AI makes a splash in water treatment optimization

A new water treatment facility in Drayton Valley is piloting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance both the environmental sustainability and the cost-effectiveness of their operations. Tech startup ISL Adapt has partnered with the Town of Drayton Valley, the University of Alberta and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute to run an AI pilot program at the new Drayton Valley Water Treatment Plant. A miniature water treatment plant inside the larger facility will test the effectiveness of an AI-driven ultrafiltration system.

The AI-powered ultrafiltration pilot system located within the Town of Drayton Valley’s water treatment facility

According to Douglas Hallett, research and innovation lead at ISL Adapt, water treatment facilities, like the one in Drayton Valley, face the responsibility of supplying clean drinking water to the population. Drayton Valley uses an advanced ultrafiltration system to address challenges such as organics, E. coli and emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs).

In conventional water treatment systems, coagulants are added to bind particles, settling them to the bottom of the tank. An ultrafiltration system enhances this process by creating fine clusters of particles which helps them adhere to membrane surfaces. The process involves pumping the water through long membranes that look like spaghetti and whose tiny pores filter out suspended solids and pathogens. However, a wrong dose of coagulants can clog the filters, which are expensive to clean and replace. With raw water conditions constantly changing, it can be challenging for human operators to manually calculate dosage.

Funded by Alberta Innovates, a pilot project within the plant is testing whether AI can improve operation of the water plant’s ultrafiltration system. Optical sensors send water quality data to the AI system, whose learning algorithm adjusts coagulant dosage, pumping and cleaning cycles. The goal is to minimize water, energy and chemical usage with hopes to eventually employ the same system at an industrial scale in the main plant.

Raw water pumps send water into the Drayton Valley water treatment plant from a gated offstream reservoir fed by the North Saskatchewan River

“The sensors act as the nervous system of the AI, with ISL Adapt providing the body or water treatment system and AI researchers contributing the brain – the learning algorithm,” says Hallett.  “We wouldn’t be where we are without Alberta Innovates providing the capital for this pilot. Everyone involved is so grateful for the opportunity.”

Guided by AI-powered learning, the pilot system adjusts in real time to deliver the precise amounts of coagulants needed and optimize the frequency of membrane cleaning. This approach aims to use less water and energy to produce cleaner and more cost-effective drinking water.

The 24-hour sensor data in the ultrafiltration system also helps  algorithms predict seasonal changes in raw water quality from the North Saskatchewan River.

“In the early spring, the river water is fresh and blue like you’d expect coming off of the Rocky Mountains,” says Hallett. “When spring warms, more organic content comes in with meltwater and can turn the river brown like chocolate milk. That’s the biggest challenge for this project, dealing with the ever-changing water conditions.”

Hallett envisions broader applications, particularly in watersheds prone to wildfires. Wildfires are growing more frequent under climate change and can rapidly contaminate watersheds with inorganic  and organic debris that affects water chemistry. By adapting to changing surface water chemistry and sediment levels in real-time, the new AI-powered ultrafiltration system could prevent disruptions to drinking water and enhance climate change resilience in small communities.

As access to fresh drinking water continues to be a critical issue for municipalities, the energy savings from ultrafiltration technology could significantly reduce the cost of water treatment, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.

Learn more about Alberta Innovates’ Water Innovation Program.

This article is part of Making Waves, an annual Alberta Innovates publication highlighting water solutions we support. You can read more stories from this issue below.