NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, NOV 14
A city that has experienced the devastating fury of floods and the painful reality of water scarcity has a compelling reason to rethink how it manages every drop. Chennai will bring this urgent challenge into sharp focus when India’s leading water, plumbing and sanitation professionals converge for a three-day national conference, placing sustainable infrastructure, efficient operations and effective maintenance at the heart of the deliberations.
- 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference 2026 to bring together over 50 experts and key stakeholders from across India.
- 100-plus exhibitors to showcase cutting-edge technologies and sustainable solutions across a 50,000-sq.-ft. exhibition space.
- IPA to release ‘A Guide to Good Plumbing Practices’ (AGGPP) in Tamil, widening access to professional knowledge and best practices.
- MoU with IIT Madras to strengthen industry-academia collaboration in research, innovation and capacity building.
- Three panel discussions and two technical sessions to address water security, wastewater reuse, infrastructure maintenance and smart monitoring.
The Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) will organise the 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference (IPC 2026) from December 17 to 19, 2026, at the Chennai Trade Centre, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, engineers and stakeholders from across India’s construction and infrastructure sectors.
Returning to Chennai after a gap of nine years, the conference will deliberate on the theme “Water, Plumbing & Sanitation: Operations & Maintenance (Challenges & Solutions)”. It will seek to bridge the gap between technological possibilities and their effective implementation, with particular emphasis on building resilient, efficient and sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure.
100-plus exhibitors to showcase next-generation solutions
A concurrent exhibition featuring more than 100 exhibitors will showcase innovative products, advanced technologies and solutions spanning the water, plumbing and sanitation sectors. Spread across 50,000 sq. ft., the exhibition will provide an expansive platform for industry professionals to explore emerging technologies, establish business connections and identify opportunities for collaboration.
More than 50 experts from different industry verticals are expected to participate, making IPC 2026 a significant meeting point for knowledge exchange, technological advancement and business networking.
Entry to the three-day exhibition will be free of charge, while delegates can register online at www.indianplumbingconference.
Floods, water scarcity and the imperative of responsible management
The technical deliberations on December 17 and 18 will feature three panel discussions and two technical sessions, led by renowned experts, senior policymakers and industry leaders.
Key areas of discussion will include operations and maintenance of water, wastewater and plumbing systems in hotels and healthcare establishments, besides best practices in the design and installation of plumbing systems at airports, metro rail stations and factories.
The sessions will also examine pressing challenges concerning water efficiency, wastewater treatment and reuse, preventive and predictive maintenance, system reliability and the integration of smart monitoring technologies.
Emphasising the need to translate knowledge into measurable action, Gurmit Singh Arora, National President of the Indian Plumbing Association, said:
“Chennai has witnessed both extremes – devastating floods and severe water scarcity. How can a city be overwhelmed by water one year and struggle for every drop the next?
This is not merely a water crisis; it is a wake-up call to rethink how we design, manage and maintain our water infrastructure. The solutions exist. The technology exists. What we need now is collective commitment and decisive action.
At the Indian Plumbing Association, we call upon policymakers, industry leaders, engineers and citizens to move beyond discussions and turn solutions into action. The future of water security will not be decided by how much water we receive, but by how responsibly we manage every drop.”
IPA-IIT Madras partnership to strengthen innovation
A significant highlight of the conference will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Madras. The proposed collaboration aims to strengthen industry-academia partnerships through joint research, knowledge exchange, technical innovation and capacity building in the plumbing, water and sanitation sectors.
The IPA will also unveil a new code titled “Water & Sanitation in the Built Environment: Concepts, Systems & Services Planning”, intended to provide valuable guidance to professionals and stakeholders involved in the planning and development of the built environment.
In a significant regional-language outreach initiative, the association’s widely recognised publication, “A Guide to Good Plumbing Practices” (AGGPP), will be released in Tamil. The initiative is expected to make essential plumbing knowledge and professional best practices more accessible to Tamil-speaking stakeholders, practitioners and industry professionals.
Chennai Chapter welcomes delegates and industry professionals
Dr. S. Virapan, Chairman, IPA Chennai Chapter, said:
“The 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference will provide a valuable platform for industry professionals to exchange technical knowledge, explore innovative solutions and strengthen business collaborations. It will bring together key stakeholders from across the water, plumbing and sanitation sectors to deliberate on critical industry challenges. I am delighted to welcome delegates and visitors to Chennai for the 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference.”
Indian Plumbing Professional League reaches 16 chapters
In another major initiative to promote professional excellence and skill development, the IPA has conducted the Indian Plumbing Professional League 2026 (IPPL) across its 16 chapters pan-India this year.
The 10th edition of IPPL was conducted in association with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), attracting participation from more than 600 building-industry professionals. Participants will receive NSDC-IPA co-branded certificates, recognising their professional skills and participation.
The winners from each chapter will compete in the grand finale on December 19, coinciding with the 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference. Awards worth a total of ₹6 lakh will be presented to the winners.
With its combination of technical deliberations, industry exhibition, institutional partnerships, professional skill recognition and regional-language knowledge dissemination, IPC 2026 is poised to reinforce the importance of effective plumbing and sanitation systems in India’s pursuit of sustainable urban development.