The winners of the 2026 Mülheim Water Award have been announced

Project team from Germany wins at the anniversary edition of the Mülheim Water Award

The Mülheim Water Award was presented for the tenth time on 16 September 2026. This year’s award went to a three-person project team from Berlin and Brandenburg, which has developed a new method for detecting pollutants in water.

The prize was presented by Marc Buchholz, Lord Mayor of Mülheim, in his capacity as patron of the award, together with representatives of the sponsors, Rheinisch-Westfälische Wasserwerksgesellschaft mbH and GERSTEL GmbH & Co. KG, with the support of Velaris. The ceremony took place as part of the 7th Mülheim Water Analysis Seminar at the Stadthalle Mülheim.

The project is entitled

GCI Passive Pipe Collector

This award-winning project makes it possible to detect pollutants in water far more reliably than before. The new measurement method can detect even very low or fluctuating levels of contamination and is suitable for use in drinking water, groundwater and sewage treatment plants. This provides water suppliers and authorities with a better basis for identifying risks at an early stage and protecting water resources in a sustainable manner.

The project was submitted by Jörg-Helge Hein of GCI GmbH in Königs Wusterhausen, together with Dr Frederik Zietzschmann and Tobias Hensel from Berliner Wasserbetriebe.

Congratulations to the winning team!