At the 2026 Global Water Summit (GWS26) in Madrid, Miya participated in discussions on non-revenue water (NRW), utility efficiency, and the evolving priorities shaping global water financing.
One of the strongest signals emerging from the event was the growing recognition that efficiency is becoming central to the financing conversation. Major international financial institutions and development partners — including the World Bank Group, IFC, CAF, Agence Française de Développement, Proparco, the European Investment Bank, and the European Commission — are increasingly emphasizing the importance of improving utility performance and reducing water losses.
For many years, financing discussions in the water sector were primarily centered around visible capital investments: expanding production capacity, building treatment plants, and developing new infrastructure. While efficiency was acknowledged as important, it was often treated as secondary within the financing logic of large utilities and international financial institutions.
During discussions throughout GWS26, one recurring question emerged: how can utilities be encouraged to prioritize efficiency and NRW reduction?
According to Miya, there are two practical areas where international financial institutions can further accelerate progress.
The first is supporting robust measurement and benchmarking programs for utilities. While these initiatives do not require major investment, they are essential for helping utilities understand their real operational baseline: where losses occur, the true economics of the system, and where the highest-impact opportunities exist. At the same time, measurement should not delay action. Utilities need visibility, but they also need the ability to move quickly.
The second is focusing less on reinventing models and more on replicating approaches that have already demonstrated results. Successful NRW and efficiency programs already exist, and the challenge today is not proving that these models work, but scaling them faster and more consistently.
Miya has seen this firsthand in markets such as the Bahamas and Jamaica, where properly structured NRW and efficiency programs have materially improved utility performance and operational resilience.
In many water systems, the first question is no longer how to build more infrastructure, but how to maximize the value of existing assets and resources.
Miya would also like to thank the Global Water Summit team for organizing another outstanding event and for fostering important discussions around the future of sustainable water management.
Noam Komy
Miya Executive Chairman
