Role of AI&ML in Modernizing Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes

Abstract

The necessity for practical, affordable, and sustainable solutions in water management, as well as the technical ability to tackle issues related to water and wastewater, have made artificial intelligence and machine learning an increasingly important part of the modernisation of water and wastewater treatment processes. This study describes basic ideas and precepts of artificial intelligence and machine learning and the difficulties with using traditional techniques. It also examines the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to the treatment of wastewater and water, emphasising their importance in energy efficiency, defect detection, infrastructure monitoring, optimisation, decision support, and integration with intelligent technologies. The future of water and wastewater management is expected to be shaped by artificial intelligence and machine learning systems that aim to address these constraints. Machine learning methods are investigated for predictive modelling, energy efficiency, defect detection, and infrastructure monitoring. In addition, this article provides case studies showing how artificial intelligence and machine learning are applied in practical situations, assesses their work, discusses obstacles and restrictions, and describes potential directions and new developments in this area. Future trends in water management focus on artificial intelligence-driven solutions. Artificial intelligence and machine learning has excellent potential to modernise water and wastewater treatment systems, providing ground-breaking solutions to the 21st-century challenges of increasing demand for sustainable water management. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.