The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Wastewater Treatment

The need to conserve water and manage it more efficiently is perhaps now more dire than it ever has been. Among other water consumption issues: We have a record, still-growing population on the planet; accelerating levels of drought worldwide; and the artificial intelligence (AI) boom is guzzling water at a dazzling rate in order to keep data servers running.

Ironically, though, AI might just also be essential to redefining and maximizing the efficiency of our water use, along with similar emerging digital technologies like machine learning (ML), automation, and digital twins. These technologies can create “smart water” systems for industry — A concept that’s been primarily associated with drinking water, but is also starting to blossom in the wastewater sector as well.

Around two trillion gallons of treated wastewater are lost in the United States each year, which is a massive blow to US business and the environment. AI, ML, digital twins, and automation have the potential to mitigate the infrastructural inefficiencies that cause this water loss by optimizing water use, reducing the loss, and helping to build circular water management systems/economies that will emphasize reuse and minimization of use/waste across all sectors of industry.

In wastewater treatment plants specifically, these technologies can assist in understanding a system’s rate of flow, optimizing and saving energy, and providing data that is a useful tool in the decision-making process. These benefits would add up to significant cost savings in both expenditures and labor, and more importantly contribute to lessening our environmental burdens and increasing sustainability.

Wastewater Digest, which is following the expansion of AI and its sister technologies in the wastewater sector closely, says industry should implement these actions in order to reduce and optimize industrial water use:

• Assess and monitor water use with smart technology
• Invest in digital technologies like AI, ML, and digital twins
• Automate water management operations to maintain optimal performance
• Foster cultural sustainability so that everyone contributes to saving water
• Collaborate across industry to amplify results

Primary Sources and Additional Information

• Turning the tide: How automation is reshaping water use in industry
• AI is transforming the future of wastewater system management and treatment
• Wastewater, AI and aeration blower performance
• Can you trust predictive wastewater analytics?
• Exploring the intersection of data, communications & power infrastructure
• Optimizing wastewater treatment through artificial intelligence: recent advances and future prospects
• Artificial Intelligence and IoT in Wastewater Treatment
• How AI is being used in wastewater treatment plants?

RCAP's Drop of Knowledge: Article Roundup #4

Drop of Knowledge is a monthly digital article from Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP.) The articles focus on topics like wastewater, drinking water, policy, and infrastructure in rural America. It contains how-to’s, tips, and guidance from more than 300 technical assistance providers (TAPs) across the country. Some featured articles are linked below:

• Resolving Inflow and Infiltration Issues in a Growing Community
• The Beginner’s Guide to Geospatial Asset Management
• How Smoke Testing Can Help Your Small Wastewater Collection System
• Red Cliff Wastewater Treatment Plant Compliant Treatment Process
• Meeting the October 2024 Deadline: A Quick Guide for Water Utilities Struggling to Get Started with Lead Service Line Inventory Compliance
• What is the Most Important Business in Your Community?

Looking for something else? Find more articles and subscribe to A Drop of Knowledge.

Technology and Innovation in the Water Sector

Innovative water treatment technologies refer to advanced and unconventional methods explored to purify and manage water resources. These solutions often leverage cutting-edge technologies and scientific advancements to address water management challenges including emerging contaminants, water scarcity, energy efficiency, resource recovery, decarbonization, etc. These technologies are often still being researched and benchmarked through laboratory or pilot-scale studies. 

We have 364 resources (and counting) on Innovative Water Technologies in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents about identifying water system leaks with the help of dogs, alternative water resources as we face degrading water quality and supply, treatment options for taste-and-odor problems, approaches to drinking water technology approval, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Innovative Water Technologies within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Innovative Water Technologies." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Most Clicked Links from the Innovations Newsletter

With growing efforts to enhance water quality and to protect public health, 2021 brought many new innovations to the water sector. From innovative PFAS treatment technologies to enhanced wastewater surveillance to track the spread of COVID-19, the following list highlights the most accessed resources featured in the Innovations for Small Systems newsletter's 2021 archive.

Small Drinking Water Systems Webinar Series
A webinar series hosted by EPA to communicate the latest information on solutions for challenges facing small drinking water systems.

EPA Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Water Sector
EPA published a webpage featuring resources to help water and wastewater utilities implement cybersecurity best practices. This new page contains various cyber resilience resources available from EPA.

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 RNA through the Wastewater Treatment Process
This paper presents data on SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration and removal rates during the different stages of the activated sludge wastewater treatment process to better understand the fate of the virus at the different stages

EPA Drinking Water Treatability Database (TDB)
The TDB presents an overview of over 120 regulated and unregulated contaminants found in drinking water with current information on treatment processes. EPA updated the TDB on May 19 to include new references and treatment options for PFAS.

