GIS, Data Central to Water Agencies in a Changing World

by  Skip Descant

In California, Pennsylvania, Washington and elsewhere, water districts are often turning to GIS and other tech tools to better serve their communities and the increasing needs of firefighting.

Summary

As climate change intensifies urban wildfire risks, water districts are taking on new fire protection roles, leveraging GIS, data, and hardware advancements. The Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) in Orange County, Calif., has built three reservoirs holding 3 billion gallons of recycled water near wildlands to support firefighting. “You need water for day-to-day living, but we're also going to need it more to maintain community resiliency,” said Nate Adams, SMWD's director of water resiliency. These reservoirs, kept partially full, aided firefighting during the 2024 Airport Fire, supplying over 700,000 gallons.

SMWD manages 9,000 fire hydrants using Esri's GIS technology, which has grown more robust, enhancing asset management. Similarly, Pennsylvania's Hampton Shaler Water Authority upgraded to GIS dashboards, replacing paper-based systems with real-time tablet updates. Bellevue Utilities in Washington offers a customer portal with near-real-time water usage tracking, supported by smart meters and VertexOne software, alerting over 2,200 customers to leaks since its June launch.

 Read full story at GovTech…

Interactive Map Tracks Housing Shortages Across Florida

by  Ryan Kushner

The Sunshine State needs more than 120,000 housing units. The tracker's developers say its data could help local leaders make informed decisions.

Summary

• The Florida Housing Data Project, a new interactive map that details housing shortages across the state, found that around 55,000 single-family homes and more than 66,000 rental units are missing from the market.
• The housing gap is most acute in metro areas, with Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa ranking among the least affordable housing markets not only in the state, but in the nation, according to the data.
• The tracker was developed by housing economists from the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State University and think tanks the Florida Policy Project and Reason Foundation. “With straightforward housing supply numbers tailored for local use, citizens and policymakers alike can see how deeply the housing shortage cuts into their communities — and why fixing Florida's broken housing system is no longer optional,” the organizations stated.

 Read full story at SmartCities Dive…

Shutdown Could Delay Congress 'Getting Serious' About AI Policy

by  Alexandra Kelley

The shutdown hobbled congressional activity on artificial intelligence legislation, a setback that could hinder the Trump administration' broader tech policy plans.

Summary

The ongoing government shutdown is delaying federal technology requirements, particularly AI policy, as experts predict legislative projects will be sidelined by larger bills. “The federal shutdown will affect a lot of ongoing and important legislative activity,” said Adam Thierer of the R Street Institute, noting delays in creating a national AI policy framework. Stalled bills include the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and AI-focused proposals like Sen. Ted Cruz's AI sandbox and Sen. Josh Hawley's AI risk evaluation bill.

The NDAA, critical for AI adoption in the military, is expected to dominate Congress in 2026. Meanwhile, state legislatures like California and Colorado are advancing AI regulations, potentially creating a patchwork of policies if federal action lags, undermining President Trump's AI Action Plan.

 Read full story at NextGov…

Apple Announces $2 Million Bug Bounty Reward for the Most Dangerous Exploits

by  Lily Hay Newman

With the mercenary spyware industry booming, Apple VP Ivan Kristić tells WIRED that the company is also offering bonuses that could bring the max total reward for iPhone exploits to $5 million.

Summary

Apple has increased its bug bounty program's maximum payout to $2 million for software exploit chains that could enable spyware, announced Ivan Kristić at Hexacon in Paris. This reflects the value of vulnerabilities in Apple's secure mobile environment. The program now offers up to $5 million for exploits bypassing Lockdown Mode or found in beta testing, effective next month.Kristić emphasized rewarding researchers for countering mercenary spyware.

With over 2.35 billion active devices, Apple's bug bounty, public since 2020, has paid over $35 million to 800+ researchers. New categories include WebKit and wireless proximity exploits, plus “Target Flags” for real-world testing. Apple also introduced Memory Integrity Enforcement in the iPhone 17 to protect vulnerable users, donating 1,000 devices to rights groups.

 Read full story at Wired…

OpenAI Wants to Stop ChatGPT From Validating Users' Political Views

by  Benj Edwards

New paper reveals reducing “bias"” means making ChatGPT stop mirroring users' political language.

Summary

The article describes OpenAI's efforts to reduce political bias in its AI models, particularly ChatGPT. The company aims to prevent ChatGPT from validating users''political views and instead focus on providing neutral information.

However, the article points out that OpenAI's approach focuses on behavioral modification rather than addressing the underlying issues of bias in AI models.

 Read full story at arsTechnica…

The End of Microsoft Windows 10 Updates Will Affect Millions of Users

by  Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman

Microsoft ended automatic, free updates for Windows 10 users, potentially rendering millions of computers increasingly obsolete.

Summary

Microsoft ended free, automatic updates for Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025, affecting over 500 million users globally, urging them to upgrade to Windows 11. Without updates, computers remain functional but lack technical support, software updates, or security fixes, posing risks. Consumer advocates, like Jenn Engstrom from California Public Interest Research Group, estimate 400 million computers can't upgrade, potentially creating 1.6 billion tons of e-waste. They urge Microsoft to continue support to reduce environmental impact.

Peter Volin, a retiree from Albany, California, spent $1,500 on a new computer after his failed to meet Windows 11 requirements. While Microsoft offers a year of paid security updates, IT specialists like Vladimir Galant recommend upgrading for cybersecurity, comparing outdated systems to faulty equipment.

 Read full story at Marketplace…

Washington Nuclear Facility Will Deploy 12 Amazon-Funded SMRs

by  Diana DiGangi

The plant's three 320-MW sections will together comprise a 960-MW plant within the space of a few city blocks, Amazon said.

Summary

The Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, funded by Amazon and built by Energy Northwest near Richland, Washington, will utilize 12 small modular reactors (SMRs) from X-energy, Amazon announced Thursday. The facility's modular design allows a 960-MW plant to fit within a few city blocks, unlike traditional nuclear plants requiring over a square mile. X-energy's Xe-100 reactor, backed by Amazon's $500 million investment, will power the initial 320-MW phase, expandable to 960 MW.

Construction is set to begin late this decade, with operations starting in the 2030s. The energy will support AI and digital tools. Energy Northwest highlighted the project's role in providing reliable, carbon-free energy. A collaboration with Korean partners aims to deploy over five gigawatts of Xe-100 reactors by 2039, mobilizing up to $50 billion in investments.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

What Can Be Done to Strengthen the US Power Grid?

by  Scott Steinberg

Four experts weigh in on how to adapt to growing energy needs.

Summary

The US power grid faces challenges due to increasing demand from technologies like AI and data centers. Experts suggest modernizing the grid through regulatory overhaul, system thinking, and leveraging AI for optimization.

While clean energy is crucial, concerns about grid stability and reliability necessitate ba

 Read full story at Chicago Booth…

What Public Power Needs to Know About Serving Data Centers

by  PublicPower

Get market context and background information on data centers, considerations and strategies for serving data center customers, and examples of how public power is working to support data centers in their service areas.

Summary

Public power utilities face both opportunities and significant challenges due to the rapid, large-scale load growth driven by data centers.

Serving this customer type differs substantially from traditional commercial and industrial accounts, requiring utilities to re-evaluate their existing rates, rules, and policies.

The article, “What Public Power Needs to Know About Serving Data Centers,” provides essential market context on data centers and outlines various strategies and considerations for serving them.

It also offers practical examples of how some public power utilities are already engaging with prospective and current data center customers to manage these unique demands.

 Download the report (PDF, members only)…