C O PRIME The Most Innovative
WATER Tech Leaders to Watch in
2026
From Scarcity to Smart Supply How WaterTech Is Shaping Tomorrow
Dr. Hubert Fleming CEO TurnClear
Sustainable Water Solu ons The Role of WaterTech in a Climate-Challenged Era
Dr.
Hubert
Fleming Connecting People, Policy, And Water Security
www.cioprime.com
Engineering the Future of Water
A
ccess to safe, reliable water is among the most critical challenges of the 21st century—impacting health, food security, economic development, and resilience in the face of climate change. As pressures on water systems intensify globally, the imperative for breakthrough innovation has never been greater. In this context, the individuals featured in The Most Innovative Water Tech Leaders to Watch in 2026 represent the vanguard of leaders who are transforming how the world manages, purifies, distributes, and conserves this most essential resource. These leaders bring intersectional expertise—blending engineering, data science, sustainability strategy, and systems thinking—to address water's most complex challenges. They are pioneering technologies that optimize water treatment, enhance real-time monitoring of infrastructure, harness smart sensors and AI to predict system vulnerabilities, and leverage decentralized models that bring clean water access to underserved communities. Their innovations do not merely improve existing systems;
they reimagine the fundamental architecture of how water is sourced, managed, and safeguarded for future generations. What distinguishes these innovators is not only technical ingenuity but a commitment to impact at scale. Whether driven by social mission, environmental urgency, or economic opportunity, these leaders are building solutions that are accessible, resilient, and adaptable across regions—from arid landscapes to megacities under stress. Their work exemplifies how responsible innovation can create value not just for investors or consumers, but for ecosystems and societies at large. As climate volatility rises and water demand continues to escalate, the technologies and leadership models being developed today will determine the quality of life for millions. The leaders profiled here are not just shaping the trajectory of water technology—they are charting a sustainable and equitable future for communities around the world.
Editor’s
Note
C O PRIME Editor-In-Chief - Sara Nethan Senior Editor - Johncy Michael Executive Editor - Andrea Glasgow Visualizer - Robert Smith Art and Design - Vishal Gaikwad Vice President - Andrea Clarke Sales Manager - Vaibhav Shisode BDE - Arpita Thombare Assistant Manager - Bhagyshri Bhandwalkar Operation Manager - Teresa Mills Technical Head - June Stewart Digital Marketing - Hazel Smith
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Cover story
Dr.
Hubert
Fleming Connecting People, Policy, And Water Security
ARTICLES
18 24
From Scarcity to Smart Supply How WaterTech is Shaping Tomorrow
Sustainable Water Solutions The Role of WaterTech in a Climate-Challenged Era
COVER
Dr. Hubert Fleming CEO TurnClear
Dr.
Hubert
Fleming Connecting People, Policy, And Water Security
“
I love creating and making projects happen, to improve society, through water availability and quality.”
A resilient partner supporting projects that recycle, reuse, and secure water for the future!
S
ome people grow up with a sense that their work should mean something. For Dr. Hubert Fleming, that feeling arrived young. Childhood days in the mountains of West Virginia brought him close to rivers and the natural world, and a deep respect for the natural world. Water felt essential to dignity, health, and daily comfort. That awareness stayed with him through every decision he made later in life. He moved through life with a simple desire: To contribute to society in ways that matter. Water held that possibility. It influenced homes, cities, industry, and the environment all at once. He chose to dedicate his career to water and the environment, driven by fascination and a love of developing and executing projects that serve people. A Journey Across Science, Engineering, and Finance Hubert began his journey with environmental science. He studied how water and energy move together, how natural systems support human life, and how fragile those systems can become without care. Curiosity led him further. He realised that ideas alone could never deliver clean water. Infrastructure must be designed,
“
Infrastructure is a complex arena, and requires vision to simplify, understand the dynamics, how to navigate the complexities, and determine where the market is moving.”
