The Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water is an international award focusing on water-related scientific innovation and judged by leading scientists from around the world. Five prizes are bestowed every two years: 

• the Creativity Prize, and 

• four Specialized Prizes.

Creativity Prize

The Creativity Prize is open to pioneering and innovative interdisciplinary team-based research in any water-related field. The work should provide an original solution which is useful to society and contribute to development and social upliftment, while being practical, environmentally friendly , and cost-effective.

Worth US$ 266,000, the Creativity Prize is awarded exclusively to research teams for cutting-edge interdisciplinary scientific work that can rightly be considered a breakthrough in any water-related field. The work might be a body of research, an invention, or a new patented technology. It is by nomination only. Universities, university departments, research institutes, companies, and agencies can nominate interdisciplinary teams for this Prize.

Specialized Prizes

Each of the four Specialized Prizes is dedicated to the wide range of research topics that fall within its scope. In past awards, specific topics were chosen for each prize. Nominations are open to all innovative and current research that is relevant to one of the four prizes, which together cover the entire water research landscape.

Each of the four specialized prizes is worth US$ 133,000. Individual researchers and research teams nominate themselves for these prizes:

Surface Water Prize

The Surface Water Prize coves every aspect of the study and development of surface water resources.

• Water Harvesting

• Rain & Runoff Water Modeling

• Effects of Global Warming on Precipitation

• Flood Mitigation & Control

• Evaporation & Transpiration

• Sedimentation Control in Surface Water Systems

• And all other topics related to surface water

Groundwater Prize

The Groundwater Prize awards work related to all aspects of the study and development of groundwater resources.

• Groundwater Recharge

• Groundwater Exploration & Assessment

• Groundwater Contamination

• Aquifer CharacteristicsPumping Tests

• Pumping Tests

• And all other topics related to groundwater

Alternative Water Resources Prize

The Alternative Water Resources Prize covers desalination, waste water treatment, and other non-traditional sources of water.

• Desalination

• Wastewater Treatment

• Water Reclamation, Purification & Recycling

• Innovative Water Production Methods

• Cloud Seeding

• Fog & Dew

• And all other topics related to alternative water resources

Water Management & Protection Prize

The Water Management & Protection Prize addresses the use, management, and protection of water resources.

• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

• Water Conservation

• Water Demand Management

• Water Pollution Control

• Sustainability of Water Resources

• Irrigation Water Management & Conservation

• And all other topics related to the management and protection of water resources

PSIPW welcomes nominations for all of its prizes that employ GIS, remote sensing, and other current technologies to provide innovative solutions to water-related problems.

Keydates

• 27 January 2022: Call for nominations to the Prize and opening of the online application form for the 11th award.

• 31 December 2023: Deadline for receiving nominations.

• January-August 2024: The evaluation process.

• October 2024: The Prize Council announces the winners of the 11th Award and calls for nominations to the 12th award.

• November 2024: The awards ceremony for the 12th Award.

General conditions

For the general conditions please click here

Evaluation

For the evaluation process please click here