How AI can help to transform the water industry

It’s generally recognised that there is considerable headroom in the water industry to apply data and digital platforms, leading to the use of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. Industries such as engineering, manufacturing, banking and financial services began their transformative digital journeys several years ago and are realising clear benefits when it comes to operational efficiencies and improved performance.

For water companies, it isn’t a case of playing catch up simply because the technologies are available. Modernising infrastructure and processes in the water industry is inherently based around retrofitting. While greenfield projects exist around the world where it is possible to start from the ground up and build a new smart city, this isn’t an option for the vast majority of water transformation projects that have to work with and around ageing infrastructure.

Cybersecurity is also a major issue with the introduction of any technology being accompanied by the very real threat of a cyberattack. As guardians of critical national infrastructure, water companies must ensure security and issues such as data privacy are top of the agenda, and that the partners in their ecosystem share the same values and meet the highest security standards.

What’s required, therefore, is a robust and methodical strategy to ensure any new technologies introduced into their enterprise and network bring tangible operational, business, customer and, crucially, environmental benefits.

Addressing critical issues

There’s no escaping though that, across the industry, critical issues still remain in areas like maintenance and service delivery. Stories about leakage, burst pipes, sewer overflows, pollution and supply interruption are all too familiar. Moreover, many water companies are yet to meet the standards set by regulators such as Ofwat. This needs to be addressed.

The good news is, data science and AI have the potential to bring game-changing improvements across these areas, and we are already starting to see this happen. Many of the traditional ways of working will change in the coming years with new approaches in workforce management, customer interaction, network optimisation, asset management and capital works.

We will see radical change over time – not overnight – and it’s important to stress that this isn’t about reducing headcount but rather letting the technology do much of the heavy lifting and empowering employees to add value, therefore maximising human capability.

Data science and AI have the potential to bring game-changing improvements across critical areas, and we are already starting to see this happen

Sand Technologies has been partnering with water companies and the industry for a number of years. During that time, we have identified a number of use cases in which technologies such as AI and analytics, digital twins and the Internet of Things can have a transformative effect:

• Asset health and predictive maintenance: enables water companies to adopt a proactive, preventive approach to operations and maintenance, reducing costs and improving service delivery
• Leakage detection and management: data and AI have already shown significant improvements in leakage control by accurately modelling scenarios and reducing incidents in this critical area
• Flood prediction and management: advanced modelling tools help anticipate flood risks and manage responses more effectively
• Pollution incidents, sewer overflows, and blockages: a data-driven, predictive approach using AI helps anticipate and manage issues, improving response times
• Water and wastewater treatment plants: digital twin technology can optimise efficiencies, reduce costs, and minimise carbon footprints in treatment operations
• Customer engagement: generative AI and chatbots enhance customer experience by enabling personalised, two-way, 24/7 communication
• Smart metering: smart meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) provide valuable insights, and with AI integration, they can play a transformative role in encouraging consumer behaviour change.

We are working with water companies on a number of innovation projects using the above technologies that will have industry-wide benefit. These include a digital twin of a waste treatment works site that has improved efficiency and reduced emissions. Data is captured from supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA) and augmented with other data. Machine learning and mechanistic models are then trained to establish causal relationships between process inputs and outputs as well as KPIs.

Users can simulate site behaviour under a variety of conditions to assess the impact of decisions. The digital twin also provides control recommendations to operate the site at optimum levels with reference to one or more KPIs. This typically improves operating expenditure, energy usage and compliance.

Paradigm shift for the water industries

The scope of digital twins extends beyond wastewater and water treatment sites to a number of areas that can have huge potential benefits for the water industry. We believe AI and other advanced technology solutions can help to bring a paradigm shift in how the water industry works and are investing heavily in innovative solutions to address the challenges that exist.

As highlighted earlier, this requires a methodical approach that recognises that the best results are delivered iteratively. Companies need to work with partners to develop a roadmap to drive the digitisation. Above all, they must ensure that the introduction of new technologies adds value and brings benefits to the customer, the business and the environment.