LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA, MAY 22, 2017 -- The Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) was honored with a "Golden Hub of Innovation Award" by the Association of California Cities-Orange County (ACC-OC) for its leadership with the California Data Collaborative, a one-of-a-kind, diverse partnership that helps bring water data and transparency to the forefront. The award, which was a winner in the "Technology/E-Government" category, reflects the utility's innovation in developing water reliability and demand management programs while promoting ratepayer savings and efficacy.
Two key projects were highlighted in the award recognition. The first included a water demand forecasting tool, developed by the non-profit organization, DataKind, which helped save MNWD nearly $20 million in recycled waterinfrastructure investments. The second project was in collaboration with Orange County Public Works, the CaDC, and a group of volunteer programmers from Code Lab who helped develop a tool to integrate storm drain flow data to understand and maximize opportunities to reduce dry-weather flows through water use efficiency programs.
"Thank you to the ACC-OC for this prestigious recognition," said MNWD Board President Donald R. Froelich, who attended the May 12th awards ceremony with MNWD Board Members, staff and project partners. "This great accomplishment not only helps provide agencies with access to data in a transparent, secure and efficient manner, but also highlights the importance of collaboration across many agencies and organizations."
The need for comprehensive and consistent data has developed into a prominent initiative recently, particularly as State agencies look to develop customized water demands based on local conditions. As the "collaborative" continues to grow, the opportunity increases for statewide agencies to gather more accurate data to help manage water demands through economies of scale.
"Water doesn't stay confined within the boundaries of a District, so data shouldn't either," said Patrick Atwater, Project Manager for the California Data Collaborative. "We are thankful for Moulton Niguel Water District's leadership and the support we receive from all of our partner organizations. We look forward to continue embarking on this journey to help develop tools that result in more informed policy decisions."
Learn more about the Moulton Niguel Water District at www.mnwd.com and California Data Collaborative at www.californiadatacollaborative.org.
About Moulton Niguel Water District
Moulton Niguel Water District (MNWD) is a public agency that provides drinking water, recycled water, wastewater service and conservation programs to more than 170,000 customers in Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and Dana Point. Approximately 75 percent of MNWD's water is imported from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and 25 percent is provided through local water recycling programs. MNWD is committed to ensuring that its communities have a reliable, sustainable and economical water supply for the future. For more information about the District, visit www.mnwd.com.
