The City of the Future Is Already Online
When we talk about the future of cities, most people think about electric buses, green buildings, smart traffic lights, or solar rooftops. But as someone who’s spent decades working in utilities and information systems, I can tell you: the real transformation starts somewhere much less visible—in the server room.
I’ve led technology and cybersecurity teams in electric and water utilities across both private and public sectors. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that the digital backbone of city infrastructure is now just as critical as the physical one. Fiber, cloud, data lakes, automated control systems, and secure networks are the invisible architecture powering nearly every aspect of modern urban life.
We’ve entered a new era of digital civics—one where city leaders and CIOs must work hand in hand to build infrastructure that’s smart, secure, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.
Why the Server Room Is Now a Civic Space
That might sound like an overstatement. After all, server rooms are quiet, sterile places filled with blinking lights and cooling fans. But in today’s world, they’re where policy becomes practice.
Think about it: when a city launches a new initiative—say, water conservation rebates, electric vehicle grid support, or real-time outage reporting—it’s not just a matter of communications or field crews. It depends on digital systems. Meter data. Mobile apps. GIS integration. Cloud security. And yes, servers.
Without robust, well-governed technology infrastructure, even the best civic ideas fall flat. The server room has become a space where public value is created and protected—often without public visibility.
The Utility CIO as a Civic Leader
Historically, utility CIOs were seen as operational support roles. We made sure systems were stable, budgets were balanced, and compliance was maintained. But that role has changed dramatically.
Today, CIOs are strategic civic actors. We’re helping shape how cities respond to climate change, how they protect data privacy, how they ensure equitable access to digital services, and how they recover from crises—be it cyberattacks or natural disasters.
When I served as CIO of Austin Water, I wasn’t just managing networks—I was helping the city plan for drought response, build smarter systems for water distribution, and communicate more transparently with residents. The same was true in Chattanooga, where automation in the electric grid supported not just efficiency, but economic growth and innovation throughout the city.
These roles aren’t just technical—they’re public-facing. And the decisions we make in our data centers ripple outward into homes, neighborhoods, and lives.
The Hidden Civic Risks of Ignoring Tech Infrastructure
Too often, cities underinvest in their digital backbone. Legacy systems are patched instead of replaced. Security updates are delayed. Integration is deprioritized. But every time we push those issues down the road, we’re not just creating IT risk—we’re creating civic risk.
Cybersecurity is a perfect example. A successful cyberattack on a water system or power grid can disrupt entire communities, erode trust, and even endanger lives. Yet many cities still treat cybersecurity as an afterthought or a budget line to be trimmed.
Equity is another concern. When we digitize services—bill payments, alerts, application portals—we must ensure those tools are accessible to all residents, not just the digitally savvy or well-connected. Without deliberate design and outreach, our smart cities risk deepening the very divides they aim to solve.
These challenges remind me that digital infrastructure is not neutral. It reflects the values of the people who build it. And that’s why we need civic-minded CIOs at the table when city strategies are formed.
Digital and Physical Infrastructure Must Work Together
Smart cities can’t succeed if they treat technology as separate from traditional infrastructure. The two must evolve in tandem.
For instance, installing a new pump station or substation without considering how it integrates into SCADA systems, cybersecurity protocols, and data visualization platforms is a missed opportunity. So is deploying a sensor network without a data strategy to make that information usable and actionable.
City planners, engineers, IT leaders, and policymakers must now speak the same language. That means shared governance, collaborative budgeting, and a clear understanding of how digital tools can support long-term civic goals like resilience, sustainability, and equity.
Leading with Purpose in the Age of Digital Civics
As I reflect on my career, I’m proud of the systems we built—the grid automation in Chattanooga, the smart water analytics in Austin—but more than that, I’m proud of how those systems served people.
That’s what digital civics is really about. It’s not technology for its own sake. It’s technology in service of community well-being, transparency, and progress.
My advice to emerging CIOs in the utility and public infrastructure space is this: step forward as civic leaders. Advocate for thoughtful investment in digital systems. Collaborate across departments. Speak up for cybersecurity and digital equity. And always remember that behind every system diagram is a person who depends on it.
The City of Tomorrow Is Being Built Today
The future of city infrastructure isn’t just happening in city halls or on construction sites. It’s happening in server rooms, data centers, and cloud platforms. It’s being shaped by the decisions of utility CIOs, digital architects, and cybersecurity professionals who understand the gravity of their work.
Let’s make sure we build that future with intention, with integrity—and with the people we serve always in mind.