built, and managed. So he developed an engineering background, gaining the tools to turn concepts into largescale solutions that increase availability and improve quality for communities and industries. With time, it became clear thatajor water projects succeed only when financial planning equals technical planning. Investors must see value. Risks must be understood. Successful projects require both. Hubert embraced finance, working with investors and investing directly in projects and companies that could deliver meaningful results. Each discipline strengthened the next. Science revealed the challenges. Engineering created pathways. Finance carried those pathways into real life. A World Reaching Critical Pressure Through decades of experience, Hubert watched global water systems reach a pivotal stage. Much of the world faces insufficient supply or insufficient wastewater treatment. Entire regions are stressed. Even large parts of the United States experience serious pressure from poor practices and limited infrastructure. Hubert believes future resilience will rely on several key themes. Smaller decentralised facilities will extend and relieve overloaded city networks. Recycling and reuse will move into everyday operations. A newer opportunity lies in recovering valuable materials from wastewater for true circular use. Another growing reality sits alongside technology: time drives decisions. Data centres, semiconductor facilities, and water-scarce municipalities, among others, require rapid solutions. For many projects, the primary concern often becomes the time to installation rather than cost. Effective work, therefore, depends on stronger cooperation among governments, financiers, and technical providers, creating holistic responses instead of isolated fixes. Choosing Projects With Meaning and Long-Term Value As a result, Hubert, and his firm Upwell Water, created TurnClear. In partnership with Nuveen, TurnClear is an entity for development and execution of financed water and wastewater systems, including design, construction, delivery, and operation. Every project that Hubert and TurnCleardevelop and support must meet several clear conditions. It must create significant value for customers and communities. It must contribute to long-term
“
The key to successful water and environmental projects is keeping focus on the objective, while minimising the distracting noise which surrounds every project.”
sustainability or support a long-term plan. And it must deliver fair financial returns for investors and shareholders. After all, the best projects succeed where social value and financial responsibility meet for a truly sustainable solution. A Milestone That Still Inspires Among the many milestones across his career, the Western Corridor project in Australia stands out. It became the largest wastewater recycling and reuse initiative in the world at the time, with an investment of $2.3 billion. It earned recognition as Global Water Project of the Year in 2009. What impressed Hubert most was teamwork. Multiple cities, industries, and government leaders worked as one. Design, funding, and construction applied innovative solutions, executing with remarkable speed. The achievement demonstrated that cooperation, urgency, and shared vision can deliver water security at scale. The Space Between Policy and Innovation Working across countries, he has seen many different approaches. Some sectors move forward under strong public policy. Others surge ahead through private innovation. The rise of data centres across the United States offers a clear example, creating huge demand for water and wastewater services while policy tries to keep up. The space between policy and market needs often produces the most interesting opportunities.Water systems spread across wide regions. Pipes stretch for miles. Facilities work day and night. Digital tools now allow smarter monitoring.
Asset management systems predict reliability, detect early warning signs, and support remote responses in real time. Technology increases productivity, reduces failures, and keeps water services dependable. It gives communities confidence that infrastructure can carry them forward with fewer disruptions. Leadership That Sees Farther Hubert believes leadership in infrastructure begins with vision. The field is complex. A leader must read the wider environment, understand market direction, and guide teams with clarity. After vision, he values authenticity, steady energy, self-awareness, and the capacity to unite people behind a shared purpose.He treats leadership as service, guided by listening and an honest appreciation for every contributor. Entrepreneurial Lessons Years of entrepreneurial work taught him something simple. Every project generates distractions. Successful delivery depends on steady focus and a strong will to move through obstacles. Creative thinking sometimes matters more than familiar methods. He supports creative thinking when challenges appear. He encourages teams to avoid a zero-risk mindset because meaningful outcomes require responsible courage and thoughtful action. Partnerships That Serve Everyone Global water projects rely on alliances. Governments, companies, and communities each hold essential roles. Hubert approaches partnerships with one principle at heart: every side must benefit.Transparency supports trust. Clear communication prevents confusion. Regular alignment keeps teams moving together. When this happens, even complex undertakings find momentum. The Future: Water at the Centre of Public Life Over the coming decade, water will stand at the centre of public conversation worldwide. Governments and industries appreciate its influence on growth, health, and social stability. Recycling and reuse will become standard. Recovery of valuable products from wastewater will expand. Desalination, both from oceans and inland sources, will Grow.
“
Water and wastewater management has never been more meaningful to society. It is absolutely critical for the continued development and sustainability of us all!”
Public and private players will collaborate more closely, recognising that industrial water needs directly affect surrounding communities. Personal Motivation that Stays Strong Two forces continue to energise him. First, the work feels more interesting than ever. Every project involves creativity and the management of real complexity. Second, water management creates deep value for society. It stands at the centre of sustainable progress and human wellbeing. Each decision, each partnership, each piece of infrastructure adds to that mission: reliable water for people, for industry, and for the environment they share. Across every chapter of his journey, Hubert has worked as a scientist, engineer, adviser, investor, and collaborator. Each step has been guided by respect for nature, commitment to communities, and an unwavering belief that thoughtful people can build systems that sustain life. Hubert continues to contribute on a world stage. Recognized over the past forty years as key developer of membrane technology for both drinking water and wastewater treatment he is now recognized as a global thought leader for where water management is heading.
