Inside ‘Water, United’: The brand-led water positive movement using AI to save the Colorado River Basin

Chronically under-resourced–and often faced with rigid operational practices and a workforce resistant to change–some US water utilities lose up to 60% of their water before it reaches the user. Such situations pose significant risks to both households and businesses, especially in areas of growing competition over water supplies. One such area is the Colorado River basin, which supplies seven states, supports 40m people and a $1.4tn economy, and is one of the world’s most over-allocated rivers.

By collaborating with utilities and others to accelerate and scale new AI-assisted technologies that deliver immediate, local and quantifiable water replenishment, companies can protect and future-proof their presence in such water-stressed areas. ‘Water, United’ is an ambitious example of this approach bringing together corporate partners, including Microsoft, PepsiCo & Meta, with utilities, AI-powered technologies and others to stop and prevent water loss across the Colorado River basin. Join this session to find out more about this emerging category of AI-driven operational breakthroughs.

Learning outcomes:

• Learn about transformative water management AI-powered technologies that are being deployed within the Colorado River basin’s utilities to reduce water loss
• Understand how volumetric water benefit accounting (VWBA) helps to establish baseline water loss data and erify the immediate and long-term success of local actions
• Hear how securing equitable access to water through effective network management unlocks a range of benefits and win-win scenarios for multiple stakeholders