The Water Equipment Show 2026 may have drawn to a close, but the energy, ideas, and connections sparked continue to ripple across the UK water sector. We were thrilled to see a record-breaking number of people attend WES2026 and see the high-level discussions taking place that will undoubtedly drive our industry forward.
We’re taking a look back on an industry-defining day and everyone who made it our most successful event to date.
Breaking Records Across Three Halls
WES2026 built upon the continued successes of the previous years to deliver a truly monumental event for the Pump Centre. For the first time, the show expanded across all three halls at the Telford International Centre, featuring over 200 exhibitors, and five rooms where 45 industry-leading professionals took part in the technical conference.
Welcoming over 2500 attendees, our highest number of industry professionals on record, WES 2026 officially solidifies its place as the definitive collaborative hub for the UK water and wastewater industry.
Delivering a Sustainable Future
This year’s theme, Delivering a Sustainable Future Through Innovation, Partnership and Standardisation, kept the sector’s most pressing priorities at the very top of the agenda. Across five specially themed rooms, experts tackled the critical challenges facing our industry today.
The main technical conference featured dynamic panel discussions hosted by senior water industry officials and decision-makers. They provided essential insights into how water companies and suppliers can collaborate to discover new methodologies, deploy cutting-edge technologies, and unify approaches to water and wastewater management which can drive standardisation throughout the sector.
Innovation in Action: Industry Breakthroughs & Live Demos
A core mission of WES is bridging the gap between manufacturer innovation and the engineers on the ground. WES 2026 facilitated an unprecedented level of information sharing, putting new tools directly into the hands of end-user companies.
Our new Live Demo Area showcased some of the latest innovations from Pump Centre member companies. Attendees got a front-row seat to practical demonstrations of new technologies that have the capacity to revolutionise water and wastewater management, from energy metering solutions to online monitoring systems for spot sampling.
Driving Collaboration: The Water Company Pavillion
A new addition for 2026, the Water Company Pavilion gave major water utilities an exclusive platform to highlight their positive impact and engage directly with every tier of the supply chain.
Featuring prominent contributions from Severn Trent, United Utilities, Wessex Water, and Yorkshire Water, the Water Company Pavilion proved to be an instant hit. It served as a strong, real-world example of the cross-sector collaboration required to drive progress and tackle the challenges of AMP8 and beyond.
Nurturing Talent at the Careers and Learning Zone
The Pump Centre and WES have a long, proud history of supporting professional development, and the introduction of the Careers & Learning Zone took that commitment one step further. By connecting student engineers with IMechE, IChemE, and IET, the zone became a bustling hub for personal progression
Led by Jacob Brewer, the Pump Centre Council’s Early Career Representative, his insightful panel, Navigating Careers in the Water Industry, brought together professionals from various career stages. They delved into the diverse, evolving pathways available in the modern water sector, proving that as our industry diversifies, WES will be right there to support the next generation of talent.
Anglian Water Triumphs in the Pump Operations Challenge!
Back by popular demand after its stellar 2025 debut, the Pump Operations Challenge returned to WES2026, sponsored once again by Vogelsang.
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This friendly competition pits engineering teams against each other in a test of technical skill, speed, and composure under pressure. To facilitate the challenge, Vogelsang supplied a VX 136-105 Q pump to put teams to the test.
Teams from across the water industry demonstrated their engineering expertise, battling it out to be crowned the champions of the Pump Operations Challenge. Participants were judged against four criteria: Health and Safety, Time, Operation, and Return to Service.
After an intense day of competing, Anglian Water excelled across the board, earning the highest score to proudly lift the Pump Operations Challenge trophy!
The Pump Centre and the Water Equipment Show would like to say a huge thank you to Vogelsang for their continued support of this crowd-favorite event, and a huge congratulations to Anglian Water on a well-deserved victory!
Secure Your Place for WES2027
WES 2026 is in the books, but the countdown to next year has already begun. We are thrilled to announce that we will be returning to the Telford International Centre on 13th May 13th 2027!
Applications to sponsor and exhibit at WES2027 are officially open. Because of the unprecedented success of this year's show, spaces are already extremely limited. Contact the Pump Centre today to secure your stand, position your brand at the forefront of the industry, and help us shape the future of the water sector.