ARMONK, NY and SONOMA, CA, June 25, 2010 -- IBM and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), which supplies water to more than 600,000 people, have teamed up to address the pressing problem of water management in the heart of Northern California's wine country.

From aging infrastructure to population growth to climate change, California's strained water supply faces a complex set of challenges and demands that threaten the future of the state's population, economy and environment. According to the California Department of Water Resources, the state has experienced below average precipitation and runoff since the fall of 2006, making this the fourth year of serious drought. Recently, California's governor set forth a statewide goal for all water agencies to reach a 20 percent reduction in water use by the year 2020.

By bringing together and analyzing data including water usage and quality, weather and climate, and environmental considerations, IBM's sophisticated water management system is helping SCWA make better decisions about resource allocation dynamically based on near real-time information. The system includes geographical and system map views so SCWA and its partner stakeholders can quickly identify and address specific issues such as low chlorine residual or low storage tank levels, in minutes rather than hours.

"The idea is to create a common operating picture - a collaboration platform - for SCWA and its retail water providers that provides a near real-time operating picture of the Russian River and the associated water transmission system," said IBM Big Green Innovations Vice President Sharon Nunes. "The ability to track and measure the water flow along with the diverse elements that impact the system at such a granular level arms SCWA and its stakeholders with a way to work together toward the common goal of ensuring adequate water for the region, now and for years to come."

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