Smart Lake Erie Watershed
Submitted by Max Herzog
Smart Lake Erie Watershed
Cleveland Water Alliance has created the world’s largest digitally connected freshwater body, the Smart Lake Erie Watershed (SLEW). Powered by a telecommunications network covering over 7,750 square miles and more than 200 Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, this infrastructure streams real-time data on changing water quality, contaminants, nutrients, wind, and wave conditions. The network provides data to enable proactive management and decision-making for public safety and water utilities, providing early warnings for severe weather, chemical spills, and toxic algal blooms to safeguard regional drinking water.
Beyond environmental monitoring, SLEW serves as a real-world testbed that accelerates water technology. CWA provides access to diverse trialing environments, including inland lakes, ponds, offshore sites, streams, lab settings, and partner host sites like water utilities. Each season, CWA deploys 15 to 25 cutting-edge technologies, allowing innovators to trial their tech in dynamic conditions, gather essential end-user feedback, and advance next-generation solutions for global freshwater challenges.
