Takeaways & Recommendations from Panel on How Technologies Can Improve Water Services

With all the momentum around the infrastructure bills and implications for the water sector, we wanted to break down implications and opportunities for more robust data and innovative technologies to speed up critically important environmental and environmental justice outcomes. We invited Briana Garcia of Temboo, Luis Montestruque of Xylem and Seyi Fabode of Varuna Technologies to join a conversation with myself and our Executive Director, Tim Male to discuss how technology can:

• Improve environmental outcomes and provide safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water

• Increase public participation in water stewardship 

• Engage current workforce and strengthen operations

We invite you to watch the full recording or read the summarized a few highlights below:

• We are at a time where digital solutions can deliver greater visibility and transparency into operations while meeting triple bottom lines for faster and less expensive results. Smart sensors deployed across South Bend, Indiana resulted in a 50% reduction in e.coli, 70% reduction in overflows and saved the city half a billion dollars in capital infrastructure. - Luis Montestruque, Xylem

• Through no-code platforms that visualize data from environmental sensors, we can create collaborative solutions with environmental agencies and community members. By democratizing data in an accessible and actionable way, non-technical and technical folks alike are empowered to equally engage on the environmental problems in their community. - Briana Garcia, Temboo

• We work with small and mid-sized utility technicians and let them lead us to the places in their water systems where near real-time data would enable better operations. Once the sensors are deployed, technicians are able to quickly target interventions to the highest impact places within their distribution systems and improve drinking water quality for their customers. - Seyi Fabode, Varuna Tech

Panelists also noted that:

• We need incentives to encourage utility staff to take the first leap to test digital solutions that offer efficiencies and improvements to water quality, reliability and affordability. 

• There are a wealth of innovations in digital infrastructure, but the challenge to date is government agency and utility demand.

Policy Recommendations:

1. Many utilities do not have staff time or capacity to thoroughly evaluate all digital solution options and choose the right fit for their needs. If every state had a water data and technology ombudsman to evaluate options and recommend appropriate technologies for utility operations, it would significantly reduce the burden of evaluations, de-risk technology investments, and better ensure the appropriate technology for a utility's unique needs. 

2. States and EPA need to better specify when and how often technology is eligible for State Revolving Funds or other federal funding programs. This is an easy policy clarification and could be as simple as a letter from the State Secretary that provides more guidance to utilities and technology companies alike. 

3. In some federal funding application processes, you are awarded additional points if your program incorporates particular components (e.g. green infrastructure or consolidations). There is an opportunity to make similar incentive structures for applicants to use technology that would result in improved water services. 

Luis, Briana and Seyi are at the forefront of water technology innovations, and it’s time for a paradigm shift in how we leverage technology to deliver better water services, climate outcomes, and more sustainable utilities in the long run.