Martigny, Valais – 6 October 2021 – A landmark project involving AQUA4D® has won this year’s inaugural #PrixAlpiq (Alpiq Prize). The winning project aims to reduce the water requirements of agriculture in a Swiss municipality by up to 40%.
The ambitious project has been developed in conjunction with Cordonier & Rey SA and the municipality of Salgesch. The first stage will replace obsolete systems with innovative drip irrigation and AQUA4D® water treatment, tracked by real-time measurement of soil moisture. “This irrigation project will have a lasting impact on water management in the municipality of Salgesch,” write Alpiq. “It will encourage other municipalities to collaborate in order to implement together solutions to face climate change.”
Multi-level collaboration
This project has been a long time coming and enjoys wide support at the highest level. There is now unanimous recognition that something must be done to address growing water scarcity in this Swiss region. “It’s weird to hear it, as we’re in the middle of the alps, but there is a lack of water supply, especially for irrigation,” says Stephane Revey, Vice-Mayor of Salgesch. “In summer, when agriculture really needs water, there is not enough anymore, so we are looking at innovative technologies.”
The all-encompassing nature of this ambitious project may account for its success: it’s become clear in Switzerland and globally that addressing major challenges requires cooperation at all levels. Integrated water management is the key phrase here: at a recent event in Valais, Waterpreneurs’ Nicholas Lorne stated that “interdisciplinarity is at the very core of good water management governance…the Salgesch project will be a showcase for Valais, for Switzerland, and beyond.”
Indeed, the impressive project brings together municipal government, state-level support, hydropower, engineering firms, and innovative technology. In short, this is joined-up thinking at its very best – ambitious collaboration to address the most pressing challenge.
About the prize
The #prixalpiq brought together 18 sustainable water management projects from many fields such as agriculture, energy or water treatment. All entrants proposed concrete solutions in terms of irrigation, access to drinking water, wastewater management, reduction of water pollution, energy production and automation, in order to optimize water management. A jury composed of 12 experts selected the winning projects on the basis of criteria such as sustainability, feasibility, usefulness of the project for the communes and the degree of innovation. The jury also awarded a “Coup de Coeur” prize to the “WaSTeLeSS” project from Val de Bagnes, which proposes an innovative solution to reduce water wastage.
“The #prixalpiq is meant to inspire us: water means life, space and energy,” states Antje Kanngiesser, CEO of Alpiq. “We need vision, courage and solidarity to make the best use of this precious resource and protect it.”
More about the #prixalpiq: www.prixalpiq.ch
More about Alpiq: www.alpiq.com
More about AQUA4D: www.aqua4d.com
Switzerland
Water-Smart Agriculture
Precision Irrigation
“It’s weird to hear it, as we’re in the middle of the alps, but there is a lack of water supply, especially for irrigation. In summer, when agriculture really needs water, there is not enough anymore, so we are looking at innovative technologies.”
– Stephane Revey, Vice-Mayor of Salgesch.
“The #prixalpiq is meant to inspire us: water means life, space and energy. We need vision, courage and solidarity to make the best use of this precious resource and protect it.”
– Antje Kanngiesser, Alpiq CEO