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Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Smart Water Conservation, Big Savings

Project Type:
Infrastructure & Utilities, Technology, High-Performing Government

At a Glance

Enhanced water infrastructure to provide real-time data for better resource management, leading to a 90% reduction in field investigations and more than $1 million in cost savings.

Installed 290,000 new smart water meters between 2019 and 2022.

Used data to ensure that the federal financial assistance available during the pandemic was reaching customers who had the most need.

23 systems sending data into Fort Worth Water’s central database, detailing work orders, customer usage and payments, water main breaks and more.

When water pipes leak, the City of Fort Worth loses money. Without its own aquifer or reservoirs, the City buys its entire supply—82 billion gallons in 2023—from Tarrant Regional Water District for over 1.4 million customers in Fort Worth and 33 surrounding communities. When water is conserved, the financial benefits are tangible: Less water needs to be  purchased (and treated), reducing operating costs.

This was a major impetus behind MyH20, a program launched in  2016 to both establish a more data-driven approach to water infrastructure management and maintenance and enable customers to better manage their water use.

The first step was installing nearly 300,000 new advanced water meters across Fort Worth Water’s service area. With near real-time data wirelessly transmitted to the utility, customers who register in the online portal are now alerted when possible leaks (i.e., continuous water flow) are detected on their property. Plus they can track usage and pay bills via the online portal. Meter and billing information now flows into a central data management platform, allowing Fort Worth Water to more easily identify who is behind on bills.

When federal water bill assistance was available during the Covid-19 pandemic, the utility was able to use the data to determine if those in danger of service termination for non-payment were the ones receiving assistance through the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), which was managed by third-party entities. (The LIHWAP program is no longer in place.)

Also, MyH20 has dramatically improved Fort Worth Water’s ability to understand the cost of water main leaks and prioritize pipe replacement projects. The utility is now able to systematically track and analyze not only the location of leaks but also the age and type of pipe leaking. Of course, officials knew that older pipes were more likely to have problems. But the ability, for example, to show that cast iron pipes accounted for 92% of water main breaks in 2023—and then detail the exact cost of those breaks—helps build the case for infrastructure improvements. This year, City Council doubled funding for the utility’s pipeline rehabilitation program, allowing it to replace 20 miles of cast iron pipes per year, rather than only 10. The most at-risk pipes are being replaced first.

These upgrades do more than ensure more reliable water service across the city. Strategically upgrading infrastructure—along with helping residents manage their water use—means the entire system loses less water and keeps costs down. Long-term it means less service disruptions to customers. That’s good for the planet, the City and paying customers.

“Because we can use data from multiple systems to see what is happening, we are able to refine our models and improve the water loss estimates for each leak and main break.”

Shane Zondor, Assistant Director of Management Services, Water Department

“We’re building a culture where you have to have data to make decisions, to make recommendations to City Council on policy initiatives. Momentum is building: When people see that data is the key to the treasure, to resource allocation, then they start using data and tracking outcomes.”

David Cooke, City Manager
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Calgary, Canada

Make it Personal: How Calgary Is Supporting Residents to Take Climate Action.

Project Type:
Energy, Environment, Infrastructure and Utilities, Technology

At a Glance

The residential solar calculator helps Calgarians understand the potential for solar energy generation in their home. It provides an estimate of energy cost savings, greenhouse gas reductions and the investment payback period. This data supports Calgarians to make informed decisions on energy use in their home.

Applied advanced analytics to map data, 3D building models and energy costs to create a residential solar calculator tailored for Calgary households—an in-house solution that contributed to a doubling of the city’s residential solar installations in 2023.

48,000 visits to the online residential solar calculator, with 65% returning users, which shows high engagement from residents.

The importance of harnessing the power of the sun is clear. Worldwide, extreme weather events have increased fivefold since 1970 and 2024 was Canada’s costliest year on record for weather-related disasters. Calgary, Canada’s sunniest city, enjoying approximately 333 days of sun each year, and Canada’s fastest-growing metropolitan area with 1.68 million residents, recognizes that addressing climate change requires collective action. For individuals, it can be hard to know how to contribute. But The City of Calgary is empowering residents to act with a climate strategy that blends data, innovation and community engagement.

