Chilliwack, BC rewards water conservation efforts by households with its Ugliest Lawn Contest
Local officials found lawn watering accounted for 30% of all water use in summer, placing a strain on the Sardis-Vedder Aquifer. The three-month Ugliest Lawn Contest asks property owners within city limits to maintain their lawns without water. Residents email photos of their unwatered lawns or alternatives like vegetable and rock gardens as proof of participation. Visa gift cards worth CAD 50, CAD 100, and CAD 150 will be awarded to the most creative or effective projects.
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
Sunshine Coast, QLD achieves environmental and economic savings with smart irrigation system
The council installed 32 automated irrigation units in parks and community spaces. Water sensors monitor precipitation and weather forecasts in determining eco-friendly uses of sprinklers. The system includes flow meters for quick identification of leaks and other maintenance issues. Sunshine Coasts anticipates the installation of at least 38 more units by 2030, thus expanding the system's impacts on green spaces.
Sunshine Coast, QLD
Australia
Phoenix, AZ collaborates with Venture Café Phoenix on innovation challenge for water access
The city's first innovation challenge sought ideas for expanding public access to cold drinking water. Teams of up to six members developed their concepts during a five-hour hackathon. Participants presented their ideas to a panel of judges during a pitch competition open to the public. The winning team received $3,500, while the runners-up split $1,500 in cash. Phoenix and Venture Café Phoenix also promoted winner, runner-up, and audience choice solutions.
Phoenix, AZ
United States
Christchurch City Council, NZ evaluates the impacts of eClean Bioreactor on waterway health
The Smart Christchurch team worked with device inventor Ngarie Scartozzi on a real-world trial on the Ōtākaro Avon River. The eClean Bioreactor is powered by solar panels and filters water through an internal microbiome. This treatment process removes E.coli, nitrates, and phosphates from the water supply. Christchurch and Scartozzi are measuring the device's effectiveness before expanding its use to areas including local farm drainage.
Christchurch City Council, NZ
New Zealand
Scottsdale, AZ automates and improves water conservation efforts with WC-Tool app
The city's Water Conservation Office worked with Arizona State University and AWS on the app's development. This new tool analyzes satellite images, GIS maps, and other data for quick analysis of a lot's water needs. Conservation specialists can consult with residents about water budgeting by phone rather than conducting in-person inspections. The WC-Tool also standardizes consultations that previously required manual reviews of land use plans and water needs.
Scottsdale, AZ
United States
Santa Monica, CA puts stormwater to better use with its Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project
SWIP connects a stormwater harvesting tank to an advanced water treatment system under a public parking lot. This system can treat up to one million gallons of water each day and store up to 1.5 million gallons. Stormwater and runoff treated at SWIP are sent for use in irrigation, aquifer recharging, and toilet flushing. Santa Monica diverts 100 million gallons of untreated water from the bay each year and produces 10% of its annual water supply with SWIP.
Santa Monica, CA
United States
Buffalo, NY prevents sewer overflows during storms with the Wastewater Network Optimization System
Xylem's platform collects data from sensors throughout the city's sewer system. Machine learning processes result in predictions about potential overflows during heavy rains. This system automatically channels water into sewer pipes with available capacity, thus preventing wastewater from entering local waterways. The Buffalo Sewer Authority did not need to add new infrastructure for the project and can scale up the platform's use for future system extensions.
Buffalo, NY
United States
Jackson, MS addresses concerns about water access issues with digital twin built in InfoWater Pro
An August 2022 flood exposed issues with Jackson's water treatment and distribution systems. Satellite images, equipment data, and water sensor logs were inputted into InfoWater Pro. The resulting digital twin acts as a baseline for system performance across 17 water pumps and 800 miles of pipe. City officials develop more effective responses to water contamination, burst pipes, and flooding based on simulations in this virtual environment.
Jackson, MS
United States
Augsburg Stadt, BY monitors heritage water tower operations with LoRaWAN sensor network
Public utility Stadtwerke Augsburg added water monitoring sensors to centuries-old towers at the Red Gate. Real-time data on humidity and water flow support quick responses to potential leaks. This system reduces operational costs and protects wooden structures as required by the facility's UNESCO World Heritage site designation. Augsburg also evaluates expanded uses of its growing fiber-optic network based on its experiences with water tower monitoring.
Augsburg Stadt, BY
Germany
Park City, UT builds resiliency against droughts with waterwise landscaping incentive pilot
Participating properties convert at least 50% of grass lawns to drought-tolerant plants for improved irrigation. The one-year pilot offers $2 per square foot up to $10,000 per home or $50,000 per apartment complex and business. City officials approved $200,000 for the initial program with the potential for a second round of $200,000 in 2024. Park City seeks further gains in its efforts against drought following a three-year reduction in water consumption.
Park City, UT
United States
Wake County, NC addresses water quality issues with its Well & Septic Pilot Assistance Fund
County officials approved a $200,000 budget for this two-year assistance program. Low-income households can apply for $5,000 emergency grants and $20,000 repair grants for disabled and senior residents. Qualifications for the program include a household income at or below 50% of the area median income and hazardous well or septic issues identified by the Environmental Services team. Wake County will evaluate the scope of well and septic problems for potential expansion beyond the pilot.
Wake County, NC
United States
Campbelltown, NSW organizes community groups for conservation efforts with Platypus Pals program
Platypus Pals started with volunteer collections of environmental DNA (eDNA) from the Upper Georges River. These samples identified small populations of platypus and Macquarie perch threatened by human activities. Campbelltown placed signs near habitats identified by eDNA with tips on protecting wildlife. Platypus Pals continues through community use of the PlatypuSPOT monitoring app and workshops about platypus conservation.
Campbelltown, NSW
Australia