Expedited Approval of Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act; Analysis and Sampling Procedures
On May 26, EPA approved 17 alternative testing methods for use in measuring the levels of contaminants in drinking water to determine compliance with national primary drinking water regulations.

EPA Identifies Drinking Water Contaminants for Potential Regulation
EPA announced the Draft Contaminant Candidate List 5 (CCL 5) on July 12 to include 66 individual chemicals,12 microbes, and three chemical groups – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cyanotoxins, and disinfection byproducts (DBPs).

Performance of rapid sand filter – single media to remove microplastics
This paper aims to analyze the effectiveness and mechanism of rapid sand filters (RSF) for the removal of microplastics (MPs) during drinking water treatment and analyze the effect of research variables on the performance of filter media. 

Cyanobacteria Assessment Network Application (CyAN app)
On August 3, EPA launched the CyANWeb Application, which is an easy-to-use web browser-based tool that provides access to cyanobacterial bloom satellite data for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs in the United States.

Tap Talk: The Drinking Water in Rural America Podcast
The Private Well Class program has launched a new podcast series, Tap Talk, which highlights the unique challenges which small public water systems and many private well users experience.

18th Annual EPA Drinking Water Workshop: Small System Challenges and Solutions
This free, annual workshop, which was presented virtually in September, provided in-depth information and training on solutions and strategies for handling small drinking water system challenges. This workshop will be virtual again for 2022.

Zapping Untreated Water Gets Rid Of More Waterborne Viruses
Texas A&M University researchers published a paper in September 21, where they highlighted their research validating the effectiveness of Iron Electrocoagulation in the removal of viruses from water.

EPA Awards $6 Million in Funding to Research Human Viruses Found in Wastewater Intended for Reuse
EPA announced on October 27 that five grants have been awarded funding to research on existing and novel alternative methods to detect and monitor viruses that are excreted with feces in wastewater intended for water reuse applications. 

ASDWA Publishes New PFAS MCLs White Paper for States that are Considering or Developing PFAS Drinking Water Standards or Guidelines
ASDWA published a PFAS Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) White Paper on November 5, to serve as a resource for states that are developing or considering developing PFAS drinking water MCL regulatory standards or guidelines.

EPA Announces Over $3 Million in Funding to Small Businesses to Develop Environmental Technologies
EPA announced on December 14 that 30 American small businesses will receive funding to develop novel technologies to address pressing environmental and public health problems such as domestic greywater, microplastics, and lead service lines.

Nutrient Smart Recognition Program
WEF and EPA launched the NutrientSmart (NSmart) program in December to help reduce nutrient loadings in waterways by encouraging the adoption of enhanced nutrient management practices by water utilities and distributing information on tools and methods for lowering nutrients.

Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
EPA published the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) on December 27 to better understand the national occurrences and levels of 29 PFAS found in the nation's drinking water systems.

Check out past issues of the Innovations newsletter.

The Benefits of Drones in the Water Industry

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, have slowly made their way into various parts of society, including the water sector. They offer a more accessible and affordable way for water utility managers to survey their systems. They also offer plant managers the ability to collect detailed information about the status of their utility through aerial photos and videos. 

The greatest benefits of drones are that they are highly efficient while still being relatively inexpensive. Drones can be used to collect data ranging from updating processes to designing additions, as well as building changes, maintenance, and demolition. 

Some water companies in France are even using drones to inspect sewer operations. They are also being used in New Zealand as part of a water quality monitoring project. Drones are being used in Ireland to survey problems before they arise and catch unlawful dumping that would eventually become issues for wastewater treatment workers to handle. Drones have proven to be especially helpful in the wastewater industry by increasing worker safety, reducing energy consumption, streamlining planning, improving insight and education, and efficiently collecting samples.

Using Willow Trees to Treat Wastewater

This article was featured in a recent edition of Innovations for Small Systems, our monthly water technology newsletter.

Researchers at University of Montreal, Canada have found a way to filter the waste from municipal wastewater through the roots of willow trees while also producing renewable bioenergy and 'green' chemicals. The study, which was published in Science of the Total Environment, details the experiment conducted in Quebec, Canada to investigate the potential for sustainable wastewater treatment through phytofiltration, an emerging method to remove contaminants from water through the use of plants, to be integrated with renewable biorefinery. 