One standout initiative is Calgary’s Residential Solar Calculator. Launched in 2022, the online tool allows homeowners to assess their property’s solar potential. It uses LiDAR remote sensing and GIS mapping technology to account for roof tilt, orientation and shading and provides personalized solar insights for each Calgary residential address. The tool equips residents with vital knowledge to weigh the pros and cons of solar energy and engage with service providers confidently. The calculator educates homeowners on switching to solar energy, providing an estimated upfront cost and monthly energy savings. This information is crucial for determining whether solar energy is financially viable and how quickly the investment will pay off.

Calgary’s Residential Solar Calculator dashboard.

“Data analysis, visualization and data-supported stories play an incredibly important role in our climate work today and the climate work of tomorrow. We are using data to help us understand the complex nature of climate systems, identify patterns and trends, inform action and communicate with Calgarians.”

Dawn Smith, Manager, Governance & Reporting, Climate & Environment

To support Calgary’s broader greenhouse gas reduction goals, The City wants to generate more of its electricity needs within city boundaries from renewable sources. In 2023 alone, Calgary installed 16,000 kilowatts of residential solar PV—doubling the city’s capacity. During this time, more than 48,000 people have visited the calculator and almost two-thirds are return users, signaling high engagement. The popularity of the calculator highlights that there is an appetite from Calgarians to explore and understand the benefits of installing solar energy in their homes. By providing easily accessible, relevant and tailored information to homeowners, the residential solar calculator helps drive solar adoption indirectly through education and information sharing.

Supporting these efforts is Calgary’s comprehensive climate and environment dashboard, which tracks metrics and shares key program information with residents. This dashboard will ensure The City is transparent and accountable to its climate goals and outcomes by providing a comprehensive resource for the community to monitor results.

“Calgary is committed to embedding data and evidence into our decision-making processes. This approach ensures that taxpayer dollars are used effectively and that Calgary is a stronger and more resilient city, capable of facing future challenges.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek

Climate change is a global challenge, but Calgary’s approach shows the power of solutions that involve government and residents. By making climate information more personalized and accessible to all, Calgary is not only addressing the crisis—it’s demonstrating its commitment to support its residents and setting a benchmark for other cities.

Calgary’s Climate and Environment dashboard.

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Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

Fast-Tracking Climate Resiliency

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Environment, Infrastructure and Utilities

At a Glance

25.6” – Amount of rainfall recorded in Fort Lauderdale on April 12th, 2023, a new one-day record for the city.

$500 million – Cost of stormwater infrastructure improvements planned across 25 Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods over the next 10 years.

On April 12th, 2023, Fort Lauderdale was unexpectedly inundated by a 1-in-1,000 year storm. More than two feet of rain fell in just 12 hours, the most ever recorded there in a single day. Stormwater infrastructure was designed to handle a maximum of three inches of rain in 24 hours and was quickly overwhelmed, flooding wide swaths of the city of about 189,000 on Florida’s southeastern coast. More than 1,000 homes and City Hall were severely damaged, with water chest-deep in some places.

The unprecedented precipitation coupled with a very high tide underscored how climate change makes storms both more intense and less predictable. For Mayor Dean Trantalis and his leadership team, it also made clear the City needed to make Fort Lauderdale’s stormwater infrastructure stronger—and they needed to do it now.

A flooded street in Fort Lauderdale where climate change is creating more intense and unpredictable storms. Image Courtesy of the City of Arlington.

“We use data to think about everything. It’s all data-driven, from flood mapping and risk modeling to infrastructure planning and asset management. And now we’re really starting to tackle the challenge of figuring out what’s going to flood, when and where.”

Dr. Nancy Gassman, Deputy Director of Public Works

“Prioritizing the right climate adaptation projects requires careful location-specific risk assessments. I’m proud of our enhanced infrastructure strategy, and I’m proud that Fort Lauderdale is being recognized through What Works Cities Certification for putting data at the center of our climate resilience work.”

