The IWSH World Plumbing Day Essay Contest is an annual scholarship essay competition organized by the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH), a public charity of IAPMO. The contest awards $5,000 in total scholarships: a $2,000 first-place prize and three $1,000 second-place prizes. Each year, the contest poses a new essay prompt related to global water, sanitation, and hygiene challenges. The 2026 topic asks: "Why should the government and private sector come together to provide improved access to safe sanitation?" Essays should explore how government-private sector collaboration addresses water and sanitation challenges, cite successful partnerships, propose new ideas, or discuss community resilience through infrastructure improvements. The contest typically attracts over 200 entries from students worldwide. Winning essays are published in IAPMO's Official magazine, providing exposure to industry leaders.
International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH)
IWSH World Plumbing Day Essay Contest
About the Program
Eligibility
Essays must be between 800 and 1,600 words, typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font with one-inch margins on all sides. Submissions must be original work. The scholarship committee may run essays through AI detection and plagiarism scanning tools, which could result in disqualification. By submitting, entrants grant IWSH usage rights for names, photographs, quotes, and essay content for promotional purposes. Current high school seniors, full-time students (12+ credit hours) at accredited technical schools, community colleges, trade schools, or apprentice programs, and undergraduate students at four-year accredited colleges/universities.
Eligible Countries
other residency: Worldwide🌎 Open to students worldwide. Essays must be written in English.
How to Apply
Essays are submitted online through the contest entry form on the IWSH website. Winners are selected by the Sandra Imprescia Essay Scholarship Committee and announced in the fall.