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The app was presented during the event hosted by Roma Capitale and Acea: “Rome and water, a great love story”

Yesterday evening, during the event “Rome and water, a great love story”, the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, and the CEO of Acea, Giuseppe Gola, presented “Waidy, the app that cares about water and the environment”. The project started in July 2019 from the idea put forward by a team of ACEA Group employees during an internal entrepreneurship program on innovation. The event, held near the Gianicolo Fountain, was attended by the Chief Operating Officer of Acea, Giovanni Papaleo, the Special Superintended of Rome, Daniela Porro, and Stefano Battistelli, the first male Olympic swimming gold medalist, in Seul in 1988, representing the Italian Swimming Federation. The Italian Cinema Orchestra and the Band of the Local Police of the City of Rome performed on the occasion.

Waidy, developed completely by an internal team part of the Acea Group, is a simple, practical and fun app that allows users to locate their nearest drinking water point among the 6000 available across the territory served by Acea Group companies, and also provides information on the history of the fountains and the quality of the water, all with an eye on sustainability. In fact, Waidy encourages the use of refillable containers, contributes to reducing single-use plastic and promotes a responsible use of water. In addition to showing all available water points, thanks to a smart and interactive water grid, the app also helps identify malfunctioning fountains, allowing users to report issues and request, in real time, water’s quantity and quality information (thanks to a direct link to the MyAcea portal).

Rome, regina aquarum – Queen of the Waters – is the beating heart of this project: by downloading Waidy, citizens, tourists, sportsmen and women can get directions to reach the 3000 water points across the Capital, which include fountains, drinking water fountains and water houses. The app also provides historic and artistic information about places of interest and events scheduled in the proximity of the water points. Waidy can also be used to track the daily intake of water and has a social side to it. By registering on Waidy, users become part of a large water community. This new interactive communication channel connects app users to the Acea Group in name of a “smart water city”, giving everyone the chance to contribute to the achievement of important sustainable goals. Gaming activities allow users to take part in contests that reward participants for using water responsibly, or propose names for drinking water fountains, and soon will even set up eco-friendly challenges among neighborhoods.

The “Waidy, water becomes smart” app is already downloadable from all app stores (Apple and Android) or via the QR codes found on water points, which redirect users to download the app.

“Water is a vital element for Rome, a precious resource that needs preserving to guarantee its availability in the future. Today, technology can help us appreciate, divulge, and protect the value of Rome’s water. With Waidy, thanks to Acea and their team of internal developers, Rome’s drinking water points and fountains have become “smart”. The app is easy to use and packed with information and functions. The digital mapping of the more than 3000 fountains and drinking water fountains allows users to learn about their characteristics, qualities, history and the provenience of water, and contribute in a fun way to protect the environment by reducing the use of plastic. This project fits in perfectly with our program for a sustainable, resilient, and smart city, thanks to tools that help appreciate the value of limited and precious resources. The main objective is to ensure that the citizens and future citizens of Rome, have clean, safe, controlled, and accessible water and use it sustainably and consciously”, said the Mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi.

“Rome has a deep and longstanding relation with water, as the city was founded on the banks of the river Tiber. Eleven aqueducts were built by ancient Romans, some of which were renewed during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, at the time the city’s most beautiful fountains were built. History continues, and thanks to modern technology water is at the center of an app that draws the map of the city, reconnecting Rome and its citizens with this element essential to life”, said Special Superintended of Rome Daniela Porro.

“Acea presents Waidy, designed, created and developed entirely in-house by people part of the Acea Group. For us this is a great result in terms of active participation in the company’s work. The project aims to promote a responsible use of water and draw attention to health and the environment, elements that are in line with our values. Rome’s connection with water is over 2000 years old, and its relationship with Acea is more than 100 years old and continues through research, the strive for efficiency in managing infrastructures, and respect for this precious resource, to guarantee a high-quality service to millions of citizens. Thanks to this app, we offer users the chance to see a detailed map of all 6000 drinking water points in Rome, across Lazio, and in all territories in which the Group manages water resources, contributing to the promotion of a sustainable culture and an increasingly more responsible use of water” said Acea CEO Giuseppe Gola.