Summary of the ‘Water Supply Systems of the Future 2026’ Conference
On 13–14 April 2026, Poznań became the focal point for discussions on the future of Poland’s water supply sector. The ‘Water Supply of the Future 2026’ conference, organised by Apator Powogaz SA, brought together nearly two hundred participants – representatives of water supply companies, technology experts, industry bodies and the academic community. These were two intense days full of inspiration, practical knowledge and networking discussions that set the direction for the sector’s development.
The event was held under the honorary patronage of the “Wodociągi Polskie” Chamber of Commerce, IWA Poland, the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province and PLUS, as well as with the support of media patrons: Przegląd Komunalny, SBS and TVP3.
A strong start and a special honour
The conference was opened by the CEOs Grzegorz Starybrat (Apator Powogaz SA) and Maciej Wyczesany (Apator SA), together with representatives of key industry institutions. During the opening ceremony, Apator Powogaz received the Honorary Badge “For services to the Wielkopolska Province”, which was a tremendous honour for us and a recognition of the company’s long-standing contribution to the region’s development.
Day 1: Sector transformation and digital water supply
The first day was devoted to the most important challenges and trends in the industry:
- infrastructure resilience and adaptation to climate change,
- funding the water and wastewater sector’s transformation,
- process digitalisation: from smart networks to advanced data analytics,
- cooperation within energy and bioenergy clusters,
- practical examples of successful transformations (case studies: Apator Powogaz and PUK Zabierzów).
The day concluded with the IWA Young Water Professionals workshop and an evening networking dinner.
Day 2: security, energy and innovation
The second part of the conference focused on solutions that will be crucial for water utilities in the coming years:
- cybersecurity of critical infrastructure,
- automation and security of electricity grids,
- blue-green infrastructure and retention,
- the launch of innovative PRO solutions from Apator Powogaz,
- energy in water supply systems: renewable energy sources, biogas and distributed energy models,
- sewage treatment plants of the future and resource recovery.
It was a wealth of knowledge that participants will take back to their organisations.
Thank you for being part of this event!
Waterworks of the Future 2026 is more than just a conference for us – it is a joint discussion about the future of the industry, the security of water resources, modern infrastructure and technology that genuinely supports businesses.
We would like to thank all participants, speakers and partners for attending and for your trust. It is thanks to you that the event was so valuable and inspiring. We look forward to seeing you at future events built around the concept of Waterworks of the Future!
