Water Information Tool

The Zofnass Information Tool on Urban Water Systems was developed for the research project Next Generation Infrastructure and supported by a grant on urban water management from the Surdna Foundation. The objective of the grant was to support cities that respond to federal regulatory action regarding stormwater management, to explore green infrastructure solutions, and to inform and build capacity of community stakeholders in the water field.

The tool provides holistic information about the city’s water systems for non-expert stakeholders, such as city managers, policymakers, and the community. After a series of case studies on urban water systems across US, this data-driven framework was designed to be tailored to varying water system challenges. The prototype was built for the City of Chelsea MA. The tool consists of two parts: the first can be summarized as “learn the system” and the second as “improve the system.” Through data visualization and system-based storytelling, the first part provides information about the urban water system, performance data, and geospatial synergies. The second part – through interactive modelling and scenario evaluation – highlights the opportunities to improve the system. The algorithm identifies the buildings, streets, and parking areas for potential green infrastructure interventions, and quantifies their impact to the reduction of runoff and imported water.

You can find a summary of the prototype for Chelsea MA here.