Why AI matters in the Water Industry

Why AI matters in the Water Industry. We have seen huge advances in publicly available implementations of large language models, with everyone living with, and benefitting from AI/Machine-learning (ML), for many years. For the industry, the ability to narrowly focus AI tools to solve specific challenges is game changing. Harnessing the power of AI, utilities can de-risk their operation as they improve efficiency, optimize resource allocation, and enable proactive maintenance and repair strategies. AI/ML are invaluable in demand forecasting. By analysing historical data for water consumption patterns, weather conditions, population growth, and other relevant factors, utilities can develop accurate models to predict future operational needs, thereby optimising production, distribution, and capacity management. For clean water, ensuring ample water is available at the right time and place, is a clear goal, considering increasing droughts, population growth and ageing assets. For wastewater, it covers some gaps from long- term underinvestment and focus. The drivers are similar, in that climate change and increasing populations impact networks not designed to withstand these challenges. This has been Metasphere and Meniscus’ focus for years. Highly accurate hyperlocal weather forecasts are changing how councils control localised flooding, utilities manage remote raw water sources and how pollution events are reduced. Click here to read the full article on page 31 of the Environment Times