Phytofiltration plantation is an alternative wastewater treatment method where root systems from non-food crops, such as fast-growing trees, are used to capture contaminants and nutrients from wastewater. Short rotation coppice (SRC) willow has been considered as a promising renewable bioenergy crop due to its natural tolerance to contamination and the roots ability to filter out nitrogen in sewage, which can then be harvested for renewable lignocellulosic biofuels. This concept of a biorefinery illustrate the potential of multifunctional biotechnologies to address environmental challenges caused by human activities.

Photo Credit: Katy Walters

Featured Video: Why Are 96,000,000 Black Balls on This Reservoir?

By Jill Wallitschek

In 2015 the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power went viral when it unleashed 96 million shade balls into the Los Angeles Reservoir. The 175 acre reservoir served to store 3.3 billion gallons of treated drinking water. Shade balls were previously introduced to three other reservoirs in the LA area between 2008 and 2012. Releasing the 96 million balls marked the end of a 8 year project.

The project was first instigated when the Department of Water and Power was notified of high bromate levels in their water. Bromate (BrO₃^- ) is a disinfection byproduct regulated at 0.01 mg/L. High levels can increase risk of cancer. The chemical forms when bromide (Br ^- ), an otherwise harmless ion, reacts with ozone (O₃). For this reason treatment plants that use ozone are required to monitor for bromate monthly. Qualifying plants can reduce their monitoring to quarterly.

The LA Department of Water and Power determined that while they were finding low levels at the treatment facility, levels were elevated at the reservoirs. Upon investigation the facility realized that bromate can form under chlorination as well. When chlorinated water containing bromide reacts with sunlight, it forms bromate at even higher concentrations than ozonation. This realization prompted the facility to look toward a solution.

Removing the naturally occurring bromide wasn’t an option. Chlorination residual was necessary to protect public health. Ultimately the Department determined that sunlight was the only variable left to control.

After brainstorming for affordable and effective covers that could block sunlight across 175 acres, the Department discovered a product called “bird balls”. At the time, bird balls were used to deter waterfowl from swimming in contaminated water bodies or ponds near airport runways. These balls were made from high density polyethylene, a floatable, food grade plastic. The addition of carbon black gives them a black color and increases their life expectancy to approximately 10 years without sun bleaching. After consulting the manufacture, the balls were put through a small-scale test to access their bromate reduction abilites. The shade balls passed with flying colors.

Shade balls not only reduce bromate formation in the reservoir, but they deter birds, control algae, and reduce evaporation by 80 to 90%. Having been implemented under historical drought conditions, the innovation was applauded for its water saving results. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology these shade balls will have to be used for roughly 2.5 years to compensate for the water required to produce them. Since less chlorine is required to control algae formation with the adoption of shade balls, the treatment facility is experiencing significant cost savings as well. Over the course of their life span the reduction in chlorine use and evaporation will have paid for roughly half the shade balls.

Shortly after their installation, one of the reservoirs was removed from service and two of the remaining reservoirs transitioned to floating covers. Federal law requires that all drinking water bodies open to the air be covered. Transitioning the final Los Angeles Reservoir would have been too cost prohibitive based on its size. So given the effectiveness of the shade balls in such a large area, they shall remain in the Los Angeles Reservoir to prevent bromate formation, evaporation, and algae for the Los Angeles people.

What's on the Drinking Water Radar for the Year Ahead: 2019

Being a small-town water operator is not easy; it is up to you to ensure the quality of your community's water day-in and day-out, often with very limited resources. Let WaterOperator.org help you meet the challenge head-on with this list of tools and resources to put on your radar for the year ahead:

• Have you gotten in the groove yet with the new RTCR requirements? Here are two new documents from the USEPA designed to help small public water systems: Revised Total Coliform Rule Placards and a Revised Total Coliform Rule Sample Siting Plan with Template Manual. Additional compliance help, including public notification templates, a RTCR rule guide, a corrective actions guidance and more can be found here.
• While we know your hands are full just getting the job done, there are new and emerging issues you may have to deal with in the year ahead. For example, this past year many communities have been dealing with PFAS contamination issues. This ITRC website provides PFAS fact sheets that are regularly being updated on PFAS regulations, guidance, advisories and remediation methods. Especially of interest is this excel file that has begun to list the different state standards and guidance values for PFAS in drinking water as they are developed. Be sure to check back often for updates.
• Your utility may also have to adjust to new compliance rules in the coming year. In Michigan, for example, a new Lead and Copper Rule arising from the water crisis in Flint has gone into effect, making it the strictest in the nation. Other states, such as Ohio, have also adopted tougher standards, or are now requiring schools to test for lead. Oregon has established temporary rules that will require drinking water systems in the state using certain surface water sources to routinely test for cyanotoxins and notify the public about the test results.
• With a warming climate, these incidences of harmful algal blooms in surface water are on the increase, causing all sorts of challenges for water systems that now have to treat this contaminant. This cyanotoxin management template from the EPA can help assist you with a plan specific to your location.
• Worker turnover and retirements will still be an issue in 2019. According to this article, the median age for water workers in general (42.8 years) and water treatment operators specifically (46.4 years) are both above the national average across all occupations (42.2 years). You can keep transitions as smooth as possible by using EPA's Knowledge Retention Tool Spreadsheet and/or this Electronic Preventive Maintenance Log.
• New Tech Solutions: A UMass lab focusing on affordable water treatment technologies for small systems will be rolling out its Mobile Water Innovation Laboratory in 2019 for on-site testing. In addition, the facility is testing approaches to help communities address water-quality issues in affordable ways. "Early next year, in the maiden voyage of the mobile water treatment lab, UMass engineer David Reckhow plans to test ferrate, an ion of iron, as a replacement for several water treatments steps in the small town of Gloucester, MA.

