PWWA Celebrates Excellence at 2025 Awards Night Gala in Honiara

Honiara, Solomon Islands, 28 August 2025: The Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) marked a memorable evening on Thursday, 28 August 2025, with its Awards Gala Night, held as part of the 16th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo in Honiara. The event brought together utility leaders, professionals, and partners from across the region to celebrate achievements in water and sanitation, recognising innovation, resilience, and leadership in the sector.

Guiding the night’s programme as Master of Ceremonies was PWWA CEO, Pitolau Lusia Sefo-Leau. The evening opened with a warm welcome and address from the Chairperson of PWWA, Fuimaono Dominic Schwalger. In his remarks, Fuimaono extended gratitude to the Government and people of Solomon Islands for their generosity and hospitality, and gave special acknowledgment to the Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA) for their exceptional efforts in hosting the conference.

“On behalf of the PWWA Board, I want to extend heartfelt appreciation to the Government and People of Solomon Islands for your warmth and generosity in hosting us here in Honiara. A special acknowledgment goes to CEO Carmine and the outstanding team at SIWA, you have been exceptional hosts, creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and cared for.”

Fuimaono also paid tribute to long-serving outgoing Board members whose leadership and service had strengthened PWWA, before welcoming the new Board who will steer the association over the next three years. He reminded attendees that the Awards Night was more than a celebration of winners, it was a tribute to collective progress in the Pacific water sector.

“This evening is about shining a light on excellence on those who inspire us, challenge us, and lead the way. Each award we present tonight tells a story of dedication and impact, but also reflects the strength of our network and the power of our collaboration. These achievements belong not only to the awardees, but to all of us, because progress in our sector is always a collective effort”.

The Chairperson also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of sponsors, development partners, allied members, and exhibitors, noting that their expertise and investment continue to bring innovation and resilience to the Pacific water sector. He further recognised the dedication of delegates, whose time, commitment, and passion are driving progress in advancing water and wastewater services for Pacific communities.

Benchmarking Awards

This year’s Benchmarking Awards showcased utilities that continue to raise standards of service delivery in diverse and challenging contexts:

• Best Water Coverage: Polynésienne des Eaux (French Polynesia); UNELCO (Vanuatu); Public Utilities Board (Kiribati)

• Best Cost Recovery: Polynésienne des Eaux (French Polynesia); UNELCO (Vanuatu)

• Best Customer Service: Polynésienne des Eaux (French Polynesia); Palau Public Utilities Corporation (Palau); Independent Water Supply Association (Samoa)

• Best Technical Performance: Polynésienne des Eaux (French Polynesia); UNELCO (Vanuatu)

• Highest Gender Balance Utility: UNELCO (Vanuatu)

• Best Women Manager Ratio: Palau Public Utilities Corporation (Palau) and UNELCO (Vanuatu) – shared award

• Best PWWA Utility Overall: Polynésienne des Eaux (French Polynesia) and UNELCO (Vanuatu)

In addition, Promains was awarded Best Booth at the PWWC Expo, with StrongCast named Runner-up.

Professional Awards

The Awards Night also celebrated the people driving change in the sector:

• Young Water Professional of the Year: Fredrick Dionisio

• Pacific Water Professional of the Year: Mr. Paul Cobbin

In her closing words as MC of the evening, PWWA CEO Pitolau Lusia Sefo-Leau praised the strong outcomes of the week and the momentum generated by the Awards Night,

“The PWWC25 has been a tremendous success, bringing together utilities, partners, and governments in a spirit of unity and purpose. Tonight’s awards are a celebration of excellence, but also a call to action. I encourage all our member utilities to continue strengthening their participation in the benchmarking survey because the more we measure, the more we can improve, and the stronger we become as a Pacific water community.”

As part of a long-standing PWWA tradition, the ceremonial passing of the flag took place, with the Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA) handing it over to Polynésienne des Eaux, who will proudly host the 2026 Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo.