

Can I participate without presenting a paper?
The conference welcomes participants from across the WASH sector. Participation requirements will be provided with the registration information.

When will acceptance decisions be communicated?
Acceptance notifications are scheduled for 17 February 2027.

Where can I find the submission template?
Author guidelines and templates will be available in the Downloads section once finalised.

Will papers be published?
Publication arrangements, if confirmed, will be announced separately.

Will travel and accommodation be provided?
Travel support and accommodation arrangements, if any, will be communicated separately.