Aquatech China has been an important fixture in the region’s calendar since the first event launched in 2024. Last year, the event welcomed 500 exhibitors from more than 15 countries, although the vast majority were domestic companies. Visitor numbers increased year on year, with a 35 per cent increase from mainland China, and a seven per cent increase in those attending from overseas. Encouragingly, exhibitor satisfaction was high, with a vast majority indicating that they would be back for this year’s event.
In anticipation of the 2026 edition, Aquatech Online caught up with Yvette Hu, general manager of RAI China, to find out what makes the event unique, what visitors and exhibitors can expect from the event, as well as from the conferences and sessions that run throughout the event, and why international companies can gain from attending.
“Aquatech China is unique because of its coverage,” begins Hu. “It covers the entire water industry chain, from residential and commercial water purification to municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment, smart water, process control, and automation. And it’s the most international water event compared with others in China.”
Exhibiting companies come from segments such as:
“Last year, international companies originated from 15 different countries,” Hu says, “among them South Korea, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, and the United States, as well as European countries.”
Notable exhibitors included Huamo, Taoshi, Yitai, Chunmi, Beishi, Lurun, Aolan Si, Shitong, Meimai, Xinyu, Purun, Shuixiang, Yadong, and Haina.
This year, Aquatech China 2026 will introduce AquaAcademy, a brand-new conference concept. Hu explains: “The AquaAcademy will bring together leading domestic and international water experts to share insights on upstream and downstream technologies and application trends across the entire water treatment industry chain.”
With a focus on integrating academic research and practical application, AquaAcademy will collaborate with several prestigious institutions, such as universities, trade associations and research institutes, covering a range of themes that span the water sector's current challenges and opportunities.
The AquaAcademy will bring together leading domestic and international water experts to share insights
“The AquaAcademy will complement the AquaStage (which is focused on commercial product launches and business case studies) by providing deeper technical and academic content,” Hu says. “Together, they create a dual-application model – academic and commercial – that will allow industry professionals to gain a comprehensive view of the sector, from fundamental research to market-ready solutions.”
In addition to the AquaAcademy, visitors can still expect more than 70 thematic presentations from leading experts and senior corporate representatives from China and abroad, across more than 10 authoritative forums, covering the most pressing topics in water technology today.
For this year’s event, Aquatech China is introducing commercial products and technical innovations on the AquaStage. Well-known exhibitors from both China and abroad have been invited to share technology product case studies, launch new products and technologies, and deliver presentations focused on the two core themes of Innovation and Trends.
“In addition, Aquatech China will incorporate real-world application scenario-sharing for water treatment products, including case studies from specialised fields such as municipal water, chemical industry, textile, printing, pharmaceutical, and other professional sectors,” explains Hu. “This will expand the commercial value of the AquaStage platform and help cross-promote innovative technologies and products across different industries.”
The Aquatech China Innovation Award (AQC Innovation Award) originates from the globally respected ‘Aquatech Innovation Award’ of the Amsterdam mother brand. It is designed to highlight exhibitor innovations and to encourage and recognise innovative products, technologies, and solutions, including those not yet launched to the market.
The award has five categories:
Hu explains the process for companies entering the awards: “Companies exhibiting at Aquatech China can submit their entries in any of the five categories,” before adding: “An expert jury follows strict international evaluation criteria and procedures to select an annual overall winner and category winners. The winners represent China’s emerging innovative force and gain the opportunity to step onto the global stage of Aquatech Amsterdam.”
Winning an Aquatech China Innovation Award is not just a trophy – it is a powerful marketing and business development tool
In 2025, seven awards were presented to winning companies, including industry leaders such as Shanghai Dagua Water Service Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Bishui Water Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.
“Winning an Aquatech China Innovation Award is not just a trophy – it is a powerful marketing and business development tool,” Hu explains. “Winners receive:
By participating in the Innovation Awards, companies align themselves with the cutting edge of water technology and gain a competitive edge in the fast-growing Chinese market.
A non-Chinese water company should exhibit at Aquatech China for five compelling reasons; all directly tied to the unique value of this exhibition:
China’s water market represents one of the largest and fastest-growing opportunities in the world:
Residential water purification: China’s household water purifier penetration is only approximately 20 per cent, far below the 80 per cent level in Western countries, indicating a massive blue-ocean market.