Hubert is recognized by governments, and remains a senior advisor to organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, U.S. and several governments and their sovereign wealth funds, as well as major financial and investment organizations, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley, to name a few. He also contributes professionally, as a Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, board of directors of the International Desalination and Reuse Association, and many more organizations. His career shows how steady purpose, disciplined leadership, and thoughtful collaboration can carry water projects from vision to operation. And as the world turns its eyes toward water with new urgency, Hubert continues to stand at that intersection of technology, finance, and environmental responsibility, working with patience, creativity, and resolve for a future where every community trusts the flow that sustains daily life.
From Scarcity to Smart Supply
How
WaterTech is Shaping W
Tomorrow
ater scarcity now exists as a worldwide strategic problem which had previously existed as a local issue. The combination of increasing urban populations and climate change and deteriorating water systems and growing industrial water usage creates extreme stress on freshwater resources. The existing water management systems developed for predictable water availability now fail to meet existing needs. WaterTech functions as a disruptive entity which changes the discussion about water scarcity by implementing advanced technologies for sustainable water management. The Growing Complexity of Water Scarcity Water scarcity today is not solely about lack of rainfall or natural supply. The problem now arises from water wastage which occurs through inefficient systems and leaks and contamination and poorly scheduled water usage. Many regions lose a significant share of treated water through outdated distribution systems. Climate change now causes more severe droughts and floods while disrupting normal seasonal patterns which makes it difficult to forecast water supply. The solution requires infrastructure development together with intelligent systems which can monitor and evaluate and adapt to changing situations throughout the day. WaterTech addresses this gap by integrating digital intelligence into the entire water value chain. From Reactive Management to Predictive Control Water utilities and authorities have historically used reactive operations to handle water shortages and service failures and quality problems. WaterTech enables a shift toward predictive control. Advanced sensors and connected meters together with real-time monitoring platforms enable continuous monitoring of water flow and pressure and water quality parameters. Predictive analytics identify leaks before they escalate and forecast demand fluctuations and anticipate system stress. The organization uses this proactive strategy to decrease waste and minimize operational expenses while increasing service dependability.
Smart Infrastructure and Digital Networks WaterTech creates intelligent networks through their transformation of physical infrastructure. The digital monitoring systems which are present in pipes and pumps and reservoirs and treatment facilities have become standard equipment. The systems produce data which supports operational and planning decision-making processes. Utilities use smart infrastructure to improve their pressure control systems and increase their asset lifespan and decide which maintenance tasks to perform first. The operators are provided with continuous access to system performance data which eliminates the need for scheduled inspections or manual reporting. The intelligence system provides essential support for upgrading outdated water infrastructure systems without the need for excessive financial investment. AI and Data-Driven Water Management Artificial intelligence serves as a fundamental technology that powers smart water systems. The machine learning models process extensive datasets for three purposes which include identifying anomalies and optimizing treatment operations and managing supply and demand. The AIpowered systems can modify their operational patterns in response to current environmental conditions more efficiently than human operators who need time to perform their tasks. The artificial intelligence system manages water treatment processes by enhancing chemical dosing precision and increasing energy efficiency and maintaining consistent water quality. The system enables water distribution networks to manage pressure changes dynamically while predicting future water needs. The system enables water management to transition from traditional rule-based methods to intelligent adaptive systems. Desalination and Alternative Water Sources WaterTech is broadening its collection of water sources that can be utilized. The development of desalination technology has decreased its energy requirements and environmental effects, which increases its feasibility for regions that experience water shortages. Researchers are developing advanced water reuse and recycling systems through their work on new filtration methods and membrane technologies and digital monitoring systems. The new technologies create circular water systems which transform wastewater into valuable resources instead of
treating it as waste. The smart control systems operate to protect safety requirements while maintaining public trust in alternative water sources through their regulatory compliance functions. Empowering Consumers Through Transparency Smart water systems are not limited to utilities and industries. Digital platforms give consumers better control over their water consumption according to their water usage information. Smart meters and user dashboards enable households and businesses to track consumption, detect leaks, and adjust behavior. People conserve resources because they know about their usage patterns. Users who understand their water consumption patterns become active partners in sustainability efforts instead of being passive supply users. Governance, Equity, and Long-Term Impact WaterTech's transformation of water systems requires the company to prioritize governance together with equity considerations. Digital tools assist organizations in achieving optimal planning through their capabilities of transparent reporting and evidence-based policy formulation. The system identifies areas with insufficient service delivery together with locations of water leaks and operational problems that result in higher negative impacts on underserved community members. Smart water management enables more equitable resource distribution while helping to achieve sustainability objectives across different regions and national territories. Conclusion Water scarcity has evolved into a challenge which needs more than extraction as its solution. The solution requires three essential elements: intelligent systems and adaptable systems and complete system understanding. WaterTech has developed a new approach which changes the process of obtaining water resources and managing those resources and distributing them and determining their worth. The system transforms traditional water supply systems into adaptive water delivery systems which enable future water delivery systems to operate with increased efficiency and durability and sustainable practices. WaterTech provides a complete transformation of water systems through its development of smart water supply systems which protect the essential requirements for human existence.
