Gov. Brian Sandoval announces water partnership with IBM Ireland

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval announced a water-research partnership with IBM as he kicks off a three-week European trade mission in Ireland.

Sandoval said Monday that the Nevada Center of Excellence and IBM are planning to collaborate on developing water quality management systems. The move comes after a meeting that also involved representatives from the Desert Research Institute and the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

“This new partnership with Ireland IBM will not only strengthen the work our state is doing regarding water, but also will help turn this emerging industry into economic opportunity for the state through technology commercialization,” Sandoval said in a statement.

Dublin is the headquarters for water research for IBM’s Smarter Cities initiative, which aims to help cities improve their operations with new technology.

The Center of Excellence helps match water researchers in Nevada with businesses that can use their expertise. Sandoval said Nevada’s arid climate and focus on water security has helped the state’s researchers develop new technologies that increase access to water.

While in Ireland, Sandoval attended a roundtable discussion with Enterprise Ireland, an organization that helps Irish businesses expand into foreign markets. The meeting focused on how Irish companies might break into the U.S. market through Nevada.

The governor and a delegation of more than 60 people are on the trip to Europe. They also plan to make stops in England, Poland, Germany and Italy.