The not-for-profit technical and education organisation Water Environment Federation (WEF) has launched its fifth Intelligent Water Systems Challenge on 23 Jan 2023 to challenge participants to use innovation and data to help solve difficult issues faced by the water industry.
The goal is to demonstrate the value of intelligent water systems to utilities and foster adoption of smart water technologies, as well as give students, professionals, and technology experts the opportunity to highlight their talents with a focus on leveraging data to help utilities make better decisions.
The 2023 Intelligent Water Systems Challenge will run until 2 Oct 2023. Scenarios will focus on collection systems, wastewater treatment systems, drinking water treatment systems, source water and watershed, and distribution networks. Teams with innovative solutions will be invited to present their results in person at WEF technical exhibition and conference (WEFTEC) 2023 in Chicago for final judging. The winning team will receive a minimum cash award of US$10,000. In addition, Xylem will be awarding US$2,500 for the ‘most elegant solution’.
The challenge is hosted by Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) and is a joint effort by WEF and the Water Research Foundation (WRF). It is also supported by BlueTech Research, Cleveland Water Alliance, International Society of Automation Water and Wastewater Industries Division, Smart Water Networks Forum, and The Water Council.
“As we encourage creativity to advance innovation in the water and wastewater systems sector, we are also looking for ways to integrate practical applications,” said Walter Marlowe, WEF executive director. “The Intelligent Water Systems Challenge continues to demonstrate the value of ingenuity that fosters the adoption of smart water technologies across the sector.”
