The main document that guided the event’s organization was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Brazilian Government, the Federal District Government (GDF), and the World Water Council (WWC) in April 2015. This document defined the manner the WWC and Brazil should collaborate with each other in the preparation, organization, and follow-up of the 8th World Water Forum.

Later, in October 2016, a new version of the MoU was signed, describing the participation of the National Water Agency (of Brazil) (ANA) as a representative of the Regulatory Agency for Water, Energy and Sanitation of the Federal District (ADASA), representing the Federal District Government. In December 2017, the MoU was expanded to further detail the role of these two institutions in the organization of the 8th Forum.

The figure below shows the event’s overall organizational structure.