In 2025, the net water purifier market achieved 15.3 per cent year-on-year growth, driven in part by the national ‘trade‑in’ policy that officially included water purifiers in the subsidy scope for the first time.
Even more telling: the current penetration among urban households has reached 42.7 per cent, yet over 90 per cent of these households have only installed under-sink drinking water purifiers, covering just 10 per cent of daily water usage. This leaves the remaining 90 per cent of water usage (bathing, laundry, cleaning) completely unprotected. This gap represents an enormous untapped market for whole-house water purification solutions.
Membrane technology and water recycling: China’s membrane-based water treatment market reached RMB 298.02 billion (approximately €37 billion) in 2025, growing 7.4 per cent year-on-year. The domestic industry has shifted toward a ‘domestic-led, foreign-focused on high-end’ competitive landscape, with Chinese companies holding over 70 per cent of the market share.
Municipal wastewater recycling capacity is set to double by 2030, driving annual growth of over 15 per cent for membrane technologies (MBR, UF, RO) – a core focus area of Aquatech China. The country’s recycled water market is projected to exceed RMB 18.7 billion (€2.3 billion) in 2026, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 15.3 per cent.
Smart water (digital water management): China’s smart water market reached approximately RMB 30.59 billion (€3.8 billion) in 2025 and is expected to grow to RMB 136.84 billion (€17 billion) by 2029, representing a CAGR of 18.74 per cent.
Policy drivers are powerful: the central government mandates that smart water penetration must increase from 12 per cent to 35 per cent, unlocking an estimated RMB 180 billion (€22.4 billion) market opportunity, with core battlegrounds focused on leakage control, water quality early warning, and water pricing reform.
The country’s recycled water market is projected to exceed RMB 18.7 billion (€2.3 billion) in 2026
Massive infrastructure investment: The ‘Beautiful China 2035’ policy ensures multi-trillion‑yuan annual investment in water environment governance until at least 2035. The ‘15th Five‑Year Plan’ period alone is expected to see construction and renovation of over 700,000 km of underground pipelines, with new investment demand exceeding RMB 5 trillion (€624.5 billion).
Notably, the central government allocated over RMB 100 billion (€12.5 billion) in ultra‑long‑term special treasury bonds in 2025 to support the Yangtze River protection initiative alone, focusing on urban sewage pipeline networks. By 2025, China’s total annual investment in wastewater treatment reached over RMB 500 billion (€62.5 billion), with total daily treatment capacity approaching 350 m/m.
“Aquatech China is not a general public fair,” explains Hu, “it is a professional B2B platform. In 2025, the exhibition attracted 15,726 professional visitors, including 1,532 international visitors (YoY +7.1 per cent) from 112 countries and regions. Notable past attendees included A.O. Smith, Midea, ABB, Haier, Shanghai Chengtou Water, Sinopec, the Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute, and numerous governmental bodies.”
The show also hosted 11 official buyer delegations, including the Yixing Environmental Protection Industry Association, Kunshan Water Affairs Society, and Wuxi Surface Engineering Association.
“These are not casual attendees,” adds Hu, “they are decision-makers with confirmed purchasing authority, actively seeking new technologies and partnerships.”
Aquatech China provides a digital, pre-arranged one-to-one business matchmaking service.
“Exhibitors can use our online platform to review buyer profiles, schedule meetings before the show, and confirm on‑site appointments,” states Hu. “At the event, dedicated meeting tables optimise the face-to-face experience, saving time and maximising ROI. This is not a passive trade show – it is an active deal-making environment where every minute is productive.”
A platform for innovation and global brand building
Exhibitors will benefit from enhanced visibility across all Aquatech China marketing channels, including official show guides, social media, and press releases distributed to global water media partners.
“Beyond these global efforts, Aquatech China fully leverages a comprehensive online and offline media matrix across China,” adds Hu. “This includes strategic collaborations with leading domestic industry associations, authoritative water sector media, and key opinion leaders, ensuring that exhibitors’ innovations and brand stories reach the right audiences at scale.”
Hu adds: “By integrating digital campaigns, targeted social media promotions, and offline events such as roadshows and technical seminars, Aquatech China creates a powerful ecosystem that drives engagement and accelerates lead generation.”
Several powerful policy initiatives are actively reshaping China’s water market:
‘Trade-in’ subsidy policy: In 2025, water purifiers were officially included in China’s national appliance trade-in subsidy scheme for the first time, activating lower-tier markets and reducing initial purchase costs for consumers, a direct driver of market expansion.
