Generative AI: A Potential Solution for Water Security
The environment in which we live continues to face complex challenges, particularly regarding water security. Water security is not only about access to clean drinking water, but also about the protection of ecosystems and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Millions of people are still deprived of safe drinking water and basic sanitation, and there is an urgent need to address this issue. I would like to explore how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can provide a solution.
What is Water Security, and Why is it Important?
Water security, as defined by UN-Water in 2013, entails the ability to ensure sustainable access to acceptable water quality to meet livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, while safeguarding against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters and protecting ecosystems in a peaceful and politically stable environment.
Water security is a multidimensional concept that ensures the availability, acceptability and affordability of water for sustainable livelihoods, human well-being and socio-economic development. Water security is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, and addressing it is essential to achieving peace, stability and health in societies around the world.
There are challenges to achieving water security – from water supply to groundwater management to the cost of expanding water facilities. This is where digital transformation and advanced technologies such as GenAI can generate innovative solutions.
Why GenAI?
In the water industry, where timely and accurate data is critical to decision-making, GenAI can measure and monitor efficiently. Whether it’s detecting burst pipes in a water distribution network in real time or inspecting pipes in a city’s drainage system, GenAI shows great potential. Through computer vision and machine learning technologies, GenAI can automate cumbersome analysis processes, increase true detection rates, and reduce false alarms, resulting in significant operational cost savings for customers.
GenAI, Water Security and IWA’s Vision
GenAI is a subset of AI that creates new data based on patterns learned from large data sets. By applying GenAI, we can design more efficient water systems, predict maintenance needs and improve resource allocation strategies. For example, GenAI models can analyse data such as water usage, weather patterns and soil moisture to predict potential water shortages.
IWA through its Digital Water Programme (DWP) Steering Committee, has established a GenAI sub-group to provide a platform for different industries to discuss this emerging technology. As part of the DWP, sub-groups focus on specific regions or topics with the aim of facilitating the exchange of experiences, identifying gaps in knowledge or resources, and developing effective solutions among IWA members. On Water Security, IWA Fellows Jan Hofman and Blanca Antizar Ladislao have created a Water Security Roadmap, complete with webinars and other educational outputs to highlight the different perspectives of the topic. You can rewatch the webinars here: [https://iwa-network.org/learn/water-security-inclusivity-and-the-sdgs/].
Conclusion
Water security is an urgent issue that calls for immediate action and innovative solutions. By releasing the power of GenAI, we can tackle water security challenges more effectively and create a sustainable, water-secure future.
In addition to this, ensuring that data is collected, shared and used in compliance with laws and regulations in the face of GenAI’s application in the digitisation process is a major challenge in the digitalisation process. In another blog, I will discuss how GenAI can be practically applied to the water industry and the regulatory and legal aspects of digital transformation.
References
- Water Security, Inclusivity and the SDGs
https://iwa-network.org/learn/water-security-inclusivity-and-the-sdgs/
- Digital Water: Artificial Intelligence Solutions for the Water Sector
- UN World Water Development Report 2024
https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report-2024
- What is Water Security?
https://www.unwater.org/sites/default/files/app/uploads/2017/05/unwater_poster_Oct2013.pdf (top right corner of the infographic)
