How can AI help achieve Clean water and Sanitation?

Clean water and sanitation is next to the fundamental rights of an individual. Both the government and individuals should take efforts in order to grant each individual these basicities. 

 

But still, there are many factors which limit the access of sanitation to everyone. Factors like high costs, advanced techniques, and modern skill administration widened the gap between the goal and the reality. 

 

The Internet of things(IoT) and AI are already bridging this gap. Let us see how AI plays its part in achieving global goals of clean water and sanitation. 

 

In this blog we will take a look at the role of AI in clean water management and sanitation. We will also discuss the AI technologies that are involved in the water treatment and management plants. 

 

 

What do you mean by clean water and sanitation?

 

Before jumping to the main topic, let us clear the exact meaning of clean water and sanitation.

 

Clean water

 

Clean water is also known as drinking water or potable water or safe water. It is safe for drinking and is used for food preparation. Drinking water has different safety and quality standards in different nations. It depends on various factors like climate, topography and human habitat. 

 

(Speaking of Climate, check out the role of AI in Climate Change)

 

Sanitation

 

Sanitation is defined as the public health conditions related to clean drinking water. It also includes treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. For example, hand washing with soap is also a part of sanitation.

 

Reference report - UNESCO water synthesis report

 

 

Why is there a need for clean water and sanitation?

 

Clean water is the basic right for everyone in the country. Improved sanitation is responsible for a clean environment. Both the factors are vital for family society development. 

 

Access to clean drinking water controls enteric diseases.  At the same time, sanitation boosts individual health. Practice of good hygiene is directly indirectly responsible for improving the global health standards.

 

(Suggested blog, IoT in waste water management)

 

 

Benefits of AI in clean water and sanitation

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Benefits of AI in clean water and sanitation

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AI refers to the embedment of intelligence in the machines and physical devices. Machine learning and algorithms are the basic part of AI. 

 

AI has its application in almost all spheres of life. AI has the capability to resolve limitations related to clean water and sanitation. AI helps in maintaining utilities and municipalities related to clean water and sanitation. 

 

AI assists in innovating services related to water deliverability and sanitation. AI technologies also help in building water-intensive industries. Also, it helps in monitoring water quality activity more effectively.

 

 

1. Reduces the cost setup of water treatment facilities

 

Water treatment plant helps in eliminating the toxic chemicals from the waste water and makes it safe for use again. But these treatment plants face many limitations such as inefficient operations, costly chemicals and high energy bills. 

 

The high cost made it difficult for the managers to run plant operations on suboptimal levels. At the same time, it increases the risk for compliance violations. AI assists the existing IT investments and machines. It helps utilities run water treatment facilities by reducing their operational expenses. 

 

AI draws analysis from a plant’s past performance. After deep analysis, the technology prescribes optimal control actions. These results are based on a plant’s energy, chemical goals and real-time forecasted conditions.

 

Such solutions help in optimizing the operator’s time and focus on high priority site-specific goals. AI, in short, is feasible from a financial and operational standpoint.

 

(Related blog - AI in Finance)

 

 

2. Improve the quality of the effluent

 

The sewage and wastewater is often discharged into freshwater bodies and tributaries. This often harms the environment and exposes significant health risks. It can have significant compliance fines. 

 

The difference in water management cannot strike a harmony between pH stabilization, flocculation, coagulation, and inorganic constituents ratios. The sewage effluent is not treated upto the required sanitation levels. 

 

AI operations assist each step of the wastewater treatment process by regulating predictive control. The AI technologies can optimize aeration, anaerobic digestion, membrane cleaning schedule, membrane bioreactors, and chemical dosing. It makes sure that the effluent does not contain any harmful elements. 

 

AI assisted solutions analyze wastewater treatment plant data and provide recommendations related to it.

 

(Speaking of Recommendations, check out Recommendation Systems)

 

 

3. Detect the presence of toxic organisms

 

AI helps in detecting the presence of bacteria and other toxic organisms in water. The IoT devices help in detecting dangerous organisms and harmful particles. Different countries can apply different AI filters according to their topographic and chemical needs.

 

 

4. Flow cytometry

 

Flow cytometry helps in characterizing the microbial community. It is a single-cell technology that helps in measuring thousands of individual cells in seconds of time. 

 

 

5. Ground level analysis

 

The AI technologies help in groundwater level analysis. It helps in decision support in flood and groundwater management. Even in the earlier times, AI has shown brilliant results and has replaced the complementary traditional models. 

 

The AI platform exposes powerful synergies with data mining. The AI system has a significant contribution to the design of future support systems in water management for cities.

 

 

6. In building advanced toilets

 

AI technologies unleash developments such as AI toilets. These toilets are capable of analyzing feces and diagnosing diseases. 

 

 

7. Better data monitoring

 

This point is itself proven from UNESCO latest reports. According to it, AI eases the process for the governments. With regular observations and data monitoring, AI helps the government to realize its goals and its expectation ratios. 

 

 

8. Helps in achieving sustainable goals

 

AI technologies help in estimating clean and sustainable goals for the public and individuals.

 

Despite so many uses, AI has many limitations also. For instance, the technology lacks proper security and privacy measures. At the same time, the system requires a health network condition and modern machinery as a raw material. And areas which lack these necessities can not be benefitted from the same.

 

(Recommended blog - Clean Energy)

 

 

A way forward

 

There are still many households around the world, which lack proper sanitation facilities. Each year, several children die due to diarrheal diseases, this condition arises due to the shortage of cleaning water. 

 

Though, no doubt, AI and related technologies have a huge role in departing healthy conditions and safe drinking water. But still, the role of mankind here is more significant. 

 

Individuals are responsible for both the hygiene, personal and social. The governments should set up modern infrastructures and facilities so that everyone can access clean drinking water, the basic necessity of life.