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis

In November 2023 at the State of the City address, the mayor unveiled Fortify Lauderdale, a $500 million initiative to speed up and expand flood-prevention infrastructure projects across the city through 2034. The City had already been planning to upgrade infrastructure in eight neighborhoods before the April 2023 flooding. After the disaster, leaders ramped up data gathering efforts to identify high-risk areas and refine stormwater infrastructure plans for another 17 neighborhoods.

During Phase 1of the Stormwater Master Planning effort, city employees and consultants attended neighborhood association meetings asking residents to mark up a map detailing exactly where flooding occurred. They also gathered flooding data from residents who called the city’s customer service hotline. Internally, the City conducted a comprehensive stormwater asset management inventory, leaning on its GIS team to detail not just the location of every drain and pipe but also all maintenance work done on each piece of infrastructure in recent years.

All of this data informed the citywide stormwater master planning effort, which allowed leaders to prioritize infrastructure projects based on specific needs and risk levels. The result: 25 additional neighborhoods will see flood prevention upgrades over the next decade, more than triple the number that had been set to receive improvements prior to 2023.

“We have to manage through data given the organization’s finite resources. The ability to segment and analyze data in targeted ways is crucial for navigating where resources should go.”

Susan Grant, Acting City Manager, Fort Lauderdale

As of August 2024, about half of Phase 1 of the Stormwater Master Plan neighborhoods were complete or in construction. Spanning eight neighborhoods, the plan provides 50 miles of new stormwater pipe, 10 new stormwater pump stations, higher seawalls and enhanced swales, among other improvements. These will help get water out of neighborhoods faster, preventing costly damage. The new stormwater improvements are expected to improve the drainage capacity from 3 inches of rain in 24 hours to 7-10 inches. Fortify Lauderdale also includes developing guidelines that will strengthen outreach to owners of vulnerable properties to help them improve their own climate resilience practices. Together, these efforts are showing residents that when the next storm comes, the City can reduce the intensity, duration and frequency of flooding to roads passable, protect homes and prevent life-changing damage.

“A successful infrastructure resilience strategy needs to be anchored in community engagement and solid data,” Mayor Trantalis says. “We’re determined to maximize the value of every dollar we spend on these projects—there’s no time to waste.”

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Maipú, Chile

Data Transformation and Transparency in Maipú Water Services

Project Type:
Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure and Utilities, Public Safety

In 2021, Maipú was going through a serious crisis in the drinking water and sewage service: more than 20,000 water leaks flooded its streets that year, affecting the quality of life of more than half a million inhabitants. A neighborhood came to be nicknamed “the Venice of Maipú”, and one resident mentioned that some leaks in her neighborhood had been going on for more than two years.

The Municipal Drinking Water and Sewer Service (SMAPA), the only municipally managed water company in Chile, was struggling with aging infrastructure, inefficiency and limited resources, while public trust in local government was low due to measures taken by the previous administration: bad management and a deficit of $31 billion pesos ($31 million dollars).

In response, since taking office in June 2021, Mayor Tomás Vodanovic has prioritized the management of SMAPA as a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda. It was decided to invest an additional $5 billion ($5 million dollars) for the maintenance of drinking water and sewage networks. However, the key to success was improving tracking and analysis. To save resources, city staff inspected water infrastructure and worked closely with the public safety team. Through mixed patrols between professionals from different areas, the tours were more efficient, since they only needed a mobile phone to travel. They then took this data in the field and created comprehensive dashboards, allowing real-time monitoring and analysis of water and sewer service reports. Today Maipú can better allocate resources and proactively address more problems.

Image courtesy of the City of Maipú, Chile.

This work was supported by administration support, with a commitment to building a data culture across government. Maipú joined the Digital Transformation Leaders Network, participated in the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance, and city leaders are active members of the What Works Cities Certification Community. In each of these networks, Maipú has learned from other cities and has developed a disciplined, consistent and challenging approach to data.