Water pricing reform: The central government is actively reforming water pricing mechanisms, including optimised tiered pricing for residential water, creating a more favourable economic environment for water-saving and recycling technologies.
Rigorous environmental targets: National policies mandate that by 2025, urban sewage collection rates must exceed 70 per cent and county-level sewage treatment rates exceed 95 per cent, with sensitive areas fully implementing Grade 1A discharge standards. These targets create urgent demand for advanced treatment technologies.
Digital transformation mandate: The ‘AI+’ action plan is being implemented across the water industry, pushing utilities to adopt AI-driven solutions for leakage prediction, water quality monitoring, and operational optimisation, opening a vast market for smart water technology providers.
“In summary, Aquatech China is the most efficient gateway to the world’s largest and fastest‑growing water market, combining data-driven market insights, qualified buyers, proven productadvantages for international technologies, and a sophisticated matchmaking system,” asserts Hu.
Hu explains that water professionals from outside China should visit Aquatech China for five compelling reasons:
China is not just a large market; it is a living laboratory for water technology innovation at an unprecedented scale.
Visiting Aquatech China allows you to see first-hand how China is solving water challenges at scale, from smart water grids covering entire mega-cities to advanced membrane filtration plants serving hundreds of millions of people.
Meet over 450 exhibitors showcasing products and technologies that are often launched first at Aquatech China.
“Many global water technology companies choose this platform as their entry point into the Asian market,” explains Hu. “In 2025, the exhibition welcomed exhibitors from 15 countries and regions; as well as the countries mentioned above, Korean and Danish pavilions were prominently featured, allowing visitors to establish international business connections within three days.”
Many global water technology companies choose this platform as their entry point into the Asian market
The Innovation LAB zone is dedicated exclusively to innovative products, technologies, and brands, offering scene-based displays and systematic incubation support.
Aquatech China 2025 featured 10+ authoritative forums and 70+ thematic presentations delivered by 90+ leading experts and senior corporate representatives from China and abroad. As an indication of what to expect in 2026, last year’s key sessions included:
For 2026, the newly launched AquaAcademy conference zone will offer even deeper technical and academic content, featuring renowned industry specialists and corporate R&D leaders from both domestic and international backgrounds.
Together with the AquaStage (focused on commercial applications, product launches, and case studies), the AquaAcademy creates a dual‑application model – academic and commercial – allowing industry professionals to gain a comprehensive view from fundamental research to market‑ready solutions.
In 2025, Aquatech China attracted 15,726 professional visitors from 113 countries and regions.
“The dedicated VIP and International Hub is designed specifically to help international visitors overcome language and cultural barriers, fostering global exchanges and providing a comfortable environment for cross-border networking,” Hu says. “You will connect with senior decision-makers from government utilities, industrial corporations, engineering institutes, and research academies – exactly the people you need to meet to understand market dynamics and identify partnership opportunities.”
For 2026, Aquatech China has split the water purification sector from the water and wastewater treatment sector into dedicated zones across three halls covering 30,000 square metres.
“This segmentation allows visitors to navigate more efficiently and focus on the products and technologies most relevant to their business,” explains Hu.
The AquaStage will feature real-world application scenario sharing for water treatment products -including case studies from specialised fields such as municipal water, chemical industry, textile, printing, pharmaceutical, and other professional sectors. This cross-industry promotion expands the commercial value of the platform and helps visitors understand how innovative technologies can be applied across different verticals.
“Furthermore, the new AquaBubble IP introduces an innovative cross-border format that breaks away from traditional industrial exhibition models, expressing the show’s core values of innovation, connection, and inclusiveness,” states Hu. “This creative, interactive experience blends technology with art and design, making water technology accessible and inspiring to a broader audience.”
Hu summarises the value of attending Aquatech China, either as a visitor or as an exhibitor: “It is the most efficient way to stay ahead of global water technology trends, understand the world’s largest water market from the inside, build a valuable international network, and return home with actionable insights and concrete business opportunities. The three days you spend in Shanghai will pay dividends for years to come.”
The three days you spend in Shanghai will pay dividends for years to come
Aquatech China takes place from 28-30 October 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), halls E5, E6, E7. Visit https://www.aquatechtrade.com/shanghai to find out more.
