Artificial intelligence is a crucial technology in managing the water cycle as a tool for anticipating and making informed decisions to address the challenges in this area which are shaped by the effects of climate change including drought and flood risk, rising and unbalanced water demand and ageing infrastructure stock.

This is the message set out in the ‘White Paper on Artificial Intelligence applied to Water’ released by the Centre of Innovation for Data Tech and Artificial Intelligence (CIDAI). It points to AI opportunities in water infrastructure management such as modelling by creating digital twins which furnish a virtual replica of real-world systems to conduct simulations and cut costs; tapping artificial intelligence as a tool to support decision-making through a range of techniques which analyse, predict, recommend and prioritise actions; and smart infrastructure investment management anchored in leveraging the Internet of Things and historical data mining and analysis drawing on big data and AI plus security and governance using blockchain.

The study further notes the opportunities for artificial intelligence in water abstraction and storage prediction and planning; in water for agriculture, allowing remote sensing of the state of crops and optimisation of resources; and in drinking water purification, distribution, urban use and sewerage.

“Data-driven technologies and AI deliver a high-potential transformation vector across the entire water cycle,” says Lluís Juncà, director general of Innovation, Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship in the Government of Catalonia. “These technologies can enhance water management from a sustainable and smart development standpoint.”

“The water stress which climate change is bringing us spurs the development of a range of technologies to secure the availability of the water our society needs,” adds Joan Mas, director of CIDAI and the Digital Area at the Eurecat technology centre. “It is against this background that harnessing digital-based technologies and artificial intelligence in particular can help towards rational management of this resource.”

“Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are a lever for cross-cutting transformation of the entire water cycle which will enable us to ramp up its governance and transparency while enhancing its management efficiency and bringing in new technologies,” argues Josep M. Sangrà, assistant manager for Coordination of Cross-cutting Projects and European Funds at the Catalan Water Agency.

CIDAI manager Marco Orellana also points out “the importance of ensuring the reliability and quality of the data collected for accurate decision-making” along with “unlocking the digitalisation of the sector and striving to share data between water ecosystem stakeholders”.

The white paper furnishes data on the scale of the water sector in Catalonia, which currently consists of 505 undertakings with a turnover of €5.01 billion accounting for 2.1 percent of Catalan GDP.

YOU CAN SEE THE ‘WHITE PAPER ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLIED TO WATER’ HERE