LITTLE ROCK — Several Arkansas cities and towns are using smart technology to help residents track their electricity use, have shorter waits at stoplights or find water leaks.
They also hope the perks that include alerting residents when their water has been running for more than 15 minutes will attract younger, more technologically savvy residents interested in the benefits of living in a "smart city."
Mulberry Mayor Gary Baxter said his Northwest Arkansas city is planning to switch its more than 1,600 residents to smart water meters over the next three years.
Representatives from about a dozen municipalities gathered in Little Rock on Tuesday for the technology event sponsored by Verizon. The company wants to partner Arkansas municipalities with service providers that can help them implement the smart technologies that run on wireless platforms.