Title
Office of Innovation Access to Chilled Drinking Water Pilot Update
Description
This report provides the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee with an update on the Office of Innovation's Chilled Drinking Water in Public Spaces Pilot initiative.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Report
Summary
As the City of Phoenix works to address and foster resilience to rising temperatures and a growing urban population, it is important to consider amenities to support the well-being of residents and the growth and livability of our city. The Office of Innovation is completing phase one of a pilot initiative to expand equitable access to free, chilled drinking water in Downtown Phoenix. The data-driven pilot, which includes community surveying, evaluations, prototyping and testing of new and modified drinking water systems, will serve as a model to expand access in multimodal, pedestrian-friendly, high-density areas of the City.
The first two water stations for the pilot project, which incorporates bottle fillers and heat-mitigation technologies, were installed in front of City Hall, in the Marvin A. Andrews Plaza, and across Washington Street, in the Cesar Chavez Plaza. Design components of the new systems include an internal chiller, heat-mitigation materials and design, a purge valve to circulate water inside the units, vandalism-resistant materials, and more.
On Jan. 24, 2024, Innovation staff hosted a media event in Cesar Chavez Plaza with the Mayor's Office and Council District 7 to unveil the installation of the first two drinking water systems, which was attended by ABC15, KJZZ radio, AZFamily, Fox 10 and Telemundo. Approximately 40 staff members and external partners were in attendance. Downtown Phoenix Inc. is a partner in the project, providing education, outreach and cleaning through the Ambassador and Clean + Green programs. The Water Services and Public Works departments were key partners for this phase of the pilot project.
A data-driven approach is informing this pilot project at every stage, including the creation of an ArcGIS mapping tool that combines various datasets, including land-surface temperature data, proximity to public transit stations, existing drinking fountain data, vulnerability index data, among others. In fall of 2023, Innovation staff and the City's Management Fellows surveyed more than 110 community members and 75 businesses in the downtown pilot area. Eighty-two percent of residents surveyed stated the most important feature of a drinking water system is that it is clean and well maintained. Fifty-five percent identified areas in and around public buildings as ideal locations for the systems, 38 percent in and around public gathering spaces, 41 percent near transit hubs and 35 percent near public transit stops. Sixty-seven percent of businesses surveyed stated that there are not enough water stations in downtown.
Innovation also gathered input and ideas from more than 100 participants of the InnovatePHX Challenge at Venture Cafe Phoenix, powered by the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation and founding sponsor City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department. Additional heat mitigation materials will be tested and evaluated at the water system locations during the summer months. Staff will conduct evaluations of the current systems, including ambient and surface temperature data and resident feedback, to make necessary modifications and inform the project moving forward. Additionally, staff is assessing five additional locations in the downtown core for the next phase of the project.
This pilot project was developed in collaboration with Bloomberg Associates, the pro-bono consulting arm of Bloomberg Philanthropies, which works with cities around the world.
Location
The first phase of the pilot project focuses on Downtown Phoenix
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager John Chan and the Office of Innovation.