Water Sector Organizations Partner on Innovative Generative AI Research Project

WRF, AWWA, WEF, Karmous Edwards Consulting to develop GenAI best practices for water utilities

DENVER, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Water Works Association (AWWA), in collaboration with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) The Water Research Foundation (WRF) and Karmous Edwards Consulting (KEC), launched a project on the Role of Generative AI (GenAI) for the Global Water Sector.

The research will establish a foundational understanding of GenAI's role for water utilities, develop and share best practices and case studies for GenAI applications in water, and establish a research roadmap for advancing future applications of this innovative technology in the water sector.

"Generative AI is a game changer that will transform the water community in ways we cannot yet fully imagine," said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. "The amazing members of the project team will lay the foundation to bring unimagined possibilities into our daily strategic operations. AWWA is proud to be part of this ground-breaking exploration."

Working with a diverse group of global water utilities—including utilities from South Korea and the United Kingdom—under the technical leadership of Karmous Edwards Consulting, the project will explore the application of GenAI to address critical water sector challenges, such as infrastructure management, water resource and environmental resilience, and public engagement and understanding of the value of water.

"While digital transformation of the water sector has been underway for several years, the emergence of GenAI technologies represents a significant opportunity to further transform the water sector by providing powerful, accessible solutions for utilities of all sizes," said WEF Executive Director Ralph Exton.

The ability of GenAI to analyze and generate insights from vast datasets – both structured and unstructured – can help utilities uncover trends, optimize resource allocation, and support data-driven decision-making at all levels and in all roles. Significantly, GenAI has the potential to augment human resources rather than replace them, enabling water sector professionals to focus on higher-value tasks, make more informed decisions, and drive innovation.

"Together, we aim to leverage the cost-effective yet sophisticated capabilities of generative AI to enhance utility operations, bridge the digital divide among utilities of all sizes, and establish a research roadmap that will propel global digital transformation in the water sector," said Gigi Karmous-Edwards, principal of Karmous Edwards Consulting.

Project outcomes will serve to define new approaches to leverage GenAI technologies, mitigate risks and advance digital transformation in water to enhance utility capacity to address current and future water challenges.

"This exciting project will gather insights and lessons learned from utilities who already have experience implementing GenAI strategies," said WRF CEO Dr. Peter Grevatt. "These case studies will help others across the water sector see the potential associated with the use of these new tools, while demonstrating how to pursue secure experimentation, thereby mitigating the cybersecurity concerns sometimes associated with GenAI."

Project results will be available in late 2025. Visit the project page on WRF's website for updates on project progress.

About AWWA
Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world's most vital resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.

About WEF
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of more than 30,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. Established in 1928, WEF's mission is to inspire the water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being. WEF's goals are to attract and develop a passionate workforce, cultivate a purpose-driven community to sustainably solve water challenges for all, and lead the transformation to the circular water economy. Learn more at wef.org.

About WRF
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public. For more information, visit www.waterrf.org.

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SOURCE Water Environment Federation