For example, the Urban Advisory Department developed the Maipú Territorial Information System (SITMA), powered by technology with ArcGIS. This platform helps the City optimize resource allocation by breaking down data by neighborhood and provides transparency by allowing residents to monitor projects and report issues.

“We only measure in terms of improving people’s lives. It makes no sense to use graphs, numbers and bars just because of our love of numbers and figures, they must effectively push municipal management to have a greater impact on the people.”

Mayor Tomás Vodanovic

“Teams no longer come with proposals unless they have data. “Hey, I think that’s a good idea” isn’t enough. Now people come with a georeferenced proposal, analyzed or compared with other municipalities. In other words, analysis is already part of the process.”

Natalie González, leader of the Government Center in Maipú, Chile
Image courtesy of the City of Maipú, Chile.

Transparency and rebuilding public trust have been integral to Maipú’s efforts to improve SMAPA. Management launched a robust communications campaign, using social media, newsletters and community meetings to inform and engage residents. In addition, educational initiatives, such as the Museum of Water, share the history and importance of SMAPA as the only municipal water service in the country.

Maipú’s efforts bore fruit: the City went from 29,000 water leaks in 2021 to less than 2,000 in 2024. Today, Maipú’s innovative approach serves as a model for other cities that want to make their public services reliable for the community. This is a testament to what can be achieved when technology and transparency drive public service.

“The What Works Cities Certification is an important tool for recognition and internal mobilization. It shows that we value the good performance of city workers and is an example for others to follow.”

Mayor Tomás Vodanovic

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Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

1,000 Trees Rooted in Data, Community and Sustainability.

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Environment, Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure and Utilities, Technology

At a Glance

The City assessed tree distribution citywide to plant 700 new trees in areas that needed the most shade. 

Raleigh’s Digital Inclusion education program has trained more than 3,800 residents, provided more than 1,000 computers to residents, and delivered more than 10,000 volunteer hours.

A biannual community survey gathers input from residents on issues that impact quality of life, which guides services and policies.

A cost-share program reduces water pollution and has helped fund more than 200 stormwater infrastructure projects (such as green roofs, cisterns, and rain gardens) on private property. Up to 100% of costs are covered for non-profits and lower income property owners.

For over 200 years, Raleigh has been known as the “City of Oaks” for its towering oak trees that line streets and shade neighborhoods. Yet today, the city, which has long celebrated its natural canopy, confronts a stark reality: More than a quarter of people in the Raleigh metro area live in neighborhoods that become heat islands in the summer, where temperatures soar above the city’s average.

Those extra degrees have a high cost — heat islands make neighborhoods less livable and increase the risk of heat-related health complications. These heat islands are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods. One reason for the heat islands is a lack of trees, which results in heat being absorbed in materials like concrete and asphalt. This heat is then slowly released causing temperatures to stay high even after the sun sets, making it difficult for neighborhoods to cool down overnight. This prolonged heat exposure can exacerbate the effects of heat stress and lead to higher energy costs and poorer air quality.

Image courtesy of the City of Raleigh.

Today, the “City of Oaks” is working to combat heat islands through a data-backed street tree planting project.

At the start, the project wanted to learn how trees were distributed across the city. Then, the team wondered if planting more trees in certain locations could reduce the number of heat islands

The City analyzed U.S. Census data and an Urban Heat Island study. Then it conducted a walking survey of Raleigh’s current street trees. City staff mapped tree density and income levels, which showed that lower income neighborhoods had fewer trees than their wealthier counterparts. On average, there is one street tree every 1,000 feet in the chosen priority area, whereas other, newer parts of the city have street trees every 40 feet.

“Strong data practices have made us a better organization. We’re able to better connect with the community because there are decisions that are made based on what the data tells us. That data gives us a solid foundation to drive policy and resources.”

City Manager Marchell Adams-David

“I am proud but not surprised that Raleigh continues to achieve recognition for effectively using data and science to drive outcomes. I am also proud of our staff and their devotion to developing the data and using it to implement the solutions that improve the lives of our residents. This designation from Bloomberg Philanthropies is a result of their hard work.”

