Egis has been awarded Collaborative Water Initiative of the Year at the Asian Water Awards 2026 for helping cities across Southeast Asia develop more climate-resilient water, sanitation and urban infrastructure through the Southeast Asia Urban Services Improvement Programme (SURF), delivered in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Organised by Charlton Media Group, publisher of Asian Power, the awards recognise outstanding projects and innovation in the region's water sector and are judged by an independent panel of industry experts.
SURF is a regional framework programme helping cities across the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar plan climate-resilient water supply, sanitation, drainage, waste management and urban environmental infrastructure. Rather than delivering individual projects in isolation, SURF established a regional platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building and innovation, enabling governments and development partners to address shared urban and climate challenges more effectively and at greater scale.
Through SURF, Egis helped prepare an estimated €1 billion pipeline of climate-resilient urban infrastructure investment, supporting governments to move projects more rapidly from planning to delivery.
Working from ADB's headquarters in Manila, a multidisciplinary Egis team supported the full project preparation cycle, from sector assessments and master planning through to feasibility studies, detailed design and tender documentation. The programme also advanced the use of digital tools, including the Spatial Data Analysis Explorer (SPADE), a cloud-based geospatial platform that supports climate risk analysis and evidence-based decision-making.
As Southeast Asia faces increasing urbanisation, climate risks and growing pressure on essential services, programmes such as SURF are helping cities build the infrastructure and institutional capability needed to deliver sustainable growth.
Programme highlights include:
- Planning and project preparation across 13 cities
- Strengthened government capacity in project administration and urban service delivery
- Regional knowledge sharing that enables cities to replicate proven approaches and best practices
Romain Rasse, Director of Egis Production Centre Philippines (EPCP), Water and Environment, said, "This recognition demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when development partners, governments and engineering experts work within a shared framework. SURF demonstrated how a regional approach can accelerate cross-country, multidisciplinary project preparation, strengthen institutional capacity, and support the delivery of resilient urban infrastructure for communities across Southeast Asia."
The award reflects Egis' ability to combine technical expertise with strategic planning, digital innovation and institutional capacity building to help governments deliver sustainable water and urban infrastructure solutions. Through SURF, Egis supported cities in planning and prioritising investments that improve resilience, service delivery and long-term liveability.
The success of SURF has also contributed to the growth of Egis' regional water capability, including the launch of the Egis Production Centre Philippines (EPCP) in 2026. Based in Manila, the centre supports the delivery of water, environmental and climate-resilience projects across Asia Pacific.
More about the Southeast Asia Urban Services Improvement Program (SURF) | Egis
