In the era of digital assistants, autonomous cars, and smart toasters, should we embed the same level of intelligence into water systems? The answer is not clear cut, largely because the conversation is still obfuscated by buzzwords and hype. This talk will attempt to demystify and make accessible the building blocks of autonomous water systems. We’ll explore promising real-world examples of smart watersheds and “self-driving” urban drainage systems. As with any new tech, there are inherent risk to adoption. When compared to doing business as usual, however, the time appears better than ever to embrace new technologies for water management.