But even without all these challenges and new ideas for the future, simply achieving compliance on a day-to-day basis can be tricky - if this sounds familiar, you may want to check out our recent video on how operators can approach the most common drinking water compliance issues.

Featured Video: The Future of Water

Water is a scarce resource for many communities around the globe, and this scarcity is becoming more and more widespread. Our featured video this week from Quartz Media looks out how one locality half a world away has addressed this challenge, and how the rest of us can learn from systems like these where the "future of water" has already arrived.

While this video focuses on a larger metropolitan area, there are some interesting takeaways for smaller systems as well such as:

•  Solutions to water challenges are best solved at the individual and/or community level. 
•  Water reuse is most likely already happening in your community and efforts can be made to change public perceptions. For example, a wastewater pipe enters the Mississippi River every 8 miles - meaning almost every community using the river as a water source is already drinking someone else's wastewater!     

Cellular Metering for Small Systems

Guest post from Brenda Koenig, Illinois State Water Survey.

Cellular-enabled water meters – also called smart meters – can make all the benefits of smart grid technology attainable for even for small systems on a budget. In this post, we’ll review the pros and cons of cellular vs. traditional metering systems.

Cellular meters offer service benefits

Due to their independence from physical infrastructure, a cellular system is better equipped to continue working through emergencies, such as floods, that might damage a large physical network. Cellular networks also make it easier to service dispersed or geographically diverse areas.

One of their greatest benefits is the speed of data. Cellular meters allow utility managers and customers to monitor their activity in real-time on the web. This improves leak detection and provides more opportunities for water conservation.

Weighing the costs

Cellular meters have potential to save utilities money on some fronts. Their use of cloud-based advanced metering analytic (AMA) software eliminates the need for expensive software installations at the plant. They also eliminate the need for a physical network of antennas, repeaters, wiring installations, and data collection units. Without the need for physical site visits to read traditional meters, utilities may also save staff time.

However, start-up costs for cellular metering can be significant, even without the expense of physical infrastructure. Buying and installing cellular meters can cost two to three times more than traditional meters. Staff and infrastructure costs will depend on what system you currently have in place. Cellular monitoring is compatible with most DEP and AWWA approved, AMR-compatible meters, but incompatible meters would need to be replaced. Staff may need to be retrained to install, maintain, and operate the new systems, as well as manage data, train customers, and set rates.

A growing trend

By 2020, it is estimated that 600,000 cellular water meters will be distributed annually, with companies such as Badger Meter, Arad Group, Neptune Technology Group, and Master Meter introducing cellular metering technologies.

So how does a small system decide if and when they too should adopt these new, game-changing cellular-based tools that are becoming more widely available and affordable? Much depends on each unique system’s needs and priorities, as well as the funding and political context in which they operate. Systems that are leak-prone or that need to step up their water conservation efforts may benefit from the daily feedback offered by cellular meters. Pilot programs or a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis can help utilities decide whether the tradeoffs in staff time, technology, and infrastructure expenses make sense. Finally, one of the best things to do is to talk to other systems about their experiences. Utilities with similar budgets, sizes, and goals can provide a lot of advice and references.

Resources:

Novato water district rolls out ‘smart’ meter pilot project news article, Marin Independent Journal 3/21/17

Big Data Flows: Water, Outsourcing, and the Flood of Data news article, EarthZine 6/30/15

Moving Towards Sustainable and Resilient Smart Water Grids journal article, Challenges 3/21/14

City looking to tap new water meters news article, Kingsville Record 3/1/15

RCAP - Water Metering Technologies presentation, RCAP Prezi 4/29/15

Advanced Metering Infrastructure, memo, City of Novi 4/24/15