Stockholm Water Prize - Past Winners and Official Motivation

Past Winners and Official Motivation

2012:International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka “The International Water Management Institute is the foremost organisation in agricultural water management. Their work has led to new policies and investments in agriculture that have not only enabled more productive use of water, but have enhanced food security, economic development and environmental health around the world.”

2011:Stephen R. Carpenter, United States "Professor Carpenter has shown outstanding leadership in setting the ecological research agenda, integrating it into a socio-ecological context, and in providing guidance for the management of aquatic resources".

2010: Professor Rita R. Colwell, United States "Dr Rita Colwell’s numerous contributions towards solving the world’s water and water-related public health problems, particularly her work to prevent the spread of cholera, is of utmost global importance. Through her research on its physiology, ecology, and metabolism, Dr Colwell advanced the fields of mathematics, genetics and remote sensing technology and not only as they relate to these bacteria but to the prevention other diseases in many developing countries."

2009: Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International

For his wide ranging work in the sanitation field to improve public health, advance social progress, and improve human rights in India and other countries. His accomplishments span the fields of sanitation technology, social enterprise, and healthcare education for millions of people in his native country, serving as a model for NGO agencies and public health initiatives around the world.

2008: Professor John Anthony Allan, King’s College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies

For pioneering the development of key concepts in the understanding and communication of water issues and how they are linked to agriculture, climate change, economics and politics, including the virtual water concept, which measures how water is embedded in the production and trade of food and consumer products.

2007: Professor Perry L. McCarty, Stanford University, United States

For pioneering work in developing the scientific approach for the design and operation of water and wastewater systems. He has established the role of fundamental microbiology and chemistry in the design of bioreactors. Professor McCarty has defined the field of environmental biotechnology that is the basis for small-scale and large-scale pollution control and safe drinking water systems.

2006: Professor Asit K. Biswas, The Third World Center for Water Management

For his outstanding and multi-faceted contributions to global water resource issues, including research, education and awareness, water management, human and international relations in both developed and developing countries.

2005: Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) under the directorship of Ms. Sunita Narain, New Delhi, India

For a successful recovery of old and generation of new knowledge on water management, a community-based sustainable integrated resource management under gender equity, a courageous stand against undemocratic, top-down bureaucratic resource control, an efficient use of a free press, and an independent judiciary to meet these goals.

2004: Professor Sven Erik Jørgensen, Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark and Professor William J. Mitsch, Olentangy River Wetland Research Park at The Ohio State University, United States

For their pioneering development and global dissemination of ecological models of lakes and wetlands, widely applied as effective tools in sustainable water resource management.

2003: Professor Peter A. Wilderer, Technical University of Munich, Germany

For the development and demonstration of integrative approaches to water and wastewater management across the spectrum of fundamental research, applied research, technology implementation and sustainable water management.

2002: Professor Ignacio Rodríguez-Iturbe, Princeton University, United States

For lasting contributions to surface hydrology, where he has been in the forefront of the scientific evolution that placed hydrology in the fellowship of Earth Sciences.

2001: Professor Takashi Asano, University of California at Davis, United States

For his outstanding contributions to efficient use of water in the domain of wastewater reclamation, recycling and reuse through theoretical developments, practical research and worldwide adaptation and promotion.

2000: Professor Kader Asmal, Ministry of Education, South Africa

For unprecedented efforts in the development of vision, legislation and practice in the field of water management in South Africa.

1999: Professor Werner Stumm, Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland and James J. Morgan, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, United States

For outstanding contributions to aquatic chemistry of great importance for understanding chemical reactions in the water environment which contributed to the development of techniques for treatment of wastewater and drinking water.

1998: Professor Gedeon Dagan, Tel Aviv University, Israel

For having established the basis of a new field within geohydrology where contaminant spreading in the subsurface environment is determined in such a way that it accounts for heterogeneity and for biochemical processes.

1997: Professor Peter S. Eagleson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States

For his achievements in developing models for dynamic hydrology and eco-hydrology.

1996: Professor Jörg Imberger, University of Western Australia

For his contributions to the understanding of mixing and transport in lakes, estuaries and coastal seas and their influence on water quality.

1995: Water Aid, under the leadership of Jon Lane, Great Britain

For bringing water and sanitation facilities to over three million people in the world’s poorest countries.

1994: Dr. Takeshi Kubo, Research Institute of Wastewater Management, Japan

For his bridge-building work between nations in Asia and Europe.

1993: Dr. Madhav Atmaram Chitale, International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, India

For his achievements in the fields of water conservation and public education programs in Southeast Asia.

1992: Department of Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark, under the leadership of Professor Poul Harremoës'

For research within water purification, contaminated groundwater and tools and techniques to protect it.

1991: Professor David W. Schindler, University of Alberta, Canada

For research into excess nutrification and acidification of freshwater lakes.