IWSH Essay Scholarship Contest

2026 Topic “Why should the government and private sector come together to provide improved access to safe sanitation?”

You are:

• a current high school senior or
• a full-time (12 credit hours) student in an accredited technical school, community college, trade school, apprentice program, or
• an undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university. International students are welcome to enter.

You care:

• that people have access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation.

You want to make a difference.

The Need

While governments create policies and infrastructure, private companies bring innovative technologies and resources that can help solve these challenges.

Your essay should explore how these partnerships can make real change happen.

Consider writing about:

• How government-private sector teamwork can overcome challenges such as limited funding or outdated infrastructure.
• Real examples of successful partnerships that have improved community access to water and sanitation.
• New ideas for how governments and companies can work together to ensure everyone has access to these basic human rights.
• Ways these partnerships can create stronger, more resilient communities through improved water infrastructure.

Remember that professionally installed plumbing systems are critical for preventing waterborne illnesses and protecting public health. Your essay can help show how collaboration between government and private industry could help deliver these essential services to more people.

ESSAY TOPIC

Why should the government and private sector come together to provide improved access to safe sanitation services?

PURPOSE

To acquaint the uninitiated with the crucial importance the plumbing industry plays in our everyday lives. To introduce students to the global impact of IWSH projects.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Students must provide a copy of their current full-time schedule, school transcripts, or acceptance letter with their submission.

Must be a current high school senior; or enrolled or accepted as a full-time (12 credit hours) student in an accredited technical school, community college, trade school, apprentice program, or an undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university.

International students are eligible. Please submit proper school documentation with the essay.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY VIA OUR WEBSITE: https://iwsh.org/iwsh-world-plumbing-day-essay-contest.

ANY SUBMISSION THAT IS MISSING SOME OR ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

ESSAY RULES AND REQUIREMENTS:

1. The deadline for essay submissions is 11:59 pm (PT) on April 30, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.

2. Each submission must include a completed Personal Information Form.

3. Essays must be written on the topic noted above and must be an original essay. Please be advised that the scholarship committee may run the essay through an AI detector and/or run a plagiarism scan, which could cause your essay to be disqualified.

4. One essay per student.

5. Essays should be no fewer than 800 words and no more than 1,600 words. The essay cover page, added footnotes, references, or citation page does not contribute to the word count.

6. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Arial or Times New Roman with a one-inch margin on all sides of the page. Standards of content and style from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 8th ed. (https://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/), will be expected for:

a. Documentation of sources in the text of your essay;

b. The format of the list of works cited;

c. Margins and indentation; and,

d. Bibliography. Each essay must include a minimum of three sources cited.

7. Essays MUST be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. Essays submitted in any other format will not be considered.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Students must provide a copy of their current full-time schedule, school transcripts, or acceptance letter with their submission.

2. Submit a current picture. (Publication purposes only – for winners of the scholarship contest.)

3. Completed Personal Information Form

4. Letter of support from the student’s teacher, counselor, or some other school representative on official school letterhead or via email from a school email address.

Essays must be submitted via the IWSH website (https://iwsh.org/iwsh-world-plumbing-day-essaycontest).

All submissions become the property of IWSH. The winners’ essays will be posted on the IWSH website (https://iwsh.org/) and published in the Official Magazine (https://eofficial.org/).

PRIZES

The Sandra Imprescia Essay Scholarship Committee will review essays to determine the top three. IWSH’s Board of Directors will select and announce essay contest winners by the Fall of 2026. Prizes will be awarded as follows:

First Place one (1) winner

• $2,000
• Publication of the essay in the Official Magazine and on the IWSH website
• One-year IAPMO student membership

Second Place three (3) winners

• $1000
• Publication of the essay in the Official Magazine and on the IWSH website

Students who submit an essay to the contest grant IWSH and its partners, including news media outlets, the right to use their names, photographs, statements, quotes, and testimonials, including without limitation any submitted writing in whole or in part for advertising, publicity and promotional purposes without notification or further compensation. This includes but is not limited to, publication on IWSH’s social media accounts, as well as print or electronic publications. IWSH maintains the right to reproduce, reprint, distribute, perform, display, or exhibit any submitted materials for advertising, publicity, and promotional purposes on its website, in IAPMO’s quarterly magazine, at conferences, or other venues.