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Sustainable Water Solu ons
The Role of
WaterTech in a
Climate -Challenged Era W
ater scarcity has evolved from an environmental concern into a defining economic and social challenge of our time. Global water systems face their greatest challenges yet because of rapid urban growth and climate changes and industrial expansion and the deterioration of existing infrastructure. The conventional methods which depend on water extraction and distribution have become ineffective because water resources now experience unpredictable availability. WaterTech establishes new water management methods which enable supply networks to transform from resource-based systems into intelligent resilient and sustainable networks. Understanding the New Nature of Water Scarcity Water scarcity in today's world emerges from more than just limited natural resources. The situation occurs because of various factors which include inefficient operations, water leakages, environmental contamination, and mismatched water requirements. The combination of aging water distribution systems and climate change leads to increased water losses yet the system experiences greater droughts and floods and seasonal changes. The current problems require organizations to adopt proactive water management systems which track and evaluate changes through automatic monitoring and control mechanisms. WaterTech solves this problem by establishing intelligent systems that monitor and control water operations from the moment water is extracted until it reaches its final user. The Shift From Reactive to Predictive Water Management Water systems throughout history have been operated through reactionary management which addresses system failures and
water shortages and water quality problems only after they happen. WaterTech enables a predictive approach. The operators receive ongoing access to water flow and pressure and quality data through sensors and smart meters and realtime monitoring platforms. Predictive analytics identify leaks early which enables demand pattern forecasting and system stress detection. The proactive system protects against water loss and reduces operational expenses while enhancing system dependability for both communities and industrial facilities.
their capacity to function effectively exceeds previous levels of achievement.
Smart Infrastructure as the Foundation of Change
Smart water systems extend their reach from utility services to residential areas and commercial spaces and industrial facilities. Digital dashboards together with smart meters enable consumers to monitor their water consumption in real time. The system's transparency creates conditions that help conserve resources while allowing for early leak detection and users to develop better consumption habits. WaterTech enables customers to track their water consumption which transforms them from passive supply receivers into active participants in environmental conservation.
WaterTech is changing physical infrastructure into systems which operate as data-connected networks. Digital monitoring and control systems now operate in all facilities which include pipelines and pumping stations and reservoirs and treatment plants. Smart infrastructure enable utilities to enhance pressure management while extending their asset lifespan and performing maintenance according to actual system performance data instead of using hypothetical models. Organizations can achieve maximum efficiency from their current resources by using intelligence and precise methods instead of building expensive new facilities. The approach becomes essential for areas which need to maintain their older systems because they have limited financial resources. The Role of AI and Advanced Analytics Artificial intelligence is becoming a major force that drives the development of intelligent water management systems. AI models use large datasets to identify anomalies and enhance treatment methods and maintain equilibrium between supply and changing demand. The treatment facilities use artificial intelligence to boost energy efficiency while maintaining stable water quality. The system provides distribution networks with tools for adaptive pressure management and demand prediction. The system's features allow water systems to transition from static operations into dynamic systems which learn and adjust their procedures according to actual environmental changes. Expanding Supply Through Innovation WaterTech has developed new standards for determining which water sources can be used. Desalination technology has achieved energy consumption and environmental impact reductions which now make it a suitable solution for areas that face water shortages. The development of water reuse and recycling technologies has reached a point where
The combination of digital monitoring systems and advanced filtration technology establishes secure water sources which meet regulations and build public trust. These innovations support circular water models, where wastewater is treated as a resource rather than a byproduct. Engaging Consumers in Water Stewardship
Looking Ahead WaterTech functions as an adaptive system that combines digital tools with infrastructural improvements and analytical capabilities. The system requires successful implementation through the combined efforts of policy experts, financial specialists, technology professionals, and trained personnel. The system can achieve its maximum effectiveness only when governmental bodies, utility companies, technology developers, and local communities work together. The present water crisis requires organizations to shift from managing water shortages toward establishing advanced water distribution systems. The organization must implement this change because it has become a critical business requirement. Conclusion The future of water resources depends on better management methods instead of increasing water extraction rates. WaterTech is developing intelligent systems to transform all aspects of water management which include its acquisition, treatment, distribution, and economic assessment. WaterTech creates a future with stronger and more efficient and sustainable water systems through its transition from water scarcity management to smart supply solutions which protect this vital resource for future generations.
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