By Emeka Aginam

Ericsson in partnership with have announced field trials for connected water solutions in Atlanta, the United States of America.
The trials would enable the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, an organization dedicated to protecting water in the Chattahoochee River Basin, to remotely monitor the quality of the city’s water at key watershed locations.

The connected water field trials would utilize a design prototype based on the winning idea from a recent Ericsson-sponsored Technology for Good innovation challenge with university students.

With the partnership, AT&T is expected to provide all wireless connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Established in 1994, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is an environmental advocacy organization with more than 7,000 members dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee River Basin drinking water source for nearly four million people.

Speaking on the new partnership, Jason Ulseth, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, said that, “Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is thrilled to work with both Ericsson and AT&T in this exciting project. This project will result in cleaner water supplies and a more sustainable future for metro Atlanta and beyond.”

Also speaking, Mike Zeto, general manager of Smart Cities, AT&T, said that, “Connectivity is driving cities to rethink how they use technology to benefit their residents. AT&T is excited to be a part of these first field trials and we look forward to providing the connectivity to enable cities to become smarter and more sustainable.”

For Elaine Weidman-Grunewald, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility at Ericsson, “This project demonstrates how Ericsson’s Technology for Good program enables smart sustainable cities across the globe. Wirelessly connecting a city to its drinking water allows for even more creative ways that cities can focus on sustainable development.”

The trials are an example of the Internet of Things, where anything that benefits from being connected, will be connected. IoT is a rapidly growing segment and, according to the Ericsson Mobility Report, there will be 28 billion connected devices by 2021.

The first prototype has been placed into the City of Atlanta watershed in Proctor Creek. More than 60,000 residents live along Proctor Creek as it flows through residential developments, industrial complexes, city parks, and alongside public schools.

Ericsson at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is delivering an end-user perspective on the Networked Society, where connectivity is the starting point for new ways of innovating, collaborating and socializing.

At the show, Ericsson is exploring life in tomorrow’s connected world with featured demonstrations and story lines that showcase how 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) are empowering people, revolutionizing industries and transforming the Networked Society.