IWA Leading Edge Conference 2027 in Ghent Calls for Papers on Water and Wastewater Technology, With a 20 October Deadline

The IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies will bring the global water community to Ghent, Belgium, from 24 to 28 May 2027. The conference, known as LET 2027, is run by the International Water Association (IWA) and takes place under the theme “Sparking the Water Future with Technology.” The call for content is open, and outline papers are due by 20 October 2026.

Who the conference is for

LET 2027 is designed as a platform for researchers, utilities, technology providers, consultants and innovators. Participants will share research, technologies and practical solutions advancing the future of water and wastewater management. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. They give organisations a chance to reach a specialist international audience, raise their visibility and support one of IWA’s leading technology-focused events.

Key dates

• 20 October 2026: deadline for outline paper submission (maximum two A4 pages)
• 15 January 2027: notification of acceptance for authors
• 12 February 2027: advanced technical programme announced
• 2 March 2027: workshop proposal deadline
• 24–28 May 2027: conference in Ghent, Belgium

Conference themes

The programme is organised into joint, drinking water and wastewater tracks.

Joint drinking water and wastewater themes

• Digitalisation for process automation. Real-time data, automation and AI can improve treatment performance, energy use and efficiency. The session will cover advances in sensor technology and how they are applied in real systems.
• Ceramic membranes: efficiency and hybridisation. Ceramic membranes are growing in drinking water, water reuse and desalination. Their operating conditions vary widely, and the pros and cons of operation and hybridisation are poorly understood.

Drinking water themes

• Augmenting drinking water by potable reuse. The session explores cost- and resource-efficient, practically operable treatment approaches. It notes that recent developments favour non-membrane hybrid solutions for inland communities, compared with high-pressure membranes in coastal settings.
• Nature-based technologies. Advances in biotechnology, genomics and in-situ sensors, together with pressure to cut energy use and carbon footprint, are driving new developments. Topics include trace organic chemicals, pathogens, greywater reuse and reverse osmosis brine management.

Wastewater themes

• Advanced treatment in wastewater treatment plants. Micropollutant removal is moving from specialist use to a major implementation challenge. The recast EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is speeding adoption in Europe, and similar rules are being implemented elsewhere. The focus is on implementation and high-impact case studies.
• Greenhouse gas emissions in wastewater treatment plants. N₂O, CH₄ and direct CO₂ emissions are dynamic and site-specific. The session looks beyond measurement campaigns towards predictive emissions, mitigation and abatement, including low-N₂O nitrogen removal, dissolved methane capture and full-scale verification of reductions.
• Resource recovery. Utilities face nutrient security, fertiliser price volatility, water scarcity and energy neutrality. The challenge is now implementing recovery at scale, covering nutrients, cellulose, biopolymers, volatile fatty acids, water, heat, biogas upgrading and syngas production.
• Advanced solids management. Sludge management faces pressure from PFAS, microplastics, antibiotic-resistance genes, land-application restrictions, energy costs and public acceptance. Topics include advanced digestion, drying, pyrolysis, gasification, hydrothermal processes and contaminant destruction.

How to submit

Everyone who wants to give an oral or poster presentation must first submit an outline paper. It is the only route to a presentation at LET 2027.

• Length: a maximum of two A4 pages of text, plus two A4 pages of figures, tables and references.
• Required information: a clear title, all authors’ names and affiliations, full contact details for the corresponding author, the type of presentation (oral or poster), the chosen theme, and a short abstract of no more than 10 lines.
• Content: enough information for a sound review, including an introduction, concise methods and results, and conclusions.
• Template: a paper template is available on the conference website.

To submit, log in on the conference site, register as a new user if needed, then go to “Submissions” and choose “Add New.” Authors can edit their profile and abstract until the final submission, as long as the deadline has not passed. If the confirmation email does not arrive, check the spam folder.

What reviewers look for

Submissions must report work that is novel, original, sound and well described, and of interest to participants. They must contain original data and meet international ethical standards. Selection criteria include high technical quality, relevance to the conference themes and significant informative content. Outline papers judged commercial in nature will not be accepted.

Why it matters

Several of the themes reflect pressures that utilities face now: stricter micropollutant rules in Europe, uncertain carbon pricing, and growing concern about PFAS and microplastics in sludge. By asking for pilot, demonstration and full-scale evidence, the organisers are signalling a preference for technologies that have moved beyond the laboratory.

Conclusion

LET 2027 offers researchers and practitioners a chance to present work to a specialist international audience in Ghent. With the outline paper deadline on 20 October 2026, authors have only a few days left. Those planning a workshop have until 2 March 2027. Organisations considering sponsorship should contact IWA through the conference website.

Source: International Water Association (IWA), LET 2027 call for content and conference information.