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell
Image courtesy of the City of Raleigh.

The City’s solution is to plant 1,000 street trees by the end of 2025, not located randomly across the city, but in the neighborhoods that need it most to reduce urban heat islands. Urban trees and nature can cool cities by up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes heat-related illness less likely and reduces energy consumption, saving residents money. So far, 700 trees have been planted in low-income neighborhoods in southeast Raleigh, helping make the air cleaner, preventing flash floods during storms, absorbing carbon dioxide, and encouraging communities to gather and play outdoors.

Raleigh city staff know their numbers, but they aren’t missing the forest for the trees—community support and resident engagement are critical for long-term success. The project has connected with residents at community events for Earth Day and Arbor Day. Additionally, residents near potential tree planting spots receive paid-postage mailers from the City that allow them to select the tree species they want or say that they would not prefer a tree.

The Street Tree Project is just one piece of Raleigh’s climate efforts, and it represents more than a tree planting initiative — it’s a data-based strategy to ensure that all residents, no matter where they live, can share in the benefits of the City of Oaks.

Image courtesy of the City of Raleigh.

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Reno, NV, USA

For A Better City Sewer System, Start with Better Data

Project Type:
Infrastructure and Utilities, Technology

At a Glance

7 –  Number of processes (including paper-based ones) combined through an internal platform that helps manage a range of city operations.

13  – Number of sewage overflows that occurred in the city in 2023—down from 23 in 2017 resulting in a 43.5% decrease.

When employees retire, cities run the risk of losing valuable, specialized knowledge—and that can disrupt smooth service delivery as departments spend more time reacting to problems instead of anticipating them. Consider sewage infrastructure maintenance. Without easily accessible data detailing when each city-owned sewer main was inspected and cleaned, and which lines are more prone to blockages, overflows become more likely.

In May 2023, Reno launched a new cloud-based enterprise-wide platform that captures data from Maintenance & Operations Department (M&O) teams, as well as other departments. Called ServiceNow, the platform collects and organizes everything from work order details (which had been spread across multiple software systems) to service requests made by residents through Reno Direct, the City’s nonemergency service center. With a wave of retirements on the horizon in M&O, which manages the sewer system, the City’s investment in data management upgrades will be essential.

“Data-driven governance is all about making sure our resources are provided where and when they are needed most. With data centralized and easy to access, we’re not just saving time and money, we can deliver better services and outcomes to our residents.”

Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve

“Data-driven analyses to guide decisions are absolutely essential. We can’t afford to go with a gut instinct or take a guess when it comes to resource allocation. I don’t have millions of extra dollars floating around.”

Jackie Bryant, City Manager, Reno

Now M&O has the tools to closely track all the work its teams are doing in one place—no more paper-based processes, such as sewer line maps marked up with a highlighter. The City’s GIS software is integrated into ServiceNow, allowing teams to enter exactly where both maintenance work and overflows occur. With detailed, nearly real-time data at hand, M&O leaders can keep tabs on high-frequency problem pipes and better predict maintenance needs.

The Department is also more efficient now that all sewer system maintenance team members speak the same data language. The City paid for employees who conduct sewer line inspections with remote-controlled cameras to complete a pipeline assessment certification program. Assessment codes entered into ServiceNow are now consistent and accurate. Cleaner, more reliable data has helped strengthen sewer system maintenance, contributing to the steady drop in the number of overflow events Reno has seen in recent years.

The City’s commitment to leveraging the power of data goes beyond M&O. In June, its Clean & Safe Program, an effort focused on connecting unhoused people to housing and various services, launched a new mobile app integrated with ServiceNow. Outreach workers can easily enter individuals’ demographic data, contact community resources, and access digital case files. Now the City is analyzing trends to better understand the impact of housing services and identify areas in need of additional funding and support.

“With data to support your position, you can cut through people’s inherent biases and political narrative and get to ‘yes’ far more easily. Without data, you’re just arguing with people’s perspectives.”

Jackie Bryant, City Manager, Reno

With a data management infrastructure in place, the City is now better able to track the key performance indicators (KPIs) across departments that contribute to Reno’s strategic goals. Smooth city services lead to residents who can trust that their local government is always working to be more efficient and better serve the community.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A Bridge for the City’s Most Vulnerable

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Housing, Infrastructure

At a Glance

266,393 household surveys were carried out by the City’s Social Territories program to identify vulnerable families disconnected from municipal services.

3,758 out-of-school children and adolescents aged 4 to 14 were referred for enrollment.

9,744 families living in extreme poverty gained access to housing, healthcare and other social assistance through the Social Territories program.

About 2 million of Rio de Janeiro’s 6.2 million inhabitants live in favelas, residential areas spread across the City of Rio. These densely populated neighborhoods are often hard to reach, lack infrastructure and many families remain without access to basic services, disconnected from the sewage network, running water or electricity.

The first step to helping these families is to find them, as many of these residents are not part of government systems and there is little data about them. Thus, Rio City Hall decided to launch a new program, Social Territories, in partnership with UN-Habitat, the United Nations’ sustainable urban development program. With field agents who go door to door to interview families, the program’s priorities are to identify families at social risk and provide them with various basic public services, such as school enrollment, health care, referral to social benefits, housing support, and access to professional training and job opportunities. For example, Social Territories data helps the City choose beneficiaries of Casa Carioca, a housing requalification program.

Designed in 2016, Social Territories has proven the value of a three-phase, data-driven approach to helping some of Rio de Janeiro’s most vulnerable residents.

Image courtesy of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

In the first phase, municipal officials conduct interviews with residents to identify how they could help, whether by enrolling children in school, providing clean water or other support. Detailed household survey data is analyzed against standards defined in the UN Multidimensional Poverty Index. Levels of risk are established to indicate the degree of need of each household, which lays the groundwork for the second phase of the program. Using survey and geospatial data, municipal departments reach out to high-risk families, including those living in extreme poverty, to provide appropriate services such as housing, health care, education and job training. The final phase of Social Territories involves monitoring residents receiving targeted services and then reassessing their needs after a year.

In essence, the program aims to proactively learn about disconnected communities and build bridges between the City and residents to improve their lives. Administered by the Pereira Passos Institute, which oversees the City’s data practices and uses detailed demographic data to support the implementation of policies and programs, the Social Territories program has expanded over the years. Originally focused on 10 favelas, in 2022 the program expanded to cover all of Rio de Janeiro. That same year, it was recognized with a World Smart Cities Award.

“The Social Territories program serves all areas of City planning, identifying vulnerable families and increasingly promoting equity in access to services and opportunities.”

Bianca Medina, Coordinator of Social Territories at Instituto Pereira Passos

Today, Social Territories continues to show what can happen when a municipal government prioritizes data-driven decision-making to help its most vulnerable residents. In January 2025,

  • Almost 32,000 families identified by the program were served by the Municipal Health Department
  • Nearly 26,000 were served by Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance
  • Almost 8,000 families received housing improvements, many of them through Casa Carioca Project
  • Nearly 4,000 children were recently enrolled in school
Image courtesy of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

“With the data made available by the Pereira Passos Institute from the field search, we can provide secretariats with information about families, improve the living conditions of the population, improve the efficiency of public management and promote sustainable urban development. It is an immense satisfaction to see the program happen and take shape in Rio.”, says Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro.

“When data drives our city’s services, we not only deliver results for our community, but we also rebuild trust with residents. What Works Cities Certification shows residents that we are making smart decisions that they can see and understand, making them partners in improving our city.”

Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro
Image courtesy of the City of Rio de Janeiro.

“Using data and evidence to run local government is more efficient. When you know where to invest and where the results come from, you save money.”

Lucas Padilha, Municipal Secretary of Culture
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San Fernando, Chile

After the Flood, a Disaster Relief Upgrade

Project Type:
Environment, Health and Utilities, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Technology

At a Glance

100% of the municipal administrative process for climate emergency relief was digitized after the destructive floods of June 2023.

The average response time of the municipality to provide food and other assistance to flood victims in 2024 decreased from six to two days.

Introduced an emergency phone line that was able to receive a daily peak of 150 to 200 calls during winter emergencies, a significantly higher volume than its average of six calls per day.

Used data science to segment the population within the network of three primary health centers, which will reduce overcrowding in one of the centers by 79%.

In June 2023, disaster struck San Fernando. Residents of the provincial capital city, which sits along the Tinguiririca River in central Chile, watched as floodwaters rose following the heaviest rainfall to hit the region in decades. Nearly 600 families living in vulnerable neighborhoods were affected. Some lost everything.

To receive emergency aid, flood victims had to register with the government through a laborious process. The main communication channel connecting residents was the telephone—but the City could only handle eight calls at one time. Government officials met with affected residents, taking notes on paper to record individuals’ needs and locations. Sometimes documents would get wet and damaged, requiring additional work and slowing aid delivery. The analog process was time-consuming. Relief supplies, such as food and clothing, didn’t reach those in need for six days, on average.

Image courtesy of the City of San Fernando.

Following the disaster, the Municipality decided to create a Directorate for Disaster Risks, which leads and coordinates responses to climatic emergencies. (The Municipality also built a new retaining wall to mitigate future flood risks.) Leaders of this new office quickly made the decision to bring disaster relief administration into the 21st century, in support of San Fernando’s inaugural data governance strategy. Spanning 2024-25, it aims to improve data-driven decision-making, efficiency and performance management.

The Directorate analyzed and then digitized each part of the emergency aid registration process. Its team then implemented a cloud-based platform to capture data from in-person visits, including from a new GIS tool detailing exact locations of individuals in need. New digital infrastructure also sped up aid delivery reporting processes and allowed local officials to gain a more current understanding of disaster relief operations.

It didn’t take long for digitization to deliver value to residents. In 2024, the Tinguiririca River flooded again. There were fewer flood victims, thanks to improved physical barriers as well as flood awareness communications from the Directorate. The residents who did require aid saw help arrive within just two days, on average, thanks to faster relief registration and aid delivery processes.

Image courtesy of the City of San Fernando.

This is just one example of the benefits San Fernando is seeing as it upgrades its digital infrastructure, says Mayor Pablo Silva Perez. He created the City’s Continuous Improvement and Data Science departments after his election in 2021. “Better data infrastructure sets the stage for improving our operations and decision-making. We see how it improves our city, and we’re just getting started.”

“In an era of tight budgets, data-driven decision-making allows government to optimize the use of resources and maximize benefits to residents. The What Works Cities certification process is so valuable because it supports all this, and much more.”

Mayor Pablo Silva Perez
San Fernando Mayor Pablo Silva Perez meets with the What Works Cities Certification team.

“Data is an extraordinary tool for improving cities. If I could say one thing to leaders of cities around the world, it is: Don’t doubt the value of data and don’t hesitate to begin and then continue the work of creating a new governing normal.“

Mayor Pablo Silva Perez

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Boise, Idaho, USA

Recycling Wastewater to Build a More Resilient Future

Project Type:
Communications, Community Engagement, Infrastructure and Utilities

At a Glance

$570 million: Bond amount voters approved with 81% support in November 2021, funding Department of Public Works Water Renewal Services projects slated through 2030. 

50+: Number of open house events held at the city’s water recycling pilot site

6 million gallons: Amount of additional water Boise will add to its renewal capacity each day when fully its Recycled Water Program is implemented, strengthening the city’s resilience against drought, population growth and climate change.

2029: Year the brand-new water recycling facility is slated to open.

In Boise, climate change and population growth all pose a long-term challenge to the most precious natural resource: water. The city of about 247,000 people draws 70% of its water from aquifers and 30% from the Boise River. Both water sources are under growing stress due to rising demand for irrigation, shrinking snowpack and increasing drought frequency.

To build resilience and support growth, the City of Boise has embraced water recycling. In 2020, the Department of Public Works’ Water Renewal Service utility issued a data-driven strategic plan to ramp up Boise’s water recycling capabilities over the next 10 years, with a new focus on aquifer recharging. A centerpiece of the plan is construction of the city’s first recycled water facility.  

City leaders have worked to rally Boise residents around their vision to ensure an adequate supply of water for both residential use and new businesses. They built buy-in various ways. The City held over 50 community meetings to show trade-offs of water treatment models to address limited water supply. The result was a $570 million bond measure that passed in 2021 with voters’ overwhelming support (81% voted in favor). This allowed the City to move on major water renewal capital projects, including a new $420 million water recycling facility, with minimal sewer user fee increases.

Leaders also leveraged the annual budgeting process to build stakeholder support. In recent years the City’s budget has included tens of millions of dollars in water renewal capital project investments, including for an advanced water treatment pilot to test new technologies. The pilot site, which opened in 2023, tests five different filtration technologies including reverse osmosis and ultraviolet advanced oxidation, to remove all chemicals and pollutants from industrial wastewater. Notably, one goal for data from the pilot is to build trust with residents.  The City aims to show that the recycling treatment will produce safe water for the community. 

As Boise city officials and residents deepen their knowledge of innovative filtration technologies, which aren’t common in Idaho, a more resilient future is coming into view. In February 2024, the City purchased a 76-acre plot of land where it will build the new state-of-the-art recycled water facility. Construction will start in 2025, a key step toward a more sustainable Boise.

The WWC team at the Boise water facility.

“The open houses we’ve done with community engagement of this pilot, the ability to show people the technology and talk about it, is really incredible.”

Haley Falconer, Environmental Division Senior Manager, Public Works Department
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Mendoza, Argentina

Using AI to Tackle Unregulated Landfills

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Finance, Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Transportation

At a Glance

Used an AI-powered digital tool to identify small but harmful garbage dumps scattered around the city.

Created a Directorate of Digital Transformation, Smart Cities and Open Government to take advantage of data and make better decisions.

Built dashboards for data on commercial activity and entrepreneurship, waste recycling, public safety, and more after seeing the power of collating data during the pandemic.

Making progress toward 2030 climate goals through innovations from the Municipal Climate Change Committee, which is made up of the Secretary of Environment and Urban Development, science and technical organizations, universities, the Institute of Environmental Sciences, and more.

Like many cities, Mendoza has a problem with illegal dumping, particularly in marginalized neighborhoods near the foothills of the Andes. These small piles of trash pose major risks to water quality and public health. However, they are not always easy to see: many of the spill sites are small and hidden in ravines.

City leaders are now using artificial intelligence to locate and clean these micro-landfills. In collaboration with the Bunge and Born Foundation, Mendoza developed an algorithm that used drone photography to detect landfills as small as one square meter. The initiative is part of a broader effort to use data to make smart decisions related to climate change and the environment.

In just one part of the city, the tool found 1,573 detected trash tags. The algorithm can also identify whether the material in these piles is plastic, branches, construction debris, or something else. This gives city leaders a plan to direct their cleanup efforts, impacting and improving quality of life. of 2,000 families in 19 neighborhoods.

Recognizing the global need for such a tool, the team behind the technology has released the code and it has presented to cities throughout Argentina. And to make it replicable, they have adapted the algorithm so that it can use free images from Google Earth, instead of drone photography, which can be expensive. They believe the same approach could be used to detect other environmental hazards on the urban periphery, such as deforestation.

“Managing open dumps is an enormous management challenge for national, provincial and local governments,” said the Secretary of Environment from Mendoza, Sebastián Fermani. “Not only because of pollution and climate change issues, but also because it is a problem that disproportionately affects the vulnerable population.”

“Local governments may not have the resources of a regional or provincial government, but through data-driven decisions, we can generate a better climate and investment to create jobs and economic development.”

Mayor Ulpiano Leandro Suarez
Comparison of detection of small dumpsites by AI versus humans.

Used AI to identify and classify 1,573 small dumpsites in just one section of the city.

“What Works Cities Certification is both a recognition of the work done by a great team here, and also shows us how we can improve city management based on international standards.”

Mayor Ulpiano Leandro Suarez

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