Beyond the Numbers: Why Aquatech Mexico Has Become Essential for the Water Industry
In a sector where challenges grow faster than solutions, Aquatech Mexico has established itself as 'the' space where the water industry finds answers. It's no coincidence that year after year, thousands of professionals, hundreds of companies, and the main decision-makers in the water sector converge in Mexico City every September.
Event marketing manager Eunice Roque told Aquatech Online that the tenth edition of Aquatech Mexico , held from September 1-3, 2026, confirmed what a decade of evolution has demonstrated: this is not simply another event on the industry calendar. It is the point where innovation meets necessity, where knowledge transforms into action, and where conversations become tangible solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the water sector in Mexico and Latin America.
The context that defines the conversation
Mexico and Latin America face a complex water reality that does not admit superficial solutions. The growing demand for the resource can be viewed in many contexts: water stress, infrastructure requiring urgent modernisation, and increasingly strict regulatory pressures. The need for new management and financing models has created a scenario where collaboration is not optional; it is imperative.
As Daan Burghouts, Global Director of Aquatech Amsterdam, stated during the opening ceremony: “The future of water will not be built by a single organisation, sector, or country; it will be built through collaboration, shared objectives, and the ability to turn great ideas into real results.”
This statement perfectly encapsulates the reason for Aquatech Mexico's existence: to create a space where different actors in the water ecosystem can jointly solve the sector’s most pressing challenges.
Water as a national strategic priority
During the opening ceremony, Paola Félix Díaz, General Coordinator of the National Water Agreement and International Cooperation at Conagua, positioned water as a strategic element for the country’s economic and social development: “Water is on the global agenda and is a priority. Investment, job creation, and economic growth depend on two fundamental elements: water and energy.”
This perspective elevates the conversation beyond technical aspects to place water at the centre of the national development strategy. Félix Díaz highlighted a revealing fact: 76 per cent of water consumption in Mexico is linked to the agricultural sector. This figure represents both the challenge and the opportunity: modernising this sector could free up significant resources for communities facing water stress.
From conversation to action: a decade of evolution
When Aquatech Mexico began 10 years ago, the conversation revolved mainly around treatment and efficiency. A decade later, the dialogue has evolved with the advent of new technologies and solutions: digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI) applied to water management. Other evolutions have also taken place, such as the rise of strategic investment models, the need to increase resilience in the face of climate change, and the acceptance and willingness to collaborate across sectors.
As Alejandra Escalante, Show Director of Aquatech Mexico, noted: “Ten editions allow us to look back and see how the conversation about water in Mexico has evolved. Today we talk not only about treatment and efficiency, but also about digitalisation, investment, resilience, and new forms of collaboration.”
Regulatory challenges and innovation
One topic that featured heavily during the show was the evolving regulatory landscape. During the keynote conference of the Congress Program – ‘New Water Law: Challenges for Innovation and Technology’ – Óscar Zavala, Deputy Legal Director of Conagua, addressed a critical point: the challenge is not only that regulation addresses current problems, but that it creates conditions that accelerate innovation and facilitate the implementation of solutions at the speed that challenges require.
Technology and investment: the engines of change
Across the three days of the event, the need to mobilise capital became a prominent theme. The modernisation of water networks, the expansion of treatment and reuse capacity, and the development of resilient infrastructure all require a combination of technological innovation and new investment models.
A dynamic exchange ecosystem
What distinguishes Aquatech Mexico from similar shows is that it generates real value for attendees by creating an ecosystem where different formats complement each other.
AquaStage has established itself as a space where theory meets practice: live demonstrations, real cases, and applied knowledge that attendees can implement immediately.
AquaWorld functions as the global bridge that connects the local water community with international delegations, Mexican institutions, and specialists from different markets, adapting proven solutions to the specific needs of Mexico and Latin America.
The exhibition floor hosts more than 250 exhibitors and over 10,000 visitors, transforming into a thriving innovation ecosystem where technology providers, end-users, and decision-makers converge to turn challenges into opportunities.
Recognising excellence
The Aquatech Innovation Award 2026 recognised SMARTSUS, a Mexican company that provides an AI-based solution for water management and optimisation. This recognition underscores that local innovation is responding to global challenges and transforming the country's water sector.
The Better Stands Award recognised Hidroaqua, Clowe & Cowan and Ceta Water for creating the best experience on the exhibition floor, demonstrating that how we communicate innovation is as important as the innovation itself.
The real value: connections that become solutions
As Alina Escobar, Group Show Director of Informa Markets LATAM, noted: “The future of water is not built in isolation. It is built when we connect different perspectives, share knowledge, and create conditions for technology and investment to become real solutions.”
This vision materialises in every conversation generated in the hallways, in every alliance formed between a technology provider and a public service, and in every project born from the meeting between an investor and an entrepreneur with an innovative solution.
The meeting continues in 2027
From September 7-9, 2027, Centro Banamex will once again be the epicentre of the water world; where companies will present the latest innovations, specialists will share success stories, institutions will explore new strategies, and thousands of professionals will find the answers their projects need.
What makes Aquatech Mexico truly special is the community that for the last 10 years has formed around a shared purpose: to build a future where water is no longer a limiting factor for development and becomes an enabler of sustainable prosperity.
This community includes engineers, entrepreneurs, public officials, investors, academics, and operators who gather because they understand that the challenges are too great to solve alone. They have seen, edition after edition, that when this community comes together, things happen.
Because Aquatech Mexico is not just an annual event; it is the meeting point where a community turns aspirations into reality, where challenges transform into opportunities, and where the future of water is built, one connection, one conversation, and one collaboration at a time.
Ready to be part of the conversation that is transforming the water sector in Latin America? Join us at Aquatech Mexico 2027, where the future of water takes shape.
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