The City of Tucson announced that IBM has selected it to receive
an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge Grant for 2013. The grant provides
Tucson with access to some of IBM's top experts who will analyze and
recommend ways Tucson Water can better use existing data to serve its
customers efficiently and effectively.
The Smarter Cities Challenge Grant will provide in-kind assistance to
Tucson Water for coordination of technology improvements to its
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems. SCADA allows
operators to communicate with Tucson Water’s complex and vast network of water storage and distribution. At the same time, the grant will also
help integrate communication with Tucson Water’s Advanced Meter
Infrastructure (AMI) and Advanced Meter Readers (AMR).
“Installing digital water meters makes it easier for Tucson Water
customers to monitor water use in real time,” said Tucson Mayor Jonathan
Rothschild. “Being able to identify leaks or other spikes in use as they
happen delivers city services more efficiently and promotes water
conservation - two key components of my 360 Day Work Plan for Tucson.”
"Congratulations to Tucson for earning an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge
grant in 2013. The city distinguished itself among peers by convincingly
demonstrating its preparation and willingness to further improve its
residents' quality of life and become a smarter city," said Stanley S.
Litow, IBM Vice President of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs,
and President of IBM's Foundation. "We consider it a privilege to share
with Tucson city staff the talent and expertise of our most gifted
employees who have premier skills in a range of disciplines, all useful
for helping build smarter cities and a smarter planet."
Professionals from IBM’s Corporate Service Corps will spend
approximately three weeks with City staff to develop a blueprint for
addressing numerous issues that accompany upgrading SCADA and
implementing AMI.
The Smarter Cities Challenge is sponsored by IBM's Corporate Citizenship
program and IBM’s International Foundation. In 2012, IBM provided expert
counsel to 33 cities worldwide who had earned Smarter Cities Challenge
grants